Art Resource - AR9405800

Conceptually similar

AR9407459

ART305891

A Babylonian tablet requesting an oracle.

AR9169790

AR9169740

ART302381

AR9451900

AR9451687

AR9450917

Tablet telling the legend of Etana, from Nineveh, northern Iraq, Neo-Assyrian, 7th century BC. The story told on this tablet centres on Etana, a legendary king of the southern Mesopotamian city of Kish. An eagle and snake swear an oath of friendship by Shamash, god of the sun and justice. They both raise their young, but the eagle eats the young snakes. The snake cries to Shamash who tells it to hide in the carcass of a dead wild bull. The eagle flies down to eat from the bull, but is seized by the snake, who ties its wings and throws it into a pit. Meanwhile, Etana, a pious man, prays to Shamash for a son and the plant of life. Shamash tells Etana where to find the eagle, so that it can help him to find the plant. From the British Museum's collection.

Unique Identifier AR9405800

Type Image

Purpose Public

Size 4530px × 3856px

Photo Credit HIP / Art Resource, NY

Add to lightbox

Add to cart