The examination of archeological objects is interesting as it allows learning about early cultures and the interests of people who lived thousands of years ago. The Bull Headed Lyre was founded in the King’s Grave at the Ur Royal Cemetery, and its parts (the head, bread, strings, and panel) reveal the power of Mesopotamian art (Bjerre, 2020). In particular, the sound box of the lyre has four properly divided images that define the cultural preferences of the people who lived in the 2500s BCE.
Each of the four pictures contains several figures, and it is hard to say whether they are animals or humans. The choice of such images can be explained by cultural uncertainty and the inability to divide the world of nature (animal faces and extremities) and the world of people (human statures and activities). In any case, animal worship was a critical element of the culture during which the lyre was created. The time period of the sound box covered the events of the 2500s BCE and showed that not many things have changed since today. For example, the man with the scorpion tail represents human greed and the desire to possess as many things as possible. The next image reveals the traditions of early civilizations to dance and play music. With time, any life comes to its end, and people should know how to bury each other and follow the tradition. Thus, the third image represents the importance of ceremonial processes (funeral and death). Finally, in the end, equality is achieved because, despite the made achievements, wealth, and friends, all people are equal after their death – all naked and emotionless.
The sound box of the lyre is not just a piece of history but an opportunity to learn the culture and the chosen time period through the images represented there. There are several stages in human life, and all of them are depicted on the box: development (the desire to get as much as possible), progress (entertainment and demonstration of skills), death, and the afterlife. The chosen subject proves that the culture of the 2500s BCE had the same aspects as today’s culture.
Reference
Bjerre, N. (2020). Satire in Mesopotamia: Unravelling the bull headed lyre of Ur. Ancient Origins.