.bk A16 .fl N206Rah.j .fd figurines description .rd L625 .ri rAH i 1 B11 OVIS I, ram's head. Compare with bitumen-repaired Ovis head 58 (A7.308); eye treatment of this example is an impression with a dot in the middle whereas the earlier figure has appliquéed discs for eyes. The raised disc may have been abraded away in this example. Placement in the caudal section of the head is coincident, all the same. The muzzle is considerably longer here and a useful diagnostic tool; it is a rounded rectangle in section. The horns are large and curve down behind the eye-disc (visible only in left median plane). Horns meet atop the crown in a V. ;D10 Note on lg: cranial ;D10 Note on w1: horns ;D10 Note on w1: transverse horizontal section, snout ;D10 Note on w1: transverse vertical section, snout J02 4.6 @cranial J03 1.375 @horns J03 1.46 @transverse horizontal section, snout J03 4.275 @ransverse vertical section, snout K99 medium fine with fine inclusions (sand) K05 pink K06 7.5YR 8/3 K10 abraded K11 head only, horns broken. L02 The piece appears to have been assembled from thin slabs of fabric. See cut in right median; there are several "layers" of fabric that progressively build up the conformation of the face around the snout. ;P99 zsb-2 Ovis I i 6 B11 EQUUS TYPE I torso. The tail is carried high and is thin, hanging down. There is a mane, although it has been abraded away. Forequarters narrow inverted V, breast ridge. Hindquarters inverted solidly founded U. D10 Note on width: tail ;D99 This locus is the highest of all loci in A16, and was presumed to be the latest of all loci in the area. It is "brickmelt" (Laura Ramos) and has yielded two seal impressions and other anomalous objects. ;J02 4.435 J03 1.93 J04 1.5 J05 0.5 J05 2.15 K99 medium, medium fine chaff temper K05 pink K06 5YR 7/4 K10 heavy abrasion K11 all appendages broken, tail broken K99 If this object is from late layers, it means that the manufacture of equids has remained relatively constant for at least 200 years. ;P99 zsb-2 Equus I .rd L626 i 7 B11 HUMANOID. Two legs and partial torso only. Legs are rectangular in transverse section. D10 Note on ht: torso break to furthest "leg" extension D10 Note on th: transverse section longer leg, long axis D10 Note on th: transverse section longer leg, short axis D10 Note on width: torso D10 only torso and transverse sections are diagnostic J01 6.2 J04 2.55 J07 1.11 J07 2.78 K99 coarse, heavy chaff temper K05 pink K06 7.5 YR 7/3 K10 fragment, torso with legs; or alternatively, CAPRID horns. K99 As this figure is from Khabur levels, usage may in fact change. Certainly the manufacture and fabric is different than the corpus from the Royal Building. K99 This is a problematic object because it is so fragmentary. Re-oriented, it might even be the horns of a large caprid, although no other details indicate the Genus, and the caudal join at the crown would have to be quite narrow. A typological parallel might be the rider and horse from Chuera that is displayed at the Damascus Museum in Case 26; acc #2476, although the "fork" of the rider is quite lower in the Chuera figure. Further research would be necessary to determine if the levels are in fact coeval; our object is from Khabour levels. The Chuera figurine is, if I am not mistaken, from Ur III levels. Check also more exact parallels of the form with the equids/riders of Tello/Girsu. L02 The figurine has a blackened core, not unlike cooking pots. I have not encountered such coarse ware elsewhere in the corpus; although the surface finishing is apparent, and one edge of the leg has been rounded and smoothed repeatedly. ;P99 zsb-1 Humanoid i 12 B11 HUMANOID stand. Categorized thusly, because the form is upright, seems to have frontal orientation and even though it is founded so oddly, as a stand or shallow receptacle at the base, there may have been a down-curving lip, now broken and because there may have been two appendages, now broken off above. Similar to "aileron" forms in the corpus. ;P99 zsb-1 Humanoid i 13 B11 FELIS hindquarters, buttocks fused, but slightly recessed. Hole for tail. Many animals in the corpus carry the tail high, as does this animal. Leg separate from body (notably, right hind leg), curve from buttocks to leg may be diagnostic of body type. Animal solidly founded, but carnivore body join. Some definition of musculature, although not to the extent typical of corpus. ;D01 k9 F02 si f0003 J04 2.51 J05 3.89 K99 No CANIS has a hole for a tail. See FELIS 302 Z1.203 curve of hindquarters; CANIS 2 A2q389.1, also curve of hindquarters. This may be a variation of the CANIS type, in Khabour times. ;P99 zsb-25 Felis/Carnivora .rd L625 i 18 B11 CARNIVORA/ URSUS (TENTATIVE) torso. MINIATURE. The orientation of the animal is important, although there is a good typological basis for reading the figurine as a bear. See URSUS 403 (A1.79) and 405 (A6q487.1). Also, the "cranial" detail would seem to represent, eyes and mouth. The hindquarters are relatively high and the breakage slices across them, making it difficult to read. The forequarters meet in a wide inverted V (90°). The foreleg/body join is 115°. The forequarters are contained within a rather narrow inverted u, almost solidly founded. This is not the manner in which forequarters join the neck or a typical head/body join, although Ursus neck/body join is not unlike this figurine. D10 measurements taken by excavator J03 1.15 J04 1.01 K11 muzzle left foreleg terminated and intact. Other appendages chipped or broken. K99 I should note that when I started to measure the figurine, I took the forequarters as hindquarters, so the interpretation is truly tentative, albeit intriguing. ;P99 zsb-2 Carnivora (Ursus) ;***i 73 ;B10 ^fg ;B11 EQUUS II muzzle, with harness and yoke. Travis Rorher, excavator MZ14, describes the harness as being "blinders", therefore this animal was part of a team. Interesting thought, but I believe it is simply high on the head, and the artisan has not bothered to render the eyes above and outside the harness. On the left median plane, there is possibly an eye; visible because the harness is broken away. Muzzle long, tapers from vertical rectangle to inverted triangle in rostral section. Yoke, or at least a heavy layer of fabric pinched onto the neck, low down; perhaps only to accommodate the perforation. Other examples? Pointed ears, perhaps terminated, though heavily abraded. Harness bears one stud where the pieces cross. ;D10 Note on lg: cranial ;D10 Note on th: snout, horizontal short axis ;D10 Note on th: snout, long vertical axis ;D10 Note on w2: cranial width ;J02 4.775 ;J04 1.7 ;J07 0.9 ;J07 1.575 ;K99 medium, heavy chaff temper, visible in surface; perhaps part of a larger, more substantial figurine? ;K05 pink ;K06 5YR 7/4 ;K11 head only, straps of muzzle across caudal and left median planes broken away. ;L02 The yoke appears to be only an applied piece of clay; as suggested above, perhaps only a strategy for strengthening the figurine. It's folded onto itself, or perhaps made from two pieces smeared. Relate this perhaps to the chaff temper. ;P99 zsb-10 (Equus) .rd L626 q 3.1 B10 ^fg .rd L625 B11 There are very clear palm prints on both sides, with an indication of a wart on one side. .rd L626 B11 BOS snout, likely handle of theriomorphic vessel. The very tip of the snout is rounded in such a way that it is easy to grasp. The body is covered overall with many small dots aligned along the shape of the vessel body; some heavier than others in a double lie. Dots stop short of the muzzle/snout which splays out to accommodate the nostrils. Undercarriage of snout "bombée", as if a dewflap D01 k8 F02 si f0049 K10 termination of snout broken/abraded K99 nostrils similar to almond eyes, not unlike Halaf "goddesses" ;P2 ZSB 4-3 .rd L625 q 5.1 B11 BOS torso. The tail is carried high in the manner of Bos 10 (A7.396) D01 k2 D10 Note on ht: hindquarters D10 Note on w3: tail D10 w1 not diagnostic F02 si f0001 J01 2.675 J03 2.05 J04 1.925 J05 0.815 J05 2.2 K99 medium fine K05 pink K06 5YR 8/3 K10 depositional stain overall K11 all appendages broken ;P2 ZSB 2.1-1 q 5.2 B11 herbivore leg, fragment. OVIS II (TENTATIVE) Knee joint is expressed and there is modeling. The leg/body join is typically herbivore. Rounded rectangle in transverse section at body join and at lower leg, except the orientation changes; long axis is parallel to median plane at body join and perpendicular to median plane at lower leg. ;B11 tc fi f1 D01 k2 D10 Note on lg: full extension D10 Note on w1: body join D10 Note on w1: body join, short axis D10 Note on w1: lower leg D10 Note on w1: lower leg, short axis J02 2.96 J03 1 J03 1.2 J03 1.49 J03 1.65 K99 Medium with fine chaff temper inlcusions and some fine sand K05 light gray K06 10YR7/2 K11 fragment ;P99 zsb-2 OVIS II q 13.1 B11 CAPRA head with horns, which are broken off and meet in a V atop the crown. The horns go straight back, as would be the case with Capra. Earflaps are chipped but intact on both sides of the head. After the fabric for the horns has been attenuated somewhat along the dorsal edge, a thin instrument has been laid in to create a separation D01 k8 D10 Note on ht: snout D10 Note on w1: horns D10 Note on w1: snout F02 si f0016 J01 0.1 J03 0.44 J03 2.3 K99 fabric fine with uniformly small inclusions (sand) K05 pink K06 5YR 8/3 K11 head only, ear flaps and horns partially intact ;P99 zsb-2 CAPRA .rd L626 q 20.1 B11 OVIS I, left foreleg. The body join at break is horizontal and melds with body. Solidly founded. The knee joint is clearly indicated; the haunch is clear, much thicker than the leg itself. There is a hoof and the leg is terminated. The cranial edge of the leg is rather sharp. The leg is oval in section, but limited cranially by the "edge"; that is the oval is flattened on the cranial edge. D01 k5 D10 Note on th: transverse section, short axis, body join D10 Note on th: transverse section, short axis, hoof D10 Note on w1: body join D10 Note on w1: hoof F02 si f0024 J01 2.9 J03 0.89 J03 1.85 J07 0.81 J07 1.37 K99 medium, chaff temper K05 pinkish gray K06 5YR 7/2 N01 leg fragment, broken at body join. The hoof is chipped. ;P99 zsb-2 OVIS I .rd L625 q 20.2 ;A20 caf ;df uk B11 Pyramidal (4-sided) clay object, flat on bottom. The object is likely a weight, because it does appear to be carefully fashioned and not a "doodle", as has been surmised with some of the clay balls. It is tempting, but ultimately futile, to try and read a face into the depressions on the sides. It is not a docket for there is no way to fasten the object to its referent. D01 k5 F02 si f0024 J01 3.1 J04 4.98 J04 5.895 K99 medium fine with many relatively coarse inclusions K05 pink K06 2.5YR 8/4 K11 one corner chipped, abraded overall ;P99 zsb-7 q 29.2 B11 OVIS II torso, dorsal plane smoothed and flattened so as to define musculature. Hindquarters narrow inverted U, solidly founded. Inside, a rounded open inverted V. Forequarters quite narrow inverted U, neck doy join approaches 1:1. Forequarters are somewhat off-center, to the right median plane. D01 k4 D10 Note on w1: neck 1.74 F02 si f0017 J03 2.03 J04 2.07 J05 2.32 K99 MEDIUM WITH CHAFF TEMPER K05 pink K06 7YR 7/3 K11 all appendages broken, tail broken off (not measurable) ;P99 zsb-2 Ovis II q 33.1 B11 circular receptacle with base or pedestal. The pedestal is not terminated, but broken off. There may be a lip for pouring. D01 k3 D10 measurements taken by excavator F02 si f0002 K11 terminated at base, but broken. Lip chipped. ;P99 zsb-14 q 68.1 B11 URSUS (TENTATIVE). If the orientation is correct, then the identification is not so fantastic. The piece is so heavily abraded that it is almost impossible to read, although there may be indications of a snout and ear, and legs. The hindquarters are oddly terminated, as if the animal were sitting. D01 k1 D10 Note on ht: presumed forequarters D10 Note on lg: across "legs" F02 si f0027 J01 3.92 J02 3.32 K99 MEDIUM, MEDIUM CHAFF TEMPER K05 pink K06 5YR 7/3 K10 heavily abraded K11 half of forequarters broken away in vertical cranial section. ;P99 zsb-2 Carnivora q 78.2 B11 CAPRA leg, gracile. There may be a cleft in the hoof. There is an articulated knee-joint, which, if I read correctly, places the hoof slightly in advance of the joint; it would be lifted straight up and then placed solidly on the ground. Compare with legs CAPRA 28 (A5q1016.4), left hindleg CAPRA 32 (A6q854.3), left hindleg (?). Body join and the area of breakage would seem to be more diagnostic than the modeling of the haunch. This observation is to be refined. Leg oval in section at body join, rounded square in section at hoof. D01 k7 D10 Note on w1: body join D10 Note on w1: body join, long axis D10 Note on w3: hoof F02 si f0021 J01 4 J03 1.22 J03 1.445 J05 1.78 ;K99 FINE, FINE SAND TEMPER K05 pink K06 7.5YR 7/4 K10 mineral deposits, difficult to remove K11 leg only ds Tentatively, we can read this appendage as a right hindleg; the body-join break favors the right, where the appendage would be smoothed into the torso. ;P99 zsb-2 Capra q 84.1 B10 ^fg B11 Although this object might be taken for an anomalous work in progress, I believe it relates to the HUMANOID corpus. The object is terminated below the (presumed) shoulders. There may be an indication of a chin and several passes of a necklace. There are parallel incisions (shallow and much abraded) across the chest. Some form may be seen along the termination -- ether an elongated animal figure or a leg. Termination is concave, and the technique is reminiscent of the pinching of some of the tokens at Mozan. D01 k3 D10 Note on th: base D10 Note on w1: head D10 Note on w2: neck/waist D10 Note on w3: base/termination F02 si f0055 J01 3.62 J03 2.56 J04 1.87 J05 3.97 K99 FINE, HEAVY CHAFF TEMPER K05 pink K06 7.5YR 7/3 K10 There is a depositional discoloration overall. K11 head (or headdress) missing, otherwise intact. Perhaps in progress. K99 Although the details of the object are far from elaborated, one might also see the frequently encountered image of a female cupping or covering her breasts. Seen this way, the entire head of the object is missing. K99 The head of the object is reminiscent of much earlier humanoid figures, but only because of the deformation of such objects (I'm thinking of Halafian female figurines.). ;P99 zsb-1 Humanoid .rd L626 q 98.1 B11 CANIS hindquarters, tail carried high, musculature indicated. Torso lean Sexual parts broken off. Buttocks recessed, impressed with thumb. Hindquarters contained within solidly founded slightly incurving U q 125.1 B11 BOS hindquarters fragmentary (ZEBU). Tail carried high, thick and hangs down. K10 either depositional discoloration at breaks or not completely fired. K99 Compare with BOS 304 A12q18 ;P99 zsb-21 Bos q 145.4 B11 CAPRA head (tentative), horns broken D01 k8 F02 si f0049 K99 See CAPRA 2 (A2.113), CAPRA 4 (a5q443.1). Similarity to A2 find may actually be from coeval strata. May reassign A2 objects to COMPARATIVE category, rather than considering them part of corpus. ;P99 zsb-27 Capra q 147.1 B11 CAPRA horn, curving. Crown join likely flat, as horn would extend up and back, not down to side or horizontally. Rounded rectangle in section at crown, oval at tip. Section rotates. B11 TYPE VI artifact, token with "wart" impression, per Julie Hruby fingerprint specialist ;D01 k5 D01 k8 D10 Note on ht: break to tip D10 Note on th: crown join D10 Note on th: crown join, long axis D10 Note on th: tip D10 Note on th: tip, long axis ;F02 si f0003 F02 si f0049 J01 3.88 J07 0.36 J07 0.46 J07 1.26 J07 1.535 K99 fine, some fine inclusions, including sand and chaff temper K05 pinkish gray K06 7.5YR 7/2 K10 preservation horn (only) K99 Excellent comparative example. L02 Scraped to model. ;P99 zsb-21 Bos ;P99 zsb-disks q 147.2 B11 CANIS torso, part of a zoomorphic vessel or plaque; one side is flat. The tail is turned up. Leg body join is carnivore. D01 k8 F02 si f0049 K99 MEDIUM, HEAVILY CHAFF-TEMPERED AS WITH VESSEL; MANY FINE INCLUSIONS (SAND) K99 Similar to some of the Chuera figurines, in animal processions. Sharpness of sculpting is reminiscent of Horvat Quitmit figures. Also see MZ CANIS 22 A10q719.1, theriomorphic vessel with two dogs at base. L02 The body is sculpted reductively, some of the modeling is sharp. ;P99 zsb-24 Canis q 169.1 B11 CAPRA (tentative) head; horns broken, position problematic. Unlikely extension would be like BOS, as the head is so attenuated; and the horns wouldn't curve down, although the break makes it seem this might have been the case. Narrow snout interesting, unlike other CAPRA in the corpus. D01 k2 F02 si f0015 ;P99 zsb-27 Capra