Clay nail

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Used by Sumerians and other Mesopotamian cultures beginning in the third millennium BC, clay nails, also referred to as dedication or foundation nails, were inscribed with cuneiform and embedded into walls to serve as evidence that the temple or building was the divine property of the god to whom it was dedicated.

Additionally, uninscribed clay cones painted in different colors were used by Sumerians to create decorative mosaic patterns on walls and pillars within buildings, as well as to add strength to the structure (see 2nd link below).

[edit] External links

• http://www.etc.cmu.edu/projects/i4i/photos/nail.html
• http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/uruk/hod_L.1995.48.2.htm