Syrian Arab News Agency S A N A
Damascus, SANA_ The statue of Ornina in the National Museum of Damascus is considered one of the masterpieces of ancient eastern art, with a height of 25.4 cm and a width of 13.5 cm, dating back to 2600 BC and was found in 1933 by residents of the region in the ancient city of Mari.
According to the archaeological researcher, Mona al-Mo’azzen, the statue, made of beautiful ivory alabaster stone, is one of the main works of Syrian art during the period of the late Mesopotamian dynasties.
The statue, al-Mo’azzen said, was found in the Temple of Ninni-Zaza which was one of the main deities of Mari.
In her book about the National Museum of Damascus, al-Mo’azzen explained that the name of the singer, who was represented by the statue, was mentioned in a cuneiform inscription on the shoulders of the statue (Ur-Nanshi) and portrayed her wearing a robe, sitting squatting and resting on a low round pillow.
The body of the statue was carefully carved, where the details of the face are clearly visible, and reveal an artistic touch, in which the wavy hair is draped in long strands that end in a knot to the back, and the eyes are decorated with seashell and lapis lazuli.
Al-Mo’azzen mentioned that this important stone statue indicates the presence of carving workshops in the Amorite capital (Mari) that were keen to create distinctive sculptural masterpieces that reflect the importance of the arts of singing, music and dance in those eras and the extent of their connection with ancient religions and their rituals that aim at the ecstasy of human beings.
