The goddess Gula in the Kassite glyptic: correlations between text and image
Abstract
Glyptic is one of the most characteristic artifacts of the Ancient Near East. Cylinder and stamp seals appeared to be widespread all over the Near East beginning from the 4th mil. B. C. The function of a seal was both of administrative and private character. Seals were used as administrative tools to mark personal property and cuneiform documents and as magical amulets. The surface of a seal was carved with the intaglio design depicting different ornaments, scenes and symbols. The most popular design at the 2nd mil. B. C. represented a scene of worshiping: the worshiper stood or knelt before a god or a goddess. But who were these gods? The seal designs of the middle of the 2nd mil. B. C. used to represent the deities without their symbols or attributes. The main aim of this article is to try and associate some of the images with concrete deities. The focus will be on the goddess Gula, who was one of the most represented goddesses of the 2nd mil. B. C. Refs 24. Figs 4.
Keywords:
cylinder seals, Kassites, deities, symbols, attributes, Gula
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Articles of "Vestnik of Saint Petersburg University. Asian and African Studies" are open access distributed under the terms of the License Agreement with Saint Petersburg State University, which permits to the authors unrestricted distribution and self-archiving free of charge.