Votive plate

The relief hammered out on this bronze plate represents a god standing on a sacred goat, surrounded by 25 stars. The kingdom of Urartu, which flourished in the Caucasus and northeast Turkey between 900 and 600 BC, was a formidable rival to Assyria. Numerous bronze objects from tombs, temples and palaces illustrate the craftsmanship of Urartu’s smiths. Famous objects produced here include richly decorated pieces of furniture, bronze belts and votive plates, and cauldrons with mounts in the shape of winged sirens and bulls.