#Louvre

Ain Ghazal

The Ain Ghazal statues are some of the oldest large-size depictions of the human form. These range from 8000-7000 BCE and were found in Ain Ghazal (hence the name) in Jordan. Some of the cache are distributed (London, Paris, Abu Dhabi) while the rest are (hopefully still) on display at the museum in Amman, Jordan. … Continue reading →

Hammurabi’s code of Law

Hammurabi’s laws are generally believed to be the oldest written laws, though that is not the case. The (mostly)preserved laws of Ur-Nammu predate these by about three centuries, and there is mention of older codices that have not yet been found (oh, the possibilities!) Hammurabi’s code, though remains the better-known and better-preserved legal codex, dating … Continue reading →

Sumerian antiquities at the Louvre – 5

The word “freedom” was first written down in Sumer. “Amagi” was the first known word that signified what has come to be of foremost importance to every living human being. It’s first known use is in the reforms of UruKaGina, a king of Lagash in the 24th century BCE. He reformed the priesthood and bureaucracy … Continue reading →

Sumerian antiquities at the Louvre – 4

Lamentations are well-recorded in Sumerian archives. Essays and poems bemoaning the looting of a city and the temple of its patron deity were etched onto tablets and kept for posterity. Many of them have survived (in most cases because the clay tablets got baked and hardened when the palace library went up in flames). Reading … Continue reading →

Sumerian Antiquities at the Louvre – 3

Foundation nails were placed at the corners and other important marking spots when laying the foundations of Sumerian temples. These were either depictions of deities, asking them to protect their home (the temple), or of the prince/king paying for the temple, telling the gods to remember his name. Later versions carried inscriptions, giving the name … Continue reading →

Sumerian antiquities at the Louvre – 1

If anything at all deserves the appellation “antique”, it is a relic from Sumer. The following pictures are from some of the most magical rooms at the Louvre, and that’s saying something. Sumer and its cities have always fascinated me and it was with something bordering on the reverence for the divine that I took … Continue reading →

Frankish antiquities at the Louvre – 2

Frankish antiquities at the Louvre – 1

My posts haven’t been regular in coming in, and I have not posted pics in any chronological order. I wandered from one room to another, one section to another randomly; I marveled at all that I saw, and I felt like a time-traveler with a time machine whose buttons stuck at times, throwing me into … Continue reading →

Medieval Arms at the Louvre – 5

Flintlock pistols and muskets manufactured by Bertrand Piraube, France’s leading gun-maker in the 17th century. His works were sought after by Europe’s royalty and are today some of the most prized firearms among collectors and museums across the world. Seeing the quality of the product and the details, it is not hard to understand why … Continue reading →

Medieval Arms at the Louvre – 3