Hurrian foundation pegs
The Louvre lion and accompanying stone tablet
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| Material | Copper, limestone |
|---|---|
| Size | Louvre lion: 12.2 cm × 8.5 cm (4.8 in × 3.3 in) Limestone tablet: 10 cm × 9 cm (3.9 in × 3.5 in) Met lion: 11.7 cm × 7.9 cm (4.6 in × 3.1 in) |
| Writing | Cuneiform inscription in Hurrian |
| Created | c. 2300 – c. 2159 BCE |
| Period/culture | Akkadian/Hurrian |
| Discovered | Unknown |
| Place | Temple of Nergal, Urkesh, Syria |
| Present location |
Musée du Louvre, Paris Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York |
| Identification | Louvre lion: AO 19938 Louvre tablet: AO 19937 Met lion: 48.180 |
The Hurrian foundation pegs, also known as the Urkish lions, are twin copper foundation pegs each in the shape of a lion that probably came from the ancient city of Urkesh (modern Tell Mozan) in Syria. The pegs were placed at the foundation of the temple of Nergal in the city of Urkesh as mentioned in the cuneiform inscriptions on them. The inscription on the two pegs and the associated stone tablet is the oldest known text in the Hurrian language. One of the lions is now housed, along with its limestone tablet, in the Musée du Louvre in Paris. The second lion is on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
The foundation pegs are dated to the Akkadian period c. 2300 – c. 2159 BCE. They were placed in the foundation of the temple of Nergal, the god of the underworld, during its construction. The pegs were deposited to protect and preserve the temple and the Hurrian prince of Urkesh, Tish-atal, who dedicated it. The upper part of the figurines depict a snarling lion with the forelegs stretched forward, while the lower part ends in a thick peg. The lion places its paws on a copper plaque with cuneiform inscriptions. The copper plate and the lion pegs were made separately and then attached together. The use of such lion figures for protection was commonplace in Ancient Mesopotamia, but the Urkish lions are unique in their use as foundation pegs.
The Louvre lion measures 12.2 by 8.5 centimetres (4.8 by 3.3 in) while the attached plaque is 8.5 centimetres (3.3 in) wide. The inscription on the copper plaque is largely erased but the legible parts confirm that it is a copy of the cuneiform inscription found on the stone tablet. The white limestone tablet, which fits under the copper plate and measures 10 by 9 centimetres (3.9 by 3.5 in), bears the following inscription:
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