WESTERN ASIATIC BABYLONIAN HUMBABA PLAQUE Old Babylonian, 1950-1651 BC A terracotta plaque with high-relief image of Humbaba, facing with hands to the abdomen, legs spread. 46 grams, 10cm (4"). Fine condition. Provenance From an important North London collection formed before 1980. Literature See Black J. and Green A. Gods, Demons and Symbols of Ancient Mesopotamia, p.106, for a similar plaque now in the British Museum. Footnotes Humbaba appears in the Epic of Gilgamesh as the guardian of cedar forest. He is described as a giant protected by seven layers of terrifying radiance. He was eventually killed by Gilgamesh and Enkidu. Humbaba is depicted with a human body, lion's claws and paws, a monstrous face, long hair and whiskers. In the Old Babylonian Period clay plaques depicting Humbaba were used for divination purposes and were hung on walls as protective amulets.
WESTERN ASIATIC BABYLONIAN HUMBABA PLAQUE Old Babylonian, 1950-1651 BC A terracotta plaque with high-relief image of Humbaba, facing with hands to the abdomen, legs spread. 46 grams, 10cm (4"). Fine condition. Provenance From an important North London collection formed before 1980. Literature See Black J. and Green A. Gods, Demons and Symbols of Ancient Mesopotamia, p.106, for a similar plaque now in the British Museum. Footnotes Humbaba appears in the Epic of Gilgamesh as the guardian of cedar forest. He is described as a giant protected by seven layers of terrifying radiance. He was eventually killed by Gilgamesh and Enkidu. Humbaba is depicted with a human body, lion's claws and paws, a monstrous face, long hair and whiskers. In the Old Babylonian Period clay plaques depicting Humbaba were used for divination purposes and were hung on walls as protective amulets.
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
