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 Clay Seals and Sealings

Object U Number Museum Number (UPM Date Reg Number) Museum Number (BM Registration Number) Museum Number (UPM B-number) Description (Catalog Card)
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.
6982 (none) (none) B16285 Cylinder seal. Black steatite. Scene of worship. Votary introduced by minor god to seated Shamash. Attributes Tripod. About BC 2400. 2300 BC?
6983 (none) (none) (none) Cylinder seal. Grey steatite. 4 standing figures. Attributes: crescent moons. About BC 2000. B.
6987 (none) (none) B16308 Cylinder seal. Black steatite. Worshippers round sacred tree. Palm branch and dates in a vase. About BC 2200.
7118 (none) (none) B16288 Cylinder seal. White shell. 2 registers. Upper register. Spend eagle between 2 gazelles - standing club. Below. Net. Before 3000 BC. E.
7121 (none) (none) B16289 Cylinder seal. Steatite. Black. Palm branch between 2 worshippers, who hold hand upraised. Attributes: Crescent moon, Rampant Lion. 2400 BC. E.
7127 (none) (none) B16295 Cylinder seal. White shell. Winged gate over crouching bull on right, a seated goddess on left, and kneeling Gilgamesh both holding gate with ropes. Before 3000 BC? E.
7658 (none) (none) B16890 Cylinder seal. Marble? White. Hero between two rampant bulls? On either side of bulls a rampant lion. Between the lions a post surmounted by a star.
7920 (none) (none) B16900 Cylinder seal. Steatite. Scene of worship before Nannar. Enthronoed Nannar wearing horned headdress extends right hand to greet 2 standing gods also wearing horned headdress and with left arm upraised. Attributes: crescent moon and spear? with a shaped top.
17312 (none) 1931,1010.26 (none) Cylinder seal. Steatite. Black. Presentation scene. 3 standing figures.

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