Sumerian portrait

This male head made of black diorite is broken off at the neck. Undoubtedly, the original statue represented a sitting or standing figure, praying, its hands folded devoutly in front of its chest. The statue stood in a temple and was supposed to intercede with the gods for the person having commissioned it.
Originally, this statue, featuring a very low forehead, a thick neck and a slightly receding chin, was inlaid with shells or different material. Because these are lacking, the slightly damaged head creates an impression quite a bit less lively than it did 4400 years ago, when it was created.
The long, narrow nose runs into the eyebrows and forehead in a single flowing movement. The upper lip is merely outlined, whereas the lower lip is powerfully rendered. The corners of the mouth curling upwards cause the head to smile. The large ears, rendered in detail, are lying flat against the skull. The back of the head is indicated by means of a slight bend, forming one flowing line with the thick neck.