Woolley talked of ‘the death-pits of Ur’. It was named at the time of its discovery by Leonard Woolley who initially proposed that it may have been carried on a pole like a battle standard, but its original function is unknown. The Standard of Ur: Perhaps the most iconic artifact from the Royal Tombs is the Standard of Ur. Standard of Ur from the Royal Temple of Ur (modern Tell el-Muqayya, Iraq) Sumerian. It was found above the shoulder of a man whom Woolley believed to be a soldier, as if it had been carried aloft on a pole. First excavated from the Royal Tombs of Ur in the 1920s, its function has been debated by historians ever since. These ‘Royal Tombs’ comprised sunken stone chambers with vaulted roofs, approached down steep ramps cut into the earth. The Law Code Stele of King Hammurabi. Standard of Ur from the Royal Tombs at Ur Standard of Ur, c. 2600-2400 B.C.E., 21.59 x 49.5 x 12 cm (British Museum) It was discovered in the 1920s in a royal tomb at the ancient city of Ur (modern-day Iraq) and is about 4,600 years old. The standard is about 4500 years old and one of … They revealed an extraordinary treasure of Sumerian artifacts, including skilled artwork. In one of the tombs, a significant though still unidentified object was found. Among the 1800 graves he discovered, there were 16 tombs which had very special and valuable objects in them. and hundreds of burials were made in pits. The war side shows a time of war. Introduction to the Ancient Near East. Standard of Ur. ... Standard of Ur from the Royal Tombs at Ur - Duration: 8:49. The Standard was discovered in the corner of one of the tomb chambers of a Royal Tomb (PG 779) that had been thoroughly robbed in antiquity. It has two sides, one depicting war and the other depicting peace. The Standard of Ur is a burial piece of artwork. The Standard was discovered in the corner of one of the tomb chambers of a Royal Tomb (PG 779) that had been thoroughly robbed in antiquity. The standard is about 4500 years old and one of the earliest representations of an ancient Sumerian army. This military standard is from the ruins of the royal tombs at Ur of the Chaldees in ancient Mesopotamia. "The Standard of Ur", decorated on four sides with inlaid mosaic scenes made from shell, red limestone and lapis lazuli, set in bitumen. The Standard of Ur is a mosaic of shells, red limestone and lapis lazuli inlaid over a hollow wooden box. This military standard is from the ruins of the royal tombs at Ur of the Chaldees in ancient Mesopotamia. The work represents two sides, one of war and one of peace. The late 1920s excavation of royal tombs at Ur, in southern Iraq, provided one of the most renowned discoveries in the history of archaeology. It was found above the shoulder of a man whom Woolley believed to be a soldier, as if it had been carried aloft on a pole. He called them the 'Royal tombs'. One side shows a war scene; a Sumerian army with wheeled waggons and infantry charges the enemy; prisoners are brought before a larger individual, who is accompanied by guards and has his own waggon waiting behind him. The royal graves of Ur. Perhaps the most iconic artifact from the Royal Tombs is the Standard of Ur. The Standard of Ur. The Standard of Ur was discovered by Leonard Woolley in PG (“Private Grave”) 779 in the Royal Tombs of Ur. Standard of Ur and other objects from the Royal Graves. One thing about the standard and the Royal Tombs at Ur continues to puzzle me. It was found in one of the larger gravesites (PG 779) next to the body of a soldier. Because of the river's new course, the people of Ur left their city and built a new one on the banks of the Euphrates, where they could get food and trade goods. White Temple and ziggurat, Uruk. This is the currently selected item. The Royal Standard of Ur Does this artifact give evidence of the original home of Abraham, Ur of the Chaldees? Context. In this lesson we explore the artwork and possible uses of the Standard of Ur.