Mesopotamia, Neo-Sumerian, Iraq, Girsu / c. 2144–2124 BCE
Statue of Gudea
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Statue of Gudea as sculpture (Mesopotamia, Neo-Sumerian, Iraq, Girsu · c. 2144–2124 BCE).
Twice in the 20th century, this headless figure was wrongly "completed" with the head 1963.680, which comes from a similar sculpture.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this sculpture as dolerite.
The museum's collection notes: This headless figure’s clasped hands create a distinctive gesture that recurs frequently on more than 30 recorded statues of the Mesopotamian ruler Gudea. Between c. 2144–2124 BCE, Gudea ruled as ensi (governor) of the city-state of Lagash, located in modern-day Iraq. Scholars have identified more than 2,400 inscriptions that describe his reign, which included patronage of the arts and an extensive building program. Statues like this one would have been placed in temples as stand-ins for Gudea himself, demonstrating his devotion and piety.
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtStatue of GudeaOriginal explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.