hierarchy (Winter 1987 b). By extension of the king, also queens and high priestesses
of royal blood appear as patrons of their subordinates in audience scenes (Figure 10. 14 ;
Suter 2008 : 21 – 23 ).
The gradual replacement of banquet with audience scenes may be related to increas-
ing bureaucracy and hierarchy in the centralised Akkad and Ur III states, and to the
self-deification of their kings, which elevated them further away from the community
than the rulers of city-states had been.
–– Claudia E. Suter ––Figure 10.13Seal given by Shulgi to his consort Geme-Ninlila
(drawing after Mayr and Owen 2004 : fig. 2 )Figure 10.14Seal given by Sharkalisharri to his consort’s estate manager Dada
(drawing after Amiet 1976 : fig. 23 )