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)
1233 (none) (none) (none) Terracotta relief apparently showing a standing god with hands clasped at waist. In much worn condition and almost obliterated.
1234 (none) (none) B15669 Terracotta relief of woman, wearing skirt, carrying child, with right arm round its waist, left round its knees. P. [drawing]
1235 (none) 1924,0920.76 (none) Terracotta relief of mother and child similar to preceding number.
1236 (none) 1924,0920.62 (none) Terracotta relief, complete, of naked goddess with hands resting under the breasts and apparently some kind of wrap round the shoulders. Drab clay. [drawing]
1237 (none) (none) (none) Portion of a terracotta relief, showing head of a goddess, similar to the preceding. Remainder broken away.
1238 (none) (none) (none) Portion of terracotta relief, head similar to the preceding.
1239 (none) (none) B15644 Part of a terracotta relief of a standing draped woman. Left hand at waist, right hand hanging straight; hair elaborately dressed on both sides of face. Light buff clay. P.
1240 (none) (none) (none) Upper part of terracotta relief of woman, apparently naked, standing with hands clasped under breasts. Lower part broken or missing. Light buff clay.
1241 (none) (none) (none) Upper part of a Terracotta relief of woman, as preceding number. Lower part, below arms broken away.
1242 (none) 1935,0113.23 (none) Upper part of terracotta figurine of a woman, much damaged, and all lower part missing.
1243 (none) (none) (none) Lower part of terracotta figurine of naked woman. Similar to U.1148.
1244 (none) 1924,0920.96 (none) Upper part terracotta relief of a god with horned headdress carrying curved weapon upon right shoulder.
1245 (none) (none) (none) Upper part of terracotta relief showing horned headdress and head of a god: remainder entirely broken away.
1246 (none) 1935,0113.24 (none) Fragment terracotta relief, showing right shoulder and arm of human figure holding staff surmounted by a bird. [drawing]
1247 (none) (none) B15698 Portion terracotta model probably the head (or foot) of a bed, of which 2 legs remain. The head is decorated inside, quarterly with low reliefs of geese or ducks, and cocks. P. [drawing]
1248 (none) 1935,0113.25 (none) Fragment of terracotta relief with figure of a duck, as in preceding number.
1249 (none) 1935,0113.26 (none) Fragment of a terracotta plaque with fragment of a border and part of a relief, apparently of vegetable pattern. [drawing]
12496 (none) (none) (none) Clay figurine, Pig. Very crudely modeled; hollow. Larsa period? [drawing]
12497 (none) 1928,1010.809 (none) Clay model bed. With string or reed mattress - no head. (broken into 2).
1250 (none) 1935,0113.27 (none) Lower portion of terracotta relief of seated god or goddess, wearing flounced skirt, which is all that remains of the object.
1251 (none) 1935,0113.28 (none) Fragment from the middle terra-cotta relief of draped goddess with hands holding her breasts. [drawing]
1252 (none) (none) B15708 Clay model, a child's toy representing a man mounted upon a horse, which has two heads looking towards each other. The upper part of the rider is broken, and the reins(?) are represented in a curious manner. The whole stands on a clay base with holes for wheels and for a string to pull it along. P. [drawing]
1253 31-16-995 (none) (none) Fragment of a terrracotta model. Apparently part of the reins from a toy similar to the preceding.
1254 (none) (none) (none) Fragment terra-cotta figurine representing middle part of naked woman: remainder broken away.
1255 (none) (none) B15710 Child's rattle in baked clay, double cogged edge and perforations in the sides. P. [drawing]

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