¶ … Standard of Ur, Scenes of War/Peace, 2700 bce
The Standard of Ur is an artifact, which Charles Leonard Woolley discovered in the late 1920. It was in the Royal Tombs of Ur in ancient Mesopotamia, which was close to Baghdad presently known as Iran about 2600 BCE. Leonard was a London-based excavator who had gone to Ur in an effort to discover artifacts including archeological elements. Apparently, when he found it, he was not sure what it was; therefore, he assumed that it was a flag used back then in 2600 BCE. In addition, other people were also not sure of what it was, and some of them assumed it was a type of emblem of a king, others suggested it was a musical instrument covering.[footnoteRef:2] [2: Wolley, Leonard. Excavations at Ur: A record of twelve years' work. (London: Routledge) ]
In this regard, the British Museum has favored this concept, where the box is currently placed. Nonetheless, the real use of the Standard of Ur remains a mystery for historians, archeologists, which explain the diverse findings on its use. Scholars have gone further to theorize that it was a box intended for the collection and holding civic funds. The Standard of Ur is, other than being an artifact, an 8.5x19.6-inch trapezoidal box, which shows how life was in times of war and peace in Sumerian society.
Historical literatures state that the Standard of Ur got the name standard because the excavator who found it supposedly found it in the corner of a room, lying close to the shoulder of a person who may have held the box on a rope.[footnoteRef:3] For this reason, Woodley called it a standard, but there is no proof, which links the box to being a standard. Although there is a current form of the box in some of the world's renowned museums, literature asserts that the current depiction, is only a try of reconstructing the original artifact. Notably, the original artifact had stayed buried for a very long time, which contributed to the fragmentation and disintegration of some of its parts. [3: Sailus, Christopher. "Standard of Ur: Definition, lesson and quiz," http://education-portal.com/academy/lesson/standard-of-ur-definition-lesson-quiz.html#lesson (accessed 23 April 2014)]
In addition, when the excavators found it, literature asserts that some of the mosaic pieces managed to retain their form on the soil. Therefore, the excavators carefully uncovered the broken sections of the artifact and covered them with wax in an attempt to maintain their original form.[footnoteRef:4] Later on, they managed to lift the original designs, which contributed to the reconstruction of the artifact to the present state. It was made of lapis lazuli, which literature describes as an expensive stone that was in use at the period. In addition, limestone is another rock, which constitutes the box, and as literature asserts, limestone was an essential component for Sumerians as it featured in structural art.[footnoteRef:5] [4: The British Museum. "Standard of Ur: From Ur, southern Iraq, about 2400-2600 BC," http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/me/t/the_standard_of_ur.aspx (accessed 23 April 2014)] [5: Christopher. "Standard of Ur: Definition, lesson and quiz,"]
Ur in Context
Notably, there has been an evident confusion concerning the Ur, which is central to the Standard under research. However, the context of Ur is that of the ancient city of Sumer, Mesopotamia. In addition, the same city is also Ur of the Chaldea. Interestingly, this same Ur, is the one referred to as the home of Abraham as per the Bible. It was a crucial center of the Sumerian culture, and the prior literature comment that it was discovered in the 19th century. After the excavations, which saw to the discovery of the Standard of Ur, it became apparent that the city was a commercial center even before 2500 BC.[footnoteRef:6] [6: The British Museum. "Standard of Ur: From Ur, southern Iraq, about 2400-2600 BC,"]
The most important remains found in the city reveal a luxurious material culture, particularly due to the royal cemetery, which had harbored the Standard. There was also the temple of Ninhursag, which bore inscriptions of the various kings. The city had over three dynasties, which often crumbled due to regular warfare from neighbors. In this context, it had rules, even others mentioned in the Bible such as Nebuchadnezzar. As time passed by, there were various dwellers in the city, which included Arabs. However, the city later crumbled, and has not been heard, but owing to the Standard of Ur, the city will remain remembered. In the Bible, the city is mentioned in the books of Genesis and Nehemiah.
Interpretation
The Standard...
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