This magnificent alabaster bust of a man is closely related to the famed series of sculptures commissioned by Gudea of Lagash. After the collapse of the Akkadian empire, southern Mesopotamia was divided into a series of independent city-states ruled by local kings. The city-state of Lagash prospered under the enlightened rule of Gudea and his son Ur- Ningrisu. Gudea set about restoring the temples of Lagash and commissioned a series of sculpture of the gods and himself to decorate these renovated structures. It is through inscriptions found on these sculptures as well as through contemporary texts, composed mostly of Sumerian hymns and prayers, that we know about Gudea. While the art of the Akkadian period can be characterized by a sense of dynamic realism, the works from this Neo- Sumerian culture that survive are filled with a sense of piety and restraint, perhaps relating to their nature as religious icons. This bust depicts a man wearing the distinctive Persian-lamb fur cap that is traditionally associated with the ensi, or governor Neo-Sumerian Alabaster Bust ofa Priest-X.0211Origin:Mesopotamia Circa:2200BCto2100BCDimensions:12.5"(31.8cm) high x 9.5" (24.1cm) wide Collection: Near Eastern Style: Neo-Sumerian

Antiquities
Ancient Near East