LOT 0183

Sumerian Lipit-Ishtar King of Isin Cuneiform Foundation Cone

1936-1926 B.C.

4 1/2 in. (158 grams, 11.3 cm).

From the House of Justice at Isin; inscribed with columns of cuneiform text:

I, (the divine) Lipit-Eštar, humble shepherd of (the city of) Nippur, faithful farmer of (the city of) Ur, tireless worker for (the city of) Eridu, perfect Lord for (the city of) Uruk, King of (the city of) Isin, King of Sumer and Akkad, who pleases (the goddess) Innana, on the day I established justice in Sumer and Akkad, I built the temple of justice at the Reservoir, the great space of the gods; and bearing inked collection number: 'BEC.2 00015024' to base. [No Reserve]

Previously from the estate of a West Sussex, UK, collector.
From a collection acquired from various auction houses in the UK.
From the estate of Mr R.W., a private Wiltshire, UK, collector; thence by descent.

This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.12314-215541.

Votive cones are one type of royal foundation deposit, objects that were buried in the walls and beneath the floors of important buildings during construction to sanctify the site and to create a historical memory of the ruler and his achievements.
Lipit-Ishtar was the fifth king of the Dynasty of Isin, which was founded after the collapse of the Third Dynasty of Ur. He is famous as having published a series of laws in the Sumerian language anticipating the code of Hammurabi by more than a century.