"Gudea's libation vase",

Originally published as fig. 368c in WIlliam Hayes Ward, The Seal cylinders of Western Asia, Washington 1910. Reprinted as fig. 3 under the heading The Caduceus an the God Ningishzida in A. L. Frothingham, Babylonian Origin of Hermes the Snake-God, and of the Caduceus I, American Journal of Archaeology, Vol. 20, No. 2 (Apr. - Jun., 1916), pp. 175-211 (p. 181)[1].

1910 drawing of a vase of green steatite found at Telloh (Lagash), now at the Louvre (De Sarzec, Découvertes en Chaldée, Paris 1883, pl. 44, fig. 2, pp. 234-236).

The vase carries an inscription across the figures which establishes it as a gift to the god Ningishzida by Gudea, lord of Lagash. Ningishzida was a minor deity, a special patron of Gudea. Ningishzida is depicted in several works as presenting Gudea to Nin-girsu, the patron deity of Lagash.

The scene is a large caduceus, two snakes twining around a central staff, flanked by two genii. The caduceus is interpreted as the god Ningishzida himself.

Source URL: http://altreligion.about.com/library/graphics/articles/gudea.jpg archive copy at the Wayback Machine

(The contrast of the original has been changed for clarity.)

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