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)
6856 (none) (none) B16374 Tortoise. White frit, and glazed. E. [drawing 1:1]
6855 (none) (none) (none) Terracotta figurine. Bearded male figure carrying monkey on shoulders. Male figure is clothed in long flowing garment and wears a close fitting cap over the head. Twisted cord apparently suspended from monkey's neck and hands down in front of the male figure. A second monkey stands upon its hind legs in front of him. Twisted round man's wrist and in his right hand a staff? Cf. U.6921 same mould may have served for both. Also, U.6940 [drawing 1:1]
6853 (none) (none) (none) Cylinder seal. Grey steatite. Unpierced. Gilgamesh and Enkidu fighting rampant lion. About 2600 BC. B.
6849 (none) (none) (none) Copper vase. With spout. Badly broken. ?
6848 (none) (none) (none) Miniature ram. Bronze. [drawing]
6847 (none) (none) (none) Terracotta figurine. Grotesque beak nosed figure wearing close fitting coat with high collar and supporting lamb against breast. Cap with thick lining upon head. B. [drawing 1:1]
6846 (none) (none) (none) Seated goddess heavily draped in cloak and flounced skirt and wearing peaked headdress, feet resting on one goose and second goose standing right hand side of throne right hand held across body and holding a small figurine ? Left arm bent at elbow and held slightly upraised. Full face down to waist, in profile below. cf. Black diorite statue of (Ur Bau?) found in Nin-Gal sanctuary of Larsa temple. KP. U.. Cf also U.6939 terracotta mould of same figurine (though typically not the mould also fine. Diqdiqqeh. B. [drawing 1:1]
6837 (none) 1927,0527.228 (none) Terracotta figurine. Nude female hands clasped below breast. Common type. E.
6833 (none) (none) (none) Frog bead. Black steatite? B. [drawing 1:1]
6824B (none) (none) (none) Clay strainers. Type CLXXXVI =RC.248
6824A (none) (none) (none) Clay strainers. Type CLXXXVI =RC.248
6822 (none) (none) (none) Terracotta figurine. Bearded male figure wearing high headdress. Right arm bent at elbow and held horizontally across body. Scepter in right hand. Fragmentary B.
6818 (none) (none) (none) Clay vase. Light drab. Type CXLIX. =RC.48 (not p)
6810 (none) (none) (none) Clay Bowl. Glazed. White. blue glazedround rim. Type LXXXII
6809 (none) (none) (none) Unknown
6808 (none) (none) (none) Clay vase. Light drab. Type LXXI. =P.140. Neo-Babylonian
6780 (none) 1927,0527.182 (none) Cylinder seal. Black steatite. Scene of worship. Worshipper introduced by minor goddess to seated Nannar. Attributes: Crescent moon. 3rd Ur Dynasty about 2200 BC.
6762 (none) 1927,0527.147 (none) Frog bead. Frit? E. [drawing 1:1]
6760 (none) (none) (none) Terracotta figurine. Fragmentary. Lost below waist. Figure with animals head and human body, hands clasped round neck. B.
6758 (none) 1927,0527.236 (none) Terracotta plaque. Fragment. Fighter trampling a fallen warrior. E.
6692 (none) (none) B16254 Terracotta figurine. Nude female. Fragmentary, lost below knees. Common type. Hands clasped over breast in attitude of prayer. E. [drawing 1:1]
6687 (none) (none) B16310, B16310 Cylinder seal. Black hematite. Inscribed. Shamash, worshipper and goddess. Servant of Sin and servant of Nin-Shah. E. 1st Babylonian dynasty 2000 BC.
6671 (none) (none) (none) Cylinder seal. Diorite? Black. Mottled. 3 lions rampant one upside down. B.
6628 (none) 1927,0527.138 (none) Head of Puzuzu. Fair example. Steatite. Gray. E. [drawing 1:1]
6617 (none) (none) (none) Terracotta figurine. Nude female. Feet lost. Hands clasped below breasts. B. [drawing 1:1]

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