164 SEAL CYLINDERS OF WESTERN ASIA. 
We have an example of a standing god in a long robe bearing the serpent- 
scimitar on his shoulder in the remarkable cylinder of Dungi, the early king of Ur 
(fig. 436). Here the god, in a two-horned turban and a long plain garment, stands 
before a flaming altar, while the owner of the seal, followed by the goddess who 
presents him, stands in an attitude of worship. The god carries two weapons, one 
the serpent-scimitar, the head of the serpent being lost by the imperfection of the 
seal, and in the other hand a triple club, the three knobs of which indicate its ter- 
rible character. It must not be taken for a branch with fruit. With this must 
be compared fig. 32, another example of Dungi’s early period, where the same god 
carries no scimitar. 
So early an example of a god carrying the serpent weapon is very rare in the 
earlier art before Gudea and another example can hardly be found. We have it 
above in fig. 1305a, of the time of Gudea. Almost as rare in the middle period 
following Gudea is the figure of such a god with the caduceus lifted in his hand. 
An example we have in fig. 437. Here we have a god in dress and form like the 
standing Shamash, except that his foot is not lifted on an eminence and his weapon 
is the curved scimitar and not the notched sword. Facing him is a flounced god- 



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436 
dess, like Aa or Shala, which might suggest that the god whom she faces is Sha- 
mash, except that hers is a conventional type for almost any goddess that is to be 
related to a god. ‘The worshiper stands behind the goddess, if it be the worshiper, 
in a very abbreviated garment and a shaven head of the Gudea style, while behind 
the god are two servants bearing offerings in baskets. ‘he objects which fill the 
upper part of the space are of interest—a head, or mask, which may represent 
Ninkharshag (Belit), also three circular emblems, of which the central one is Ishtar, 
with radiating angles, and the two others appear to be rosettes. The style and 
workmanship of this cylinder, unless it be the rosettes, would seem to carry it back 
to a period earlier than Hammurabi, and so earlier than the preéminence of Marduk. 
Occasionally the god with the scimitar stands or lifts his foot on a grotesque 
animal. He stands on the animal in fig. 438. It is the same conventional animal 
which we shall see under the emblems of Marduk and Nebo, Chapter Lx1x, No. 
10, and he holds his scimitar in one hand. Before him stand a worshiper and the 
flounced goddess, and the accessories are a vertical serpent, a star, and a jackal 
or monkey-like animal. For a case much like this see fig. 562. Such another case 
appears in fig. 439. The god, in his long garment, holds his right hand against his 
breast, and in his left the scimitar hanging down in the usual way, and his foot 
is lifted high on a winged animal, which has the head meant for a serpent. Behind 
him is the upright serpent, which may be the symbol of Marduk, and which in this 


