Calf Bearer as Symbol of Prosperity

Early Mesopotamian Calf-Bearer (3300 BCE)

(Dec. 29, 2022) Black Hematite (hard iron oxide) cylinder seal showing images of wealth surrounding two people approaching the god AN. At the top left is and image of the full moon surrounded by stars. Below that are swords pointing downward in a sign of peace. Between the deity and the humans is a plow. A gazelle as a symbol of the land's prosperity is on the shoulders and at the feet of the last human. It reads:

Pests milk the kingdom
AN is making wealth abundant so rejoice
Serve wisdom

Lexicon used for this translation: About This Early-Sign Sumerian Lexicon

Seal now at: Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Vorderasiatisches Museum (State Museums in Berlin, Museum of the Near East) Identification number: VA 00243. Seal online at: https://recherche.smb.museum/detail/1744422/einf%C3%BChrungsszene

The body of this statue was found on the Athen’s acropolis in 1864. Its base with the feet was found later in the same general area in 1887. Consequently, they are assumed to go together. Its style is the Kouros style popular before the golden age of Athens between 480 - 404 BCE. It is now located in the Acropolis Museum in Athens at https://theacropolismuseum.gr/en/male-statue-its-base-calf-bearer

Calf-Bearer Text From the Pre-Parthenon Acropolis of Athens (480 BCE)

(Jan 28, 2023, Updated September 15, 2024) In September 480 BCE the Persian army led by king Xerxes I burned Athens and destroyed the old Acropolis. This destruction was one component of the Greek - Persian War which began in 492 BC as the culmination of the civil strife caused by the drought of 499 and the resulting Ionian revolt. The war lasted until 449 BC. This statue existed on the old acropolis as it existed prior to the building of the Parthenon. It indicates that some divine power was blocking the fertility-fluids which triggers the release of rain and spring water (emanations), and the creation of life forms. The mentioned "boundary" is the sky-shell and the middle layer of the Ancient Pagan Paradigm. This text also mentions the astrological owls which add motion powers (fluid flow) to the fertility-fluids.

In terms of linguistics this is also an important text because it demonstrates that the letter Ṭ (teth, theta) was different from the letter ' (ayin) at this time and place.

Translation in Akkadian (Med Text 6.1)

(read right to left. Capital letters on stone. Small inner vowels inferred. Verbs in italic-bold.)

[1] Mu Ba'u Zu Pu Mu. EṬu EKu EMu | Ḫu'u [2]W Le'u

In English

[word] is nesting the emanations (rain, spring-water). Open the fertility-fluids. The boundary supervises the starvation. | Astrological-owls [1 or 2 words] the layout.

Photo from Ashmolean Museum, London. Online at: https://www.ashmolean.org/italy-before-rome-gallery#listing_149631_0

Sardinian Bronze Age Figurine Carrying a Ram 800-600 BCE

This is one of several surviving statuettes showing a man carrying a ram on his shoulders. Its exact find location is unknown but it has the style and subject of the Nuraghic culture of Sardinia. 800–600 BCE

Copper alloy, 17.5 cm tall

Ashmolian Museum Number AN1894.24