Context Title: Diqdiqqeh | DQ     
Context Name (Publication): Diqdiqqeh     
Context Name (Excavation): Digdiggah; DQ     
Context Name (Excavation): Railway site     
Context Description: Essentially a suburb of the ancient city, this area is located about 2 km to the northeast of the ziggurat of Ur. The precise extents of Diqdiqqeh were never defined, but Woolley referred to it as the low ground between the main railway line and the branch that went to Nasiriyeh. The train lines no longer run in the same place they did in Woolley's day, but Corona images allow us to recreate their paths. This makes the general boundaries west, south, and east somewhat known but how far it stretched north is not completely clear. From the first season workers walking across this area picked up surface finds and brought them to Woolley. At that time the location did not have a fixed name in Woolley's mind and thus first season references sometimes say 'near the railway' or 'near Munshid's water engine.' In the second season Woolley decided to investigate more systematically, but after two days of excavation he decided there was not enough remaining architecture to reward further work. Instead, he continued to allow the workers to gather finds over the next ten seasons, and many later catalog cards state "brought in: Diqdiqqeh" The finds from Diqdiqqeh indicate that the ancient suburb played a role in manufacturing and perhaps in commerce. Canals seem to have met in the area and boats may have unloaded goods here. Many figurines, tools, moulds and other crafting items are among the finds, suggesting that Diqdiqqeh may have been an industrial area away from the main habitation. The so-called Treasury of Sin-Iddinam was also excavated in this general area in season 5. In the Antiquaries Journal of January 1925, Woolley described Diqdiqqeh as follows: “A mile and a half NE. of the ziggurat, between the main railway line and the Nasiriyah branch, there is a patch of low-lying ground, occasionally cultivated, which the natives call Diqdiqqeh... a happy hunting-ground for treasure-seekers, and I took advantage of this fact to collect from the natives the scattered antiquities which they might bring to light.”     
Season Number: 01: 1922-1923      

Objects: Diqdiqqeh | DQ Export: JSON - XML - CSV

Object U Number Museum Number (UPM Date Reg Number) Museum Number (BM Registration Number) Museum Number (UPM B-number) Description (Catalog Card)
6998 (none) (none) (none) Cylinder seal. Black steatite. 2 birds with spread wings. Star. Crescent. About BC 800. B.
6067 (none) (none) (none) Cylinder seal. Black steatite. 2 men exchanging greetings and inscription. Arad-dam son of Badada About BC 1900. B. VII. [drawing]
7129 (none) (none) (none) Cylinder seal. Black steatite. 2 registers. Spread eagle, vase with palm branch and worshippers on either side. Before 3000 BC. E.
6058 (none) 1927,0527.181 (none) Cylinder seal. Black steatite. 2 spread eagles, reversed and a scorpion. E.
6065 (none) (none) B16300 Cylinder seal. Black steatite. 3 grooves in middle divider scene, seated god and introduction of votary from 4 swans on lower half. About BC 2700. E.
18293 (none) (none) (none) Cylinder seal. Black steatite. Eagle (?) with outspread wings, in angles of fretted zigzag.
7628 (none) (none) (none) Cylinder seal. Black steatite. Font from which rises a palm? On either side a snake? and beyond a hero attacking rampant lion with a sword. Possibly the curved markings at the side of the altar may represent not snakes but handles or running water? [drawing] cf. U.7640
6881 (none) (none) (none) Cylinder seal. Black steatite. Gilgamesh and Enkidu attacking rampant lion. About 1400 BC. B.
6986 (none) (none) (none) Cylinder seal. Black steatite. Gilgamesh and Enkidu fighting rampant lion. About BC 2100. 2300 BC? B.
847 (none) (none) (none) Cylinder seal. Black steatite. Gilgamesh and his friend killing their favorite winged gryphon. Fairly good work.
1628 (none) (none) (none) Cylinder seal. Black steatite. Inscribed with scene of presentation to goddess.
6483 (none) 1927,0527.194 (none) Cylinder seal. Black steatite. Inscribed. Bur-a-mu. Son of Hu-hu-a the metal worker (precious metal). About BC 2400.
6934 (none) (none) (none) Cylinder seal. Black steatite. Inscribed. Introduction of votary by minor goddess to seated nannar. Attribute: crescent moon scorpion. Ur dNannar. Servant of Shamesh. B. IIIrd Ur Dynasty 2300BC.
6519B (none) (none) B16313, B16313 Cylinder seal. Black steatite. Inscribed. Minor god introducing worshipper to major god. Nin-da-da son of Da-da-a. About 2300 BC?
6090 (none) (none) (none) Cylinder seal. Black steatite. Inscribed. Presentation to seated god probably Shamash. Worshipper introduced by seated goddess wearing horned attire and long pleated robe covering one shoulder and leaving other bare. Worshipper has fringed shawl. Attributes: ? Libra ? Inscription: Ilu-Shamash. c. 1st Babylonian Dynasty.B.
6985 (none) (none) (none) Cylinder seal. Black steatite. Inscribed: Urd Ba-u. Scene of worship. Introduction of votary by minor god to seated Nannar. B.
6593 (none) 1927,0527.191 (none) Cylinder seal. Black steatite. Introducing a worshipper to a standing god. About BC 2200.
18691 (none) 1933,1013.75 (none) Cylinder seal. Black steatite. Introduction scene with seated goddess and 1 standing figure and a tree: star and crescent above and 2 standing figures: there has been an inscription which is all weathered away.
18145 (none) (none) (none) Cylinder seal. Black steatite. Introduction scene with seated goddess and 1 standing figure and a tree: star and crescent above.
17727 (none) (none) (none) Cylinder seal. Black steatite. Man, standing, facing gazelle with eagle displayed over back; man kneeling behind gazelle; crescent on staff.
1523 (none) (none) (none) Cylinder seal. Black steatite. One side much damaged. Device is in 2 registers. Introduction scene above and crude design of swans below. Inscription: ahat-i-li-lugal-usum-(gal)-la PA. For design and inscription compare U.1268 and U.1267.
16163 (none) (none) (none) Cylinder seal. Black steatite. Presentation scene, 1 seated.
16184 (none) (none) (none) Cylinder seal. Black steatite. Presentation scene. Enthroned god and two standing figures. Attributes: Crescent moon, goose, pair of scorpions & lizard.
6521 (none) (none) (none) Cylinder seal. Black steatite. Presentation to a seated deity. Crescent. Rampant lion. Five headed club. About BC 2200. B.
6406 (none) (none) B16304 Cylinder seal. Black steatite. Rampant lion attacked by two naked men. Crescent, goose, scorpion. About BC 2400.

Media: Diqdiqqeh | DQ Export: JSON - XML - CSV

Media Media Title Title Label Author Omeka Label
Ur Excavations VII; The Old Babylonian Period Ur Excavations VII; The Old Babylonian Period 1976 Woolley, L. and M. Mallowan (none)
  • 1 Media