Bitumen is a black, oily, viscous material that is a naturally-occurring organic byproduct of decomposed organic materials.

Objects: Bitumen 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)
(none) (none) 1928,1009.351 (none) (none)
10006 (none) (none) (none) Beads Double conoids of gold and lapis The larger gold beads are of foil over bitumen, the smaller more solid: the largest are unusually large, both in gold and lapis
10090 (none) (none) (none) Beads Large lentoids, 2 lapis, 1 silver, 2 bitumen(broken) NB the carnelian rings probably went between the large beads
10330A (none) (none) (none) [A-B] Necklace Gold double conoids on a bitumen core Lapis lazuli double conoids. 3 strings: each string has 3 double conoid gold and 6 double conoid lapis
10330B (none) (none) (none) [A-B] Necklace Gold double conoids on a bitumen core Lapis lazuli double conoids. 3 strings: each string has 3 double conoid gold and 6 double conoid lapis
10331A (none) (none) (none) [A-B] 2 Gold earrings Lunate large type with bitumen cores- double pendants
10349A (none) (none) (none) [A-B] 2 Gold Ear Rings Large lunate double pendants hollowed to receive bitumen. Type common to PGs 801-813
10367 (none) (none) (none) Cylinder Seal Shell. White. Inscribed. 2 heroes each grasping a rampant bull by the tail and forcing the head back by the horns. Each hero clothed in short (sheep-skin?) skirt coming down to the knees: shirt has tasselled ends. Each hero is bearded and the hair at the back of the head is done up into a short upturned curl. Seal has copper caps set in bitumen. Caps broken and decayed. Par t of subject obliterated. A - DEN-ZU-dim Ka-su-du - A-ENZU-dim, libationer: (suggested by Dr. Rarn): A- DEN-ZU-sim - son created by EN-ZU (analogy with A-anni-padda).
10390A (none) (none) (none) [A] Copper Pin. Rounded in section. Copper ball head on bitumen core. Adhering to the pin a [B] Cylinder Seal of shell. The stem of the pin is perforated and has a small copper ring attached to it. Originally the seal was probably suspended by a string attached to the ring on the copper pin; the string decayed and the seal became corroded onto the pin. Type V. Figs. obliterated: probably 2 heroes fighting 2 rampant beasts. The copper set in bitumen was probably really the cap of the seal; the cap fell off onto the pin which has an elongated knob head.
10412 (none) 1928,1010.1 (none) Harp The upright of wood with gold cap, bound below with gold and with a bitumen shoe: in the upright are the keys, copper nails with gilt heads. The body has disappeared, but there was a vertical border of gold and lapis along the edge. On the body stood a wooden sounding-box, the edge inlaid with shell having patterns in red paint and lapis. The head of the harp, in front, was a gold bulls head with eyes, hair, and beard of lapis. Found in very bad condition, all the wood gone and only the decoration left, but that virtually in its original position
10556A (none) (none) B17694B [A] Bull's head. Gold, with lapis hair between the horns and a lapis beard set in silver; the gold horns are tipped with lapis. [B]The body was of wood (see Field Notes) and down the front are [C] shell plaques with engraved mythological scenes
10556C (none) (none) B17684 [A] Bull's head. Gold, with lapis hair between the horns and a lapis beard set in silver; the gold horns are tipped with lapis. [B]The body was of wood (see Field Notes) and down the front are [C] shell plaques with engraved mythological scenes
10590 (none) (none) (none) Reins of second bullock waggon Consisting of very large lentoid beads in silver over bitumen and some smaller facetted lentoids of lapis lazuli
10944A (none) 1928,1010.87 (none) [A-B] Gold Amulets two in the form of fish. (gold over a bitumen core) the thread went through the mouth and one gill. Found with U.10943, 10945. [drawing 1:1]
10944B (none) 1928,1010.87 (none) [A-B] Gold Amulets two in the form of fish. (gold over a bitumen core) the thread went through the mouth and one gill. Found with U.10943, 10945. [drawing 1:1]
11450 30-12-496 (none) (none) Beads. Small, 1 of gold leaf over bitumen, lapis, silver and carnelian.
11521C (none) (none) (none) Tomb Group. Consisting (A) A gold frontlet, oval decorated edge with half-punctured dots, as also round the string-holes at each end: broken & parts missing. (B) Beads: a quantity of small lapis balls & a string of gold & carnelian bugles with lapis balls (see Field Notes) (C) A string-sealing of bitumen, a flattened ovoid.
11566 30-12-14 (none) (none) Cylinder seal. Black steatite. 2 registers: above, 2 bulls & trees; below, 2 gazelles & trees.
1214 (none) 1924,0920.110 (none) Terracotta, moulded in three-quarter round. Figure of bearded god from waist upwards, hands clasped.
12204 (none) (none) (none) Copper Spear. Poken type. Traces of bitumen round haft. Type I. B.
12749 (none) 1928,1010.795 (none) Figurine bitumen. Very crudely modelled. A seated or kneeling human figure. [drawing 1:1]
13544 (none) (none) (none) Bitumen Bellum.
13548 (none) (none) (none) 3 beads. Two large lapis ovoids roughly shaped. One bitumen double conoid. [drawing 1:1]
13705A (none) (none) (none) (A) Upper quern-stone. dark grey larve. Set in a round-topped lump of bitumen which served as a handle; (B) A lower saddle quern-stone of dark lava.
13713 (none) (none) (none) Model boat. In bitumen (broken). [drawing]
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