The ''Statue of Iddi-Ilum'' is a 21st-century BCE statue of the praying figure of

Iddi-ilum Iddi-ilum, also Iddi-El or Iddin-El (, ''i-ti-ilum''; died 2085 BC), was a military governor, or '' Shakkanakku'', of the ancient city-state of Mari in eastern Syria, following the conquest, the destruction and the control of the city by Akkad. ...

(, ''i-ti-ilum''), the military governor, or ''

Shakkanakku Shakkanakku ( Sumerian: , GIR.NITA or ''šagina'', , ''Shakkanakku''), was an Akkadian-language title designating a military governor. Mari was ruled by a dynasty of hereditary Shakkanakkus which was originally set by the Akkadian Empire and gai ...

'', of the ancient city-state of Mari in eastern

Syria Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...

. The headless statue was discovered at the

Royal Palace of Mari The Royal Palace of Mari was the royal residence of the rulers of the ancient kingdom of Mari in eastern Syria. Situated centrally amidst Syria, Babylon, Levant, and other Mesopotamian city-states, Mari acted as the “middle-man” to these larg ...

during excavations directed by

French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...

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 imp ...

. The statue was made of

soapstone Soapstone (also known as steatite or soaprock) is a talc-schist, which is a type of metamorphic rock. It is composed largely of the magnesium-rich mineral talc. It is produced by dynamothermal metamorphism and metasomatism, which occur in sub ...

and bears an inscription identifying the figure and dedicating it to the goddess

Ishtar Inanna is the List of Mesopotamian deities, ancient Mesopotamian goddess of war, love, and fertility. She is also associated with political power, divine law, sensuality, and procreation. Originally worshipped in Sumer, she was known by the Akk ...

Inanna Inanna is the List of Mesopotamian deities, ancient Mesopotamian goddess of war, love, and fertility. She is also associated with political power, divine law, sensuality, and procreation. Originally worshipped in Sumer, she was known by the Akk ...

. The statue is now displayed at the

Musée du Louvre The Louvre ( ), or the Louvre Museum ( ), is a national art museum in Paris, France, and one of the most famous museums in the world. It is located on the Rive Droite, Right Bank of the Seine in the city's 1st arrondissement of Paris, 1st arron ...

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

. He was contemporary of the

Third Dynasty of Ur The Third Dynasty of Ur or Ur III was a Sumerian dynasty based in the city of Ur in the 22nd and 21st centuries BC ( middle chronology). For a short period they were the preeminent power in Mesopotamia and their realm is sometimes referred to by ...

, and probably their vassal.

Overview

The soapstone statue depicts the standing figure in a traditional prayer posture with the hands clasped against the chest. The figure's head is lost, but his beard is still visible. The beard is sculpted in eight symmetrical braids that are curled at the end.Aruz; Benzel; Evans, 2008, p. 30. The statue's right arm and elbow are also lost.Parrot, 1938, p. 17. The figure is dressed in a long robe made of a single piece of fine-weave cloth that is draped around the body. The robe's borders are richly decorated with fringes and tassels. In a departure from Mesopotamian tradition regarding these garments, the robe covers both shoulders and is bound at the waist with a belt.

Inscription

The bottom of the robe bears a cuneiform inscription in Akkadian stating the name and position of the figure, and the deity the statue was dedicated to. The goddess has been interpreted as either

, or a Sumerian equivalent,

. The inscription, engraved in ten columns, reads: "Iddi-Ilum, shakkanakku of Mari, has dedicated his statue to Inanna. Whosoever erases this inscription will have his line wiped out by Inanna."

Significance

The statue is one of three known statues of the ''shakkanakku'' of Mari, the others being that of Ishtup-Ilum and the horned statue of

Puzur-Ishtar Puzur-Ishtar (, ''Puzur4-Eš4-tár'', (died c. 2025 BC) was a ruler of the city of Mari, northern Mesopotamia, after the fall of the Akkadian Empire. He was contemporary of the Third Dynasty of Ur, and probably their vassal. He had several sons ...

. During the reign of Mari's last king,

Zimrilim __NOTOC__ Zimri-Lim was in the Middle Bronze Age the king of Mari (c. 1767–1752 BCE; low chronology). Background Family Zimri-Lim ( Akkadian: ''Zi-im-ri Li-im'') was the son or grandson of king Yahdun-Lim of Mari. Exile The assassination o ...

, these ancestral rulers were actively promoted through honorific rituals known as "kispum." The statues were also prominently displayed in the throne room of the

. The horns in the similar statue of Puzur-Ishtar suggest that he was deified, but the same can not be verified in the case of Iddi-Ilum and Ishtup-Ilum.Aruz; Benzel; Evans, 2008, p. 31.

Excavation

The statue was found during the fourth excavation season at Mari (Winter 1936–1937) by the French excavation team under

. The two pieces of the statue were found in courtyard 148 of the royal palace.

Gallery

File:Paris, musée du Louvre, AO 19486.jpg, The statue in 1936, at time of discovery File:Idi-ilum Louvre AO 19486 n02.jpg, The inscription on the bottom of the statue (front) File:Idi-ilum Louvre AO 19486 n03.jpg, The inscription on the bottom of the statue (back) File:Mari-ki in cuneiform on the statue of Iddi-Ilum.jpg, upright=0.7, "Country of Mari" (

Cuneiform Cuneiform is a Logogram, logo-Syllabary, syllabic writing system that was used to write several languages of the Ancient Near East. The script was in active use from the early Bronze Age until the beginning of the Common Era. Cuneiform script ...

: , ''Mari-ki''), on the statue of Iddi-Ilum Iddi-Ilum, shagina Mari-ki.jpg, Iddi-Ilum, shagina Mari-ki, Inscription "Iddi-Ilum,

shakkanakku Shakkanakku ( Sumerian: , GIR.NITA or ''šagina'', , ''Shakkanakku''), was an Akkadian-language title designating a military governor. Mari was ruled by a dynasty of hereditary Shakkanakkus which was originally set by the Akkadian Empire and gai ...

of Mari" (), on the statue of Iddi-Ilum

References

Citations

Bibliography

* * {{Louvre Museum 21st-century BC works 3rd-millennium BC sculptures 1936 archaeological discoveries Sculpture of the ancient Near East Syrian art Archaeological discoveries in Mari, Syria Near Eastern and Middle Eastern antiquities in the Louvre Stone sculptures Sumerian art and architecture Inanna