The ''Investiture of Zimri-Lim'' is a large colorful

mural A mural is any piece of graphic artwork that is painted or applied directly to a wall, ceiling or other permanent substrate. Mural techniques include fresco, mosaic, graffiti and marouflage. Word mural in art The word ''mural'' is a Spanis ...

discovered at the

Royal Palace This is a list of royal palaces, sorted by continent. Africa * Abdin Palace, Cairo * Al-Gawhara Palace, Cairo * Koubbeh Palace, Cairo * Tahra Palace, Cairo * Menelik Palace * Jubilee Palace * Guenete Leul Palace * Imperial Palace- ...

of the ancient city-state of Mari in eastern

Syria Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...

. The

fresco Fresco (plural ''frescos'' or ''frescoes'') is a technique of mural painting executed upon freshly laid ("wet") lime plaster. Water is used as the vehicle for the dry-powder pigment to merge with the plaster, and with the setting of the plast ...

, which dates back to the 18th century BC, depicts Zimri-Lim, king of Mari, receiving the rod-and-ring symbol (a ring and a

staff Staff may refer to: Pole * Staff, a weapon used in stick-fighting ** Quarterstaff, a European pole weapon * Staff of office, a pole that indicates a position * Staff (railway signalling), a token authorizing a locomotive driver to use a particula ...

, symbols of rule) from the goddess

Ishtar Inanna, also sux, 𒀭𒊩𒌆𒀭𒈾, nin-an-na, label=none is an ancient Mesopotamian goddess of love, war, and fertility. She is also associated with beauty, sex, divine justice, and political power. She was originally worshiped in Su ...

. The painting was discovered ''

in situ ''In situ'' (; often not italicized in English) is a Latin phrase that translates literally to "on site" or "in position." It can mean "locally", "on site", "on the premises", or "in place" to describe where an event takes place and is used in ...

'' on its original wall located opposite the grand doorway to the podium which leads to the throne room of the palace. It was discovered by

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

archaeologist

André Parrot André Charles Ulrich Parrot (15 February 1901 – 24 August 1980) was a French archaeologist specializing in the ancient Near East. He led excavations in Lebanon, Iraq and Syria, and is best known for his work at Mari, Syria, where he led ...

during excavations at Mari in 1935–1936. The painting is now displayed at the

Musée du Louvre The Louvre ( ), or the Louvre Museum ( ), is the world's most-visited museum, and an historic landmark in Paris, France. It is the home of some of the best-known works of art, including the ''Mona Lisa'' and the ''Venus de Milo''. A central l ...

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Si ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

., see in a new link

Overview

The painting is composed of three vertical panels arranged symmetrically, with the two outer sections framing the central one. The middle panel is divided horizontally into two rectangular registers framed by six parallel lines of different colors. The painting's symmetry facilitates the reconstruction of the damaged part on the left panel.Schmandt-Besserat, 2007, p. 55. The painting is said to reflect the actual architecture of the palace in which the mural was located. The lower register of the middle panel reflects the podium room in which the body of a statue of a goddess similar to the goddess Lamassu, Lama depicted in the mural was discovered. The statue had a vase from which actual water flowed. The podium room opens up to the throne room, where the investiture takes place. The palm trees depicted in the side panels represent actual trees that were planted in the palace's courtyard. The upper register of the middle panel is the center of the mural and depicts the solemn scene of

investiture Investiture (from the Latin preposition ''in'' and verb ''vestire'', "dress" from ''vestis'' "robe") is a formal installation or ceremony that a person undergoes, often related to membership in Christian religious institutes as well as Christian k ...

. It is composed of five people standing against a blank background. Ishtar is depicted wearing her divine crown, with weapons sprouting from her shoulders and a sickle-sword in her left hand, and presenting the king with the rod-and-ring symbol. The king is extending his left hand to the goddess, while his right hand is depicted against his mouth in a symbol of prayer. On either side of the king and

stands a Lama deity, the minor goddess of

intercession Intercession or intercessory prayer is the act of praying to a deity on behalf of others, or asking a saint in heaven to pray on behalf of oneself or for others. The Apostle Paul's exhortation to Timothy specified that intercession prayers sh ...

Mesopotamia Mesopotamia ''Mesopotamíā''; ar, بِلَاد ٱلرَّافِدَيْن or ; syc, ܐܪܡ ܢܗܪ̈ܝܢ, or , ) is a historical region of Western Asia situated within the Tigris–Euphrates river system, in the northern part of the ...

, wearing a horned headdress. To the right stands

Ninshubur Ninshubur (; Ninšubur, "Lady of Subartu" or "Lady of servants"), also spelled Ninšubura, was a Mesopotamian goddess whose primary role was that of the ''sukkal'' (divine vizier) of the goddess Inanna. While it is agreed that in this context N ...

, the vassal of Ishtar. The lower register is symmetrical, and symbolizes the fertility and prosperity of the coming reign of Zimri-Lim. It shows the goddess Lama dispensing water from a round vase. Plants are shown sprouting from the vase, and fish swimming in the flowing stream.Schmandt-Besserat, 2007, p. 59. The outer panels depict a garden of palms and another mythical tree with a red trunk and blue leaves. A Lama deity is standing in the garden, on either side of the central scene, and raising her hands in prayer. Three mythic animals, a lion, a sphinx and a bull with a human head, are depicted each on a ground line. The animals are symmetrically placed on each side, and are turned towards the central scene in the painting. Flying doves, which symbolize the pacific aspects of

, counterbalance the lion which symbolizes her aggression.Schmandt-Besserat, 2007, p. 58. The symbols and iconography of the mural are often compared to the figures atop the

Stele of Hammurabi The Code of Hammurabi is a Babylonian legal text composed 1755–1750 BC. It is the longest, best-organised, and best-preserved legal text from the ancient Near East. It is written in the Old Babylonian dialect of Akkadian language, Akkadian, p ...

.Kuhrt, 1997, p. 102.

Restoration

The fresco was poorly preserved due to the region's conditions and the destruction of the palace in the fire when

Hammurabi Hammurabi (Akkadian: ; ) was the sixth Amorite king of the Old Babylonian Empire, reigning from to BC. He was preceded by his father, Sin-Muballit, who abdicated due to failing health. During his reign, he conquered Elam and the city-states ...

sacked the city in 1760 BC. The painting underwent several restorations and repainting, most of which was cleared recently by the Louvre. The cleaning revealed several details hitherto unseen, including the fish in the dispensed water. It also restored some brilliance to the colors of the painting.

Gallery

File:Investiture of Zimri-Lim Louvre AO19826 n02.jpg, The central register depicting the scene of investiture. File:Investiture of Zimri-Lim Louvre AO19826 n03.jpg, The winged lion symbolizes

's aggression. File:Investiture of Zimri-Lim Louvre AO19826 n04.jpg, The

Lama Lama (; "chief") is a title for a teacher of the Dharma in Tibetan Buddhism. The name is similar to the Sanskrit term ''guru'', meaning "heavy one", endowed with qualities the student will eventually embody. The Tibetan word "lama" means "hig ...

deity dispensing water from a round vase. File:Investiture Zimri Lim Louvre diagram TT.JPG, Diagram of the mural.

References

Citations

Bibliography