W16

Babylonian pottery plaque depicting a guard dog

The upper part of a moulded pottery votive plaque depicting a ferocious canine beast with snarling features and bared teeth. Gula, the goddess of healing, was linked to the dog and her temple at Babylon contained numerous dog figures. Dogs were also represented in Babylonian and Assyrian art as protective figures un-associated to any particular deity and it seems likely that this ferocious specimen would have served in this function.

Mesopotamia, Babylonian, early to mid 2nd Millennium BC.

Fragment as shown, a repair to the top right corner.

Size: 8.8 x 8 cms

Ex. old private collection, Scotland.