Old Babylonian Terracotta Plaque of the Moon Goddess Ningal

Culture: Mesopotamia/Old Babylonian

Period: Isin-Larsa Period, 2000-1800 B.C.

Material: Terracotta

Dimensions: 15 cm high

Price: 18 000 Euro

Ref: 6661

Provenance: Private collection of Bergmann, Germany. Subsequently, with Antikenkabinett Gackstätter under the list number 3869. Acquired there on 7 April 2005, by the Swiss collection of Charles and Hedy Indlekofer. Accompanied by the original certificate from Bernd Gackstätter, a copy of the 2005 invoice, and an Art Loss Register confirmation dated 20 September 2005.

Condition: Mounted on a high-quality metal stand.

Description: An exceptionally rare terracotta plaque from the Isin-Larsa period, depicting a richly adorned goddess standing within a shrine. The side columns are decorated with vertically arranged rosettes. The crescent moon flanked by horns in the elaborate headdress identifies the figure as Ningal, the consort of the moon god Nanna-Sin and mother goddess of the city-state of Ur. Ningal wears a multi-row necklace reminiscent of Egyptian models. Her wavy hair falls in thick locks at the sides. The round face, with large protruding eyes, a bulbous nose, and thick lips, corresponds to the iconography of Sumerian deities. Particularly striking is the dense, scale-like garment that covers the entire body and ends in a semicircle at the bottom. In the chest area, two lance-shaped bands hang down. This artistically and exceptionally detailed plaque likely originates from a now-lost temple in southern Mesopotamia. Two comparable, though less finely executed plaques can be found in the Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures (ISAC) at the University of Chicago, with registration numbers A7566 and A9458. Both originate from the art trade, although the latter reportedly found at “Bsech.” Also noteworthy is the similarity to depictions of the Indian deities Venkatesvara and Padmavati, whose temple statues clearly follow the same compositional scheme of a goddess standing within a shrine. Their worship began around 1500 BC.