THICK CYLINDERS WITH SHRINES AND ANIMALS. 183 
The smaller cylinders of pink marble may possibly not be related to the larger, 
white marble ones, although probably they are. I obtained four of them (one of 
syenite) in Southern Babylonia, and, as stated above, I was told that two of them 
were found in Abu Shahrein. This is evidence that they were in use in Southern, 
probably Southwestern, Babylonia or perhaps in the borders of Arabia. The 
J. Pierpont Morgan Library contains one which is cast in bronze or copper; 

JePrnevnhe Gaptabirl Mii ca bok wins eRe @ 

otherwise metal cylinders are quite late. Another evidence that these are late 
appears in another cylinder, a cast of which is mislaid, which seems to be of the 
same smaller style, with very deep holes and very thin outlines. In this case we 
seem to have the god Marduk with his : 
scimitar, but the weapon is of a shape 
characteristic of a late period, and not 
found in the earlier art. On all the ear- & 
lier cylinders the curved part of the scim- 
itar is very shallow, forming ANAL COL 
scarce 45 degrees; while in the later art the 
curve is much more pronounced, reaching 
a half circle, such as appears in this case. Hanes the profile face of the figure 
carrying the weapon has quite an archaic look, with its round head and angular, 
bird-like nose. While a conclusion can not be certainly reached I am inclined to 
put all these cylinders comparatively late. Unfortunately, on none of them is any 
inscription found. It would seem as if those who used them were not a literary 
people. 

