The Sumerian World (Routledge Worlds)

and goddesses, recognizable by their headdress of bull horns. Among them is a front-
facing fertility goddess (Figure 16. 17 ) and a deity who presides over the ritual building
of a stepped platform remarkably similar to the later ziggurats. Another theme showing
the divine that may refer to a myth is the theme of the Sun god Utu in the god-boat
(Figure 16. 18 ). This visual narrative continues in the Akkadian period.

Akkadian period: Early and Classic

During the period of Akkadian consolidation of the competing Mesopotamian city-
states under centralize rule, radical changes took place in all aspects of society (Liverani
1993 ). This is reflected in both the glyptic arts and the administrative practices. As
discussed in other chapters in this volume, many factors contributed to shaping these
changes. Centrally important is of course political change (Nissen 1986 ) but perhaps

–– Seals and sealings in the Sumerian world ––

Figure 16.17Drawing of a modern impression of a cylinder seal showing a

front-facing fertility goddess (after Amiet 1980 a: 1357 )

Figure 16.18 Modern impression of Early Dynastic III cylinder seal showing the god-boat and

human-headed feline (Porada 1948 : 126. Courtesy of the Pierpont Morgan Library)