Neo-Sumerian Pottery Foundation Cone

Ancient Near East, Mesopotamia, Sumer, city of Lagash, Neo-Sumerian period, reign of Gudea of Lagash, ca. 2120 to 2090 BCE. A hand-built pottery votive foundation cone with a conical body surmounted by a discoid head. The body bears 9 columns of inscribed cuneiform text formed by impressing a sharpened stick point into the malleable material just before being placed inside of a kiln. Foundation cones like this example - also referred to as dedication pegs or funerary pegs - were inscribed with prayers or praises for specific gods or rulers. Size: 5.875" L x 2.625" W (14.9 cm x 6.7 cm)

Provenance: ex-estate of Eldert Bontekoe, Pegasi Numismatics, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA, acquired before 2000

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#158594
Condition Report: Chips to areas of inscribed text, with coarse encrustations along body and head, and softening to some remaining cuneiform characters, otherwise intact and very good. Nice earthen deposits throughout.