Talk:Burney Relief

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[edit] Question about realism

I don't know much about art, but I didn't know there were artists producing such realistic human figures so early in history. Was this common, or is the Burney Relief special in this sense? --Allen 17:58, 18 April 2006 (UTC)

1950 BC isn't that early in the history of art. There are numerous examples of human figures executed with comparable skill from before this period, for example some of the statues of Gudea of Lagash are quite remarkable. Egyptian sculpture was quite accurate also. Plus there are the famed human representations of the Indus Valley civilisation, such as the Dancing Girl. There are others, but I'll leave it at that. 80.47.155.184 00:12, 3 December 2006 (UTC)

Wouldn't the presence of flanking animals around a female goddess-like figure indicate a reference to Potnia Theron, or the mistress of the beasts? Supposing this to be true, the image of Potnia Theron is seen in relation to a number of deities which included Inanna, or Ishtar, but these were higher level deities within Assyrian and Sumerian religion. what is the evidence that an image of Potnia Theron as being related to the biblical Lilith. also if she is presented as a deity of death, why does she sport in her hand an Ankh which is a symbol of life and carried by underworld deities like Nephthys.--E —Preceding comment was added at 04:01, 3 March 2008 (UTC)

You can read more about this plaque on the British Museum's website: http://www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/me/t/the_queen_of_the_night_relief.aspx