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| The '''Burney Relief''' is an early ] (ca. ]) ]n ]n, not ] or ], as sometimes described) terracotta relief of a winged goddess-figure with ]'s talons, flanked by ]s and perched upon supine ]s. It is in a private collection, probably in Japan, though it became well-known through its former on-loan exhibition in the ] in ]. The goddess-figure has been identified with the Sumerian ''Kisikil-lilla-ke'' of the ], and, somewhat improbably, with ] Babylonian ]. Otherwise, she has been identified as the goddess ] (Sumerian) or ] (Babylonian) during her visit to the ]. | The '''Burney Relief'''(named after a former owner) is an early ] (ca. ]) ]n ]n, not ] or ], as sometimes described) terracotta relief of a winged goddess-figure with ]'s talons, flanked by ]s and perched upon supine ]s. It is in a private collection, probably in Japan, though it became well-known through its former on-loan exhibition in the ] in ]. The goddess-figure has been identified with the Sumerian ''Kisikil-lilla-ke'' of the ], and, somewhat improbably, with ] Babylonian ]. Otherwise, she has been identified as the goddess ] (Sumerian) or ] (Babylonian) during her visit to the ]. | ||
| The piece has sometimes, on stylistic grounds, been regarded as not genuine, but scientific testing now appears to confirm its authenticity. A very similar relief dating to roughly the same period is preserved in the ] (AO 6501). | The piece has sometimes, on stylistic grounds, been regarded as not genuine, but scientific testing now appears to confirm its authenticity. A very similar relief dating to roughly the same period is preserved in the ] (AO 6501). | ||
Revision as of 14:08, 27 August 2006
The Burney Relief(named after a former owner) is an early 2nd millennium BC (ca. 1950 BC) Mesopotamian (Babylonian, not Sumerian or Assyrian, as sometimes described) terracotta relief of a winged goddess-figure with eagle's talons, flanked by owls and perched upon supine lions. It is in a private collection, probably in Japan, though it became well-known through its former on-loan exhibition in the British Museum in London. The goddess-figure has been identified with the Sumerian Kisikil-lilla-ke of the Gilgamesh epos, and, somewhat improbably, with 7th century BC Babylonian Lilitu. Otherwise, she has been identified as the goddess Inana (Sumerian) or Ishtar (Babylonian) during her visit to the Underworld.
The piece has sometimes, on stylistic grounds, been regarded as not genuine, but scientific testing now appears to confirm its authenticity. A very similar relief dating to roughly the same period is preserved in the Louvre (AO 6501).
F. Davis, "A puzzling "Venus" of 2000 B.C.: a fine Sumerian relief in London". The Illustrated London News 13 June 1936 (issue 5069) 1047.
D. Opitz, "Die vogelfüssige Göttin auf den Löwen". Archiv für Orientforschung 11 (1936-37), 350-353.
E.D. Van Buren, "A further note on the terra-cotta relief". Archiv für Orientforschung 11 (1936-37), 354-357.
H. Frankfort, "The Burney Relief". Archiv für Orientforschung 12 (1937-39), 128-135.
Th. Jacobsen, "Pictures and pictorial language (the Burney Relief). In: M. Mindlin, M.J. Geller and J.E. Wansbrough, eds., Figurative Language in the Ancient Near East, 1-11. London: University of London School of Oriental and African Studies.