--- title: The Standard of Ur author: Trustees of the British Museum source: https://www.worldhistory.org/image/501/the-standard-of-ur/ format: machine-readable-alternate updated: 1970-01-01 --- # The Standard of Ur _Authored by Trustees of the British Museum_ ## Image File [![The Standard of Ur](https://www.worldhistory.org/uploads/images/501.jpg)](https://www.worldhistory.org/uploads/images/501.jpg) ## Image Caption From [Ur](https://www.worldhistory.org/ur/), southern Iraq, about 2600-2400 BC This object was found in one of the largest graves in the Royal Cemetery at Ur, lying in the corner of a chamber above the right shoulder of a man. Its original function is not yet understood. Leonard Woolley, the excavator at Ur, imagined that it was carried on a pole as a standard, hence its common name. Another theory suggests that it formed the soundbox of a musical instrument. When found, the original wooden frame for the [mosaic](https://www.worldhistory.org/Mosaic/) of shell, red limestone and lapis lazuli had decayed, and the two main panels had been crushed together by the weight of the soil. The bitumen acting as glue had disintegrated and the end panels were broken. As a result, the present restoration is only a best guess as to how it originally appeared. The main panels are known as '[War](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/War/)' and 'Peace'. 'War' shows one of the earliest representations of a [Sumerian](https://www.worldhistory.org/Sumerians/) army. Chariots, each pulled by four donkeys, trample enemies; infantry with cloaks carry spears; enemy soldiers are killed with axes, others are paraded naked and presented to the king who holds a spear. The 'Peace' panel depicts animals, fish and other goods brought in procession to a banquet. Seated figures, wearing woollen fleeces or fringed skirts, drink to the accompaniment of a musician playing a [lyre](https://www.worldhistory.org/Lyre/). Banquet scenes such as this are common on cylinder seals of the period, such as on the seal of the 'Queen' Pu-abi, also in the British Museum. © Trustees of the British Museum Approved use for educational purposes. ## Cite This Work ### APA Museum, T. o. t. B. (2012, April 26). The Standard of Ur. *World History Encyclopedia*. ### Chicago Museum, Trustees of the British. "The Standard of Ur." *World History Encyclopedia*, April 26, 2012. . ### MLA Museum, Trustees of the British. "The Standard of Ur." *World History Encyclopedia*, 26 Apr 2012, . ## License & Copyright © Trustees of the [British Museum](http://www.britishmuseum.org/). Republished under the British Museum [Standard Terms of Use](http://www.britishmuseum.org/about_this_site/terms_of_use.aspx) for non-profit educational purposes. [Original image](http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/me/t/the_standard_of_ur.aspx) by [**Trustees of the British Museum**](http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/me/t/the_standard_of_ur.aspx). Submitted by [Jan van der Crabben](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/jvdc/ "User Page: Jan van der Crabben"), published on 26 April 2012. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: [Copyright](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright). You cannot use, copy, distribute, or modify this item without explicit permission from the author. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.