110 SEAL CYLINDERS OF WESTERN ASIA. 
Jews the head was shaved in case of vows. He holds up one hand in token of 
worship, while the other is held by the female figure who also holds up one hand 
while grasping with the other the wrist of the worshiper. Her garment is flounced 
and on her head is the high and pointed turban or crown worn by the gods. The 
last figure in the group wears the same headdress, but a simple garment, and holds 
up both hands in the attitude of worship. 
1f Winckler is right in the interpretation of his translation of the accompany- 
ing inscription the seated figure may not be a god at all, but the King Ur-Engur; 
yet it is more likely to be a god. He thus translates (“Keilinsch. Bib.,” 11, p. 81) 
“(To thee, O) Ur-Engur, Mighty hero, King of Ur, Hashhamir (has dedicated this), 
patesi of (the city) Ishkun-Sin, thy servant.”” ‘The shape of the headdress worn 
by the seated figure seems to suggest a king rather than a god, and yet we must 
remember that the richest kind of headdress known would be worn by both kings 
and gods. ‘The dress of the gods was patterned after that of the early kings. I 
can not doubt that this is a god. It is to be observed that about this time the 
fashion began to shave the head and beard, doubtless for cleanliness, to avoid 
infestation of lice, just as ointment was also used in Palestine where shaving was 
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forbidden. This may have coincided with the introduction of bronze knives in 
place of stone. It is to be observed that the gods were never shaven, perhaps 
because they could not be imagined to need such protection. 
Similar is fig. 52a from an impression on a tablet in the Louvre. It is remark- 
able for the lion on the seat and the lion holding a standard behind the god. The 
lion properly belongs to the goddess Ishtar, or possibly Bau. We may consider 
this as perhaps representing the king Gimil-Sin, whose name we find preceded on 
cylinders by the sign of divinity, showing that even in his lifetime a king of Ur 
was regarded as a god, like some of the Roman Emperors. ‘This will explain the 
fact that the seated god wears the royal headdress, and not the horned headdress 
which belongs to a god. We may question whether the artist in his difficult task 
of copying from the impression on the tablet has properly inclosed Venus instead 
of the sun within the crescent of the moon. 
That this style was in favor at Ur about this time is seen in fig. 304, another 
royal seal, of Gimil-Sin, King of Ur. Here we have the same seated god, the same 
shaven worshiper led by the hand by the same flounced female figure. A notice- 
able point, apart from the inscription, is the shape of the very graceful two-handled 
vase which the god holds in his hand. ‘The inscription reads, according to Winckler, 
“Gimil-Sin, mighty hero, king of Ur, king of the four regions; Gal-Anna-.. . 
the scribe, son of Hi... . , thy servant.” 
