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)
1223 (none) (none) (none) Black steatite cylinder seal with device god facing right separated from worshipper and an introducing god by figures of a sitting dog (left) and scorpion (right). Over the god's raised left hand is the crescent. Inscribed: d.Sanas S.a-a
1228 (none) 1924,0920.128 (none) Clay model of a bird, with conventional leg like a vase, the neck broken off. A child's rattle wings rendered by cross-hatching on back. A hole pierced under tail. [drawing]
1229 (none) 1924,0920.375 (none) Terracotta model of a bearded man holding a kid before him. The upper part of head is missing. [drawing] Photo 174
1230 (none) (none) (none) Upper part of terracotta relief of a god, bearded, with horned headdress, holding 2 staves against his shoulders. [drawing]
1232 (none) 1924,0920.73 (none) Terracotta relief showing 2 figures, male (right) and female (left) standing facing, each with hand upon the shoulder of the other. [drawing]
1233 (none) (none) (none) Terracotta relief apparently showing a standing god with hands clasped at waist. In much worn condition and almost obliterated.
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.
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]
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]
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]
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.
1256 (none) (none) (none) Clay model of wheel; usual type; red ware, the circumferential coggings worn away.
1257 (none) 1924,0920.124 (none) Clay model of wheel; light buff color.

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