LOT 0692

Western Asiatic Kassite Cylinder Seal of Son of King Kurigalzu

14TH CENTURY BC

1 3/4" (18.63 grams, 44mm).

A carved pink chalcedony cylinder seal with nine columns of cuneiform text, surrounding a standing male figure with raised right hand and a winged human-headed bull above; the inscription transcribes and translates as follow:

(1) en-šà-du sukkal.m[ah]/ Ensadu (Nuska) the grand vizier
(2) en-lìl-là-ke/ of Enlil
(3) zi eš-bar til-la/ true, with the complete (power of)
(4) inim UB x e-ra-kin!(=KAB!)?/ has sent the command of (..) to you
(5) ud-šú-uš e SAG SÌG(?) kaš₄-ì/ daily run to the (...)
(6) èš ki-šà ḫè-me! –en/ you are indeed the shrine where the (is)
(7) in-da-aš-ú-la-an/ Oh, Indas-ulan
(8) dumu ku-ri-gal-zu/ son of Kurigalzu
(9) lugal ki-šàr-ra/ king of the universe.

Property of a London gentleman; part of his family collection since the 1970s.

The name Kurigalzu can refer to two Kassite rules, Kurigalzu I. and Kurigalzu II. While the first one was known for an extensive building program in Babylon and surrounding area; the second one is most famous for the battle of Sugagu. Both kings are difficult to distinguish on known descriptions, since it was not customary to assign regnal year numbers. A few royal inscriptions are clearly assigned to Kurigalzu II since they give the name of his father, Burna-Burias, and sometimes appear on the cylinder seals of his servants.