CHAPTER XXXV. 
MISCELLANEOUS BABYLONIAN CYLINDERS. 
A certain number of cylinders of the Older Empire, but not absolutely archaic, 
defy classification. Such a one is fig. 559. It shows usa hunter with a bow shooting 
at a wild bull on a mountain. Behind him is a nude attendant holding a short sword 
or knife, below which is a /second knife. Between the two is a short inscription 
~) in an archaic style, on which we can read the charac- 
ter Lugal, king. ‘The entire design is vigorous and 
| seems to belong to the period of Sargon the Elder, 
| and so does not belong with the hunting designs of a 
much later period shown in Chapter Lixt 
With this may be eeameiel another of similar vigor, seen in fig. 560. Here a 
lion seizes a bull from behind, and the bull kicks at the lion. A single gracefully 
bending reed indicates the nature of the ground, here not a mountainous region. 
This also appears to be of a comparatively early period. 


ee a. 1 an a 
Similarly old, probably, judging from the inscription and the garments worn 
by two figures, is the cylinder shown in fig. 561. ‘This design is absolutely unique 
and comes nearer to being obscene than any other known. A female figure, per- 
fectly nude, sits squat, with knees apart, over a prostrate figure, nude except for a 
belt, and lying on his back with his hands 
behind his head, apparently dying or dead. A 
standing figure in a short simple garment grasps 
the arm of the female figure and with the other 
hand seems to raise a weapon. ‘The attitude 
of the female figure certainly suggests the 
whoredoms as described in Ezekiel 16: 25. 
Another peculiar and quite unique cylin- 
der we have in fig. 562. Here is a god seated on a monster which has quite the form 
of that which we see under the seat of Marduk on the kudurrus and on the cylinders. 
Before them is an altar with flame. There approach two figures, of which the first 
bears a branch and leads the second who carries a goat as an offering. There are 
six short lines of inscription. This is a quite archaic cylinder, much earlier than 
the emergence of Marduk. It may be that the god is Bel and that his animal, who 
may be an early alternative form of the dragon ‘Tiamat, was later assumed by the 
Marduk of Babylon. 
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