Figure band

The figure band describes an arrangement of the represented figures in the glyptic of the ancient Orient, in which they are shown upright on their (rear) legs at approximately the same height and overlap (often with several figures). A heraldic arrangement is not uncommon with Mesopotamian seals compared to Syrian seals, the most common motif in both cases is the animal fight.

The origin of this representation convention can already be seen in primeval cylinder seals , although there the figures are usually only found in an overlapping row, or erect and heraldically arranged, but without overlapping, or alternately entwined and of the same size, but without erecting on the rear legs .

Original cylinder seal and modern unwinding, preliminary stage of the figure band, Louvre

The figure band first appeared in its actual form in the early Dynastic period . Animal fighting scenes, often with the participation of the so-called six-curly hero and of bull people against various animals such as lions, caprids or bulls, make up the majority of the known representations at this time.

During this period, two peculiarities can be observed, especially for the Syrian region - on the one hand, mixed forms in which all figures are depicted the same size and intertwined, but in contrast to the bull man and the lion attacking it, the prey is not erect on its hind legs, and one often a highly schematic representation convention of the lion's head, in which the same is depicted with a view from above.

Early dynastic cylinder seal and modern unwinding, fully developed figure band, Louvre

In the Akkadian period , the heavily superimposed groups of figures of the animal fight gradually dissolve into opposing parties arranged in pairs; in the New-Sumerian period the figure band disappears completely in favor of the introductory and adoration scenes.

Individual evidence

1. ^ Dominique Collon: First Impressions. Cylinder Seals in the Ancient Near East. British Museum Publications, London 1987, p. 193
2. ↑ E. Rehm, Every purchase of cylinder seals of the Badische Landesmuseum in Karlsruhe, in: writing and interpretation. Festschrift for R. Mayer-Opificius, Altertumskunde des Vorderen Orients 4, Münster 1993, pp. 269–282
3. ^ Dominique Collon: First Impressions. Cylinder Seals in the Ancient Near East. British Museum Publications, London 1987, fig. 12
4. ^ Dominique Collon: First Impressions. Cylinder Seals in the Ancient Near East. British Museum Publications, London 1987, fig. 6
5. ^ Dominique Collon: First Impressions. Cylinder Seals in the Ancient Near East. British Museum Publications, London 1987, fig. 885
6. ^ Dominique Collon: First Impressions. Cylinder Seals in the Ancient Near East. British Museum Publications, London 1987, pp. 24-30
7. ^ Dominique Collon: First Impressions. Cylinder Seals in the Ancient Near East. British Museum Publications, London 1987 Fig. 6
8. ^ Dominique Collon: First Impressions. Cylinder Seals in the Ancient Near East. British Museum Publications, London 1987 Fig. 947 a. 948
9. ^ Dominique Collon: First Impressions. Cylinder Seals in the Ancient Near East. British Museum Publications, London 1987 p. 32