Animal figurine (bull-calf)

In the precinct of the temple of the goddess Inanna in Uruk, numerous small statuettes of animals were found during excavations. With great mastery and a sharp gift of observation, Sumerian craftsmen had made these small works of art as temple offerings for the deity. Presented together with the living sacrifice (for example, a sheep, goat, or cow), they were intended to symbolize the gift in perpetuity and to please the goddess so that she would be favourably disposed towards the people. This example depicts an animal from the temple herd, a cowering baby calf. Despite its small dimensions, the little calf captivates one by the care with which it has been carved from the stone, the finely worked surfaces and the love of detail. The latter is manifest, for example, in the definition of the hooves, ears, and head, indicating the details of their anatomy. The materials used were usually marble and limestone, and these were given added charm by colourful ornamentation. The little calf’s clover-shaped inlays, made from lapis-lazuli, may be meant to indicate the pattern of its coat.