Statue of the Governor of Lagash

myminifactory

Mesopotamian art endures in numerous forms: cylinder seals, diminutive figures cast in three dimensions, and reliefs of various sizes, including inexpensive plaques of molded pottery for domestic use, some bearing religious significance while others appear to be secular. Popular subjects include deities, solitary or accompanied by worshippers, and animals depicted in multiple scenes: arranged in rows, isolated, engaging in combat with each other or a human, confronted by themselves or flanking a human or god in the Master of Animals motif, or surrounded by a Tree of Life. Stone stelae, votive offerings, or commemorative monuments possibly honoring victories and showcasing feasts are discovered within temples, which differ from more formal ones lacking inscriptions that would provide context; the fragmentary Stele of the Vultures serves as an early example of the inscribed type, while the Assyrian Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser III is a large and well-preserved late one.