Foundation Cone of King Sin-Kashid of Uruk
Foundation Cone of King Sin-Kashid of Uruk
Place of OriginIraq, Uruk (modern Warka)
Date18th century BCE
Dimensions2 1/4 × 1 1/2 in. (5.7 × 3.8 cm)
MediumClay
ClassificationUtilitarian Objects
Credit LineMuseum Purchase
Object number
1916.66
Not on View
Collections
Published ReferencesFrayne, Douglas R., Old Babylonian Period (2003-1595 BC), Royal Inscriptions of Mesopotamia Early Periods 4, University of Toronto Press, 1990, no. 04.01.04, ex. 030.
- Sculpture
“RIME 4.04.01.04, Ex. 030 Artifact Entry.” (2012) 2023. Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). June 15, 2023. https://cdli.ucla.edu/P448045.
Label TextThis cuneiform foundation cone, inscribed in Sumerian, dates to the Early Old Babylonian period (ca. 1900 BCE) and originates from Uruk (modern Warka, Iraq). It bears a royal inscription of Sin-kashid, King of Uruk, stating: "When Sin-kashid, the powerful man, king of Uruk, king of Amnanum, provider of the Eanna, built the Eanna, then he (also) built his royal palace." Sin-kashid, an Amorite ruler, declared himself king of Uruk and leader of the Amnanum tribe, linking him politically to Babylon and Mari. This inscription commemorates his construction of the Eanna temple, a major religious site dedicated to Inanna, and his royal palace, asserting his legitimacy and architectural contributions. Foundation cones like this were placed in walls or under foundations as dedications to the gods and records for future rulers. Sin-kashid’s inscriptions appear on over 100 known objects, testifying to his extensive building program.
around 1900 BCE
18th century BCE
about 130 CE
mid 18th century
18th Century
mid 18th century
late 18th century
Mid- to second half of the first century
Probably second half of the first century
around 1900 BCE
Perhaps second quarter of first century
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