The Burney Relief, also known as the Queen of the Night, is a Mesopotamian artwork created during the Old-Babylonian period. A cornerstone of Babylonian art, it was re-discovered in the 1920s and now lies in the British Museum in London. The artwork is dated between 1800 and 1750 BCE. It depicts a nude female standing on two lions and with owls on either side of her. The identity of the depicted female remains a mystery with possible candidates being the goddesses Ishtar and Ereshkigal, and the demon Lilith. Know more about the Burney Relief including its discovery, description and analysis.
Table of Contents
The Key Questions
Babylonian art is defined as the art produced in the region of Babylonia in Ancient Mesopotamia. The most prominent city of the region, Babylon, lay on the river Euphrates in present day Iraq. The art produced in Mesopotamia when it was under Babylonian control may be categorized as Babylonian art.
Babylonia first rose to prominence in 18th century BCE under the famous ruler Hammurabi, who brought almost all of Mesopotamia under Babylonian rule. This period in Mesopotamia lasted from 1894 BCE to 1595 BCE and is known as the Old Babylonian period. The region again gained importance from 626 BCE to 539 BCE and this period is known as the Neo-Babylonian period.
S1 – Babylonian Art Overview
S2 – Discovery
Though there is no official record, it is believed that Burney Relief was found in an excavation of ancient Babylonian ruins in Southern Iraq in the early 1920s. It was initially owned by a Syrian antiquities dealer from where its possession switched between several art collectors till the 1980s. Then, advances in scientific analysis proved its authenticity. The British museum, which had initially rejected the artifact, purchased the Burney Relief in 2003.
S3 – Description
The Burney Relief has a height of 49.5 cm and a width of 37 cm. It is 4.8 cm thick. The plaque is composed of fired clay, heavily tempered with chaff or other organic matter. It is highlighted with red and black pigment and possibly white gypsum. it depicts a nude goddess standing on two lions placed back-to-back. Below the lions is a scale-pattern representing mountains or hilly ground. On either side of her are owls, providing symmetry to the composition.
The goddess has wings and claws of a bird of prey. This is in keeping with the owls and lions, which are also predators. She wears a four-tiered crown on top of which is a planetary disc. She also wears an elaborate necklace and bracelets on each wrist. Her hands are held at the level of her shoulders with a rod and ring in each.
S4 – Analysis
The wings on the figurine suggest divinity and association with heaven or the underworld. Owls and lions are symbols of wisdom, mystery and power. In Mesopotamian art, nudity was often associated with fertility and divine power. The rod and ring, the objects held in her hand, are symbols of justice and divine authority. Her clawed feet may be a possible indication of her dominion over the underworld.
The identity of the depicted female is a matter of debate. However, it might never be possible to identify it with certainty. Nonetheless, the three possible candidates are Ishtar, the goddess of love, war, and fertility; Ereshkigal, goddess of the underworld; and Lilith, a demon associated with the night.
The two emblems held by the depicted female are associated with Ishtar. The combination of beauty and predatory power is also typical of Ishtar. Lilith is slender, well-shaped, beautiful and nude, with wings and owl-feet. The motif of the downward pointing wings is associated with the underworld in Mesopotamian art making Ereshkigal another likely candidate.
The artwork is considered to be one of the best examples of Mesopotamian terracotta sculpture. It is also an excellent example of an ancient female statue which is not related to fertility but to beauty and allure. In keeping with other Mesopotamian art, there is no taboo attached in depicting female nudity. The goddess has been presented frontally with her arms raised.
S5 – Mesopotamia Art Purpose
Main Sources
S2:-
Tēcutli, Mictlān. (Aug 7, 2019). “The Burney Relief”. Atlas Obscura.
S3:-
“Burney relief”. The British Museum.
Bahrani, Zainab. (2017). “Mesopotamia – Ancient Art and Architecture”. Thames & Hudson. pp197.
S4:-
(Dec 24, 2024). “The Queen of the Night: Origin Story and Significance”. World History Edu.
Mark, Joshua J. (Feb 19, 2014). “The Queen of the Night”. World History Encyclopedia.
Bahrani, Zainab. (2017). “Mesopotamia – Ancient Art and Architecture”. Thames & Hudson. pp197.