University of Pennsylvania Museum

Peg with a Human-Faced Bull Protome Alabaster 2600-2350 BCE Khafaje, Iraq # 38-10-55 Text from the U. Penn. Museum label.

Peg with a Human-Faced Bull Protome Alabaster 2600-2350 BCE Khafaje, Iraq # 38-10-55 Text from the U. Penn. Museum label.

Statue Fragment (female) Alabaster 2600-2350 BCE Khafaje, Iraq # 38-10-51 Text from the U. Penn. Museum label.

Statue (Male) Limestone 2600-2350 BCE Khafaje, Iraq # 37-15-29 Text from the U. Penn. Museum label.

Statue (Male) Alabaster, Shell, and Lapis Lazuli 2600-2350 BCE Khafaje, Iraq # 37-15-31 Text from the U. Penn. Museum label.

Statue Alabaster 2600-2350 BCE Khafaje, Iraq # 37-15-35 Text from the U. Penn. Museum label.

Cosmetic Box Alabaster 2550-2450 BCE Ur, Iraq (PG1100) # 30-12-697 Text from the U. Penn. Museum label.

Lyre Inlay Shell 2550-2450 BC Ur, Iraq (PG 1332) #30-12-484 Text from the U. Penn. Museum label.

(top) Earring Gold 2550-2450 BCE Ur, Iraq (PG 1237) # 30-12-442 A and (bottom) Earring Gold 2550-2450 BCE Ur, Iraq (PG 1237) # 30-12-442 B Gold Gold would have been imported from Anatolia, Iran, and the Indus valley. At Ur, golden objects are almost always made of alloys of gold and coppper or gold and silver. Pure gold is extremely rare. This is probably both because gold was a scarce and precious commodity, and because the color and appearance of the alloys was preferred. Gold and copper alloy is reddish, whild gold and silver (electrum) is silvery. Text from the U. Penn. Museum label.

Choker Gold and lapis lazuli 2550-2450 BCE Ur, Iraq (PG1237, Body No. 16) # 30-12-706 Text from the U. Penn. Museum label. Gold Gold would have been imported from Anatolia, Iran, and the Indus valley. At Ur, golden objects are almost always made of alloys of gold and coppper or gold and silver. Pure gold is extremely rare. This is probably both because gold was a scarce and precious commodity, and because the color and appearance of the alloys was preferred. Gold and copper alloy is reddish, whild gold and silver (electrum) is silvery. Text from the U. Penn. Museum label.

Wreath Gold, Lapis lazuli, and carnelian 2550-2450 BCE Ur, Iraq (PG789) # B16740 Text from the U. Penn. Museum label. Gold Gold would have been imported from Anatolia, Iran, and the Indus valley. At Ur, golden objects are almost always made of alloys of gold and coppper or gold and silver. Pure gold is extremely rare. This is probably both because gold was a scarce and precious commodity, and because the color and appearance of the alloys was preferred. Gold and copper alloy is reddish, whild gold and silver (electrum) is silvery. Text from the U. Penn. Museum label.

Vessel in the Form of an Ostreich Egg Gold, lapis lazuli, red limestone, shell, and bitumen 2550-2450 BCE Ur, Iraq (PG779) B16692 Text from the U. Penn. Museum label. Gold Gold would have been imported from Anatolia, Iran, and the Indus valley. At Ur, golden objects are almost always made of alloys of gold and coppper or gold and silver. Pure gold is extremely rare. This is probably both because gold was a scarce and precious commodity, and because the color and appearance of the alloys was preferred. Gold and copper alloy is reddish, whild gold and silver (electrum) is silvery. Text from the U. Penn. Museum label.

Tumbler Electrum 2550-2450 BCE Ur, Iraq, (PG800, Tomb Chamber) # B17691 This drinking vessel has been hammered out of a single piece of electrum, an alloy of gold and silver. It most likely would have been used at a royal banquet. Although it is made out of a precious metal, its design and fluted shape are typical of Mesopotamian drinking vessels. Examples can be seen in representations on cylinder seals and lyre panels. The loop on the rim suggests that the tumbler may have been hung around the neck or looped around the wrist with string or wire. Text from the U. Penn. Museum label

Cosmetic Container Gold 2550-2450 BCE Ur, Iraq (PG800) # B16710 These gold containers were found in Queen Puabi's tomb chamber. The oval shape of the two bowls is a common metal vessel form. The fluted bowl shares many design elements with the fluted tumbler, and they may be thought of as a set. The cosmetic container, shaped as a cockleshell, was filled with a green pigment. The pieces are in such good condition because gold is a stable metal. Text from two U. Penn. Museum labels.

Bowl Gold 2550-2450 BCE Ur, Iraq (PG800, Tomb Chamber) B17693 These gold containers were found in Queen Puabi's tomb chamber. The oval shape of the two bowls is a common metal vessel form. The fluted bowl shares many design elements with the fluted tumbler, and they may be thought of as a set. The cosmetic container, shaped as a cockleshell, was filled with a green pigment. The pieces are in such good condition because gold is a stable metal. Text from two U. Penn. Museum labels. Gold Gold would have been imported from Anatolia, Iran, and the Indus valley. At Ur, golden objects are almost always made of alloys of gold and coppper or gold and silver. Pure gold is extremely rare. This is probably both because gold was a scarce and precious commodity, and because the color and appearance of the alloys was preferred. Gold and copper alloy is reddish, whild gold and silver (electrum) is silvery. Text from the U. Penn. Museum label.

Bowl Gold 2550-2450 BCE Ur, Iraq (PG800, Tomb Chamber) B16707 These gold containers were found in Queen Puabi's tomb chamber. The oval shape of the two bowls is a common metal vessel form. The fluted bowl shares many design elements with the fluted tumbler, and they may be thought of as a set. The cosmetic container, shaped as a cockleshell, was filled with a green pigment. The pieces are in such good condition because gold is a stable metal. Text from two U. Penn. Museum labels. Gold Gold would have been imported from Anatolia, Iran, and the Indus valley. At Ur, golden objects are almost always made of alloys of gold and coppper or gold and silver. Pure gold is extremely rare. This is probably both because gold was a scarce and precious commodity, and because the color and appearance of the alloys was preferred. Gold and copper alloy is reddish, whild gold and silver (electrum) is silvery. Text from the U. Penn. Museum label.

Spouted Jug Silver 2550-2450 BCE Ur, Iraq (PG 800, Tomb Chamber) # B17082B Text from the U. Penn Museum label.