Plaque with two male figures supporting a roller
Unknown Artist
ca. 2000–1600 BCE
Medium
Bronze
Dimensions
4 x 4 1/8 in. (10.2 x 10.5 cm)
Classification
Metalwork-Reliefs
Culture & Period
Babylonian · Old Babylonian
Department
Ancient Near Eastern Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Norbert Schimmel and Schimmel Foundation Inc., Gifts and Rogers Fund, 1980
Accession Number
1980.407.1
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite bronze plaque, dating to Old Babylonian period (ca 2000–1600 BCE), captures two muscular male figures straining to support a massive roller, rendered in shallow relief. Measuring just 4 x 4 1/8 inches, its compact size suggests it was a portable votive object or decorative element, perhaps from a temple or elite household in ancient Mesopotamia. Crafted by an unknown Babylonian artist, the work exemplifies the period's mastery of bronze casting and chasing techniques, where molten metal was poured into molds and meticulously tooled to create dynamic figures. Babylonian metalwor...