A war scene from a fragment of what was probably a palace wall.
The scene depicts an assault on a fortified city, interestingly defended by a double-wall system with the inner wall higher than the outer one, allowing the defenders to shoot arrows and pour heated oil, tar etc. from two levels at the attackers. This indicates a period of increased warfare, necessitating greater investment in defenses. And I thought this double-wall system was a much later invention! You can see the invaders running up ladders, letting loose arrows as they clamber up, while the defenders shoot arrows in return, along with rocks or whatever they got their hands on.
War-chariots were the mainstay of most bronze-age armies, at least for the kings who could afford them. Before the invention of the stirrup, cavalry played a more limited role and chariots were commonplace. Without a stirrup, the rider couldn’t ride someone down while impaling them with a lance or sword: the recoil would push them off the horse.
The chariots usually carried multiple people: a charioteer to steer, one or two archers or spearmen and another man with a shield to protect against arrows and the random swordsman. With its speed, range, and defensive capability, the chariot was the tank of its age.
I need to fill this up with much better content than I had populated it with earlier. Why I write a blog maybe? I started blogging in 2009 or thereabouts. I was a newly turned atheist and wanted to converse with others of the same persuasion. We're not exactly a big population group in India! It didn't go very well and I sort of lost interest, posting a few things now and then.
I got a lot more regular over the last few months and have been posting almost daily since February '15. There were many reasons why I gradually became more regular in posting, but one way or the other, here I am! So this blog has taken shape, being at different points in time my showcase, my comedy club, my art gallery, my book club, my therapist, my close friend, my innermost self....but always my little corner of the world. You are all welcome to visit and I hope you stay awhile!
A few points about me because I don't want to lead anyone on(and trust me this does become an issue more often than I'd care to admit).
I'm Indian, the brown-skinned variety; if race, ethnicity or skin colour is an issue, you don't have to get to know me any more than what you see on my blog.
I'm 40, so if age is an issue, please be informed accordingly.
I was a doctor, an ophthalmic surgeon for 10 years before I quit practice.
You were probably alive then, and you’re reminiscing on old times. I had started a novel about the orphan queen who founded civil society and the orphan warrior who helped to build her empire. My Dell Inspiron ate ten chapters. I’ve been scared to start writing it again. I am going to need about three years to complete it.
What a coincidence! My Dell threatened to eat my entire Paris pic collection! I was able to nerd-bully it to cough them out though, thankfully. Pen and paper for writing perhaps as befits us inky snobs?
Yes, to inky snob notes. Sorry to hear about your Dell computer. A friend of mine calls the brand “Delete”. Glad you got your photos back. I assume they’re now backed up on your cloud drives?
hbhatnagar 
Hiya. Hope you’re well 🧡❤️💚
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Posted by Sabiscuit | 20/10/2020, 3:21 PMHi, yes. Been busier than usual, hence the online absence. How are you?
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Posted by hbhatnagar | 20/10/2020, 5:48 PMHa! (7000 words later) I’m good. Glad to see a display from a fascinating period of history.
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Posted by Sabiscuit | 21/10/2020, 12:59 AMI need that essay, stat. And I’m obsessed with Sumer, to which the last 10 posts will attest. 😀
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Posted by hbhatnagar | 21/10/2020, 6:16 AMYou were probably alive then, and you’re reminiscing on old times. I had started a novel about the orphan queen who founded civil society and the orphan warrior who helped to build her empire. My Dell Inspiron ate ten chapters. I’ve been scared to start writing it again. I am going to need about three years to complete it.
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Posted by Sabiscuit | 21/10/2020, 6:38 AMWhat a coincidence! My Dell threatened to eat my entire Paris pic collection! I was able to nerd-bully it to cough them out though, thankfully. Pen and paper for writing perhaps as befits us inky snobs?
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Posted by hbhatnagar | 21/10/2020, 6:58 AMYes, to inky snob notes. Sorry to hear about your Dell computer. A friend of mine calls the brand “Delete”. Glad you got your photos back. I assume they’re now backed up on your cloud drives?
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Posted by Sabiscuit | 21/10/2020, 10:39 AMBacked up in the cloud and a back up drive too. Tons of pics I’d rather not lose!
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Posted by hbhatnagar | 21/10/2020, 7:33 PM