Nebuchadnezzar II Cuneiform Cylinder (605-562 B.C.E.)

Inscriptions

Incised, in cuneiform [translation]: "I, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, keeper (of the temples) of Esagila and Ezida, son of Nabopolassar, king of Babylon, have built anew Ebabbara, the temple of Shamash in Sippar, for Shamash, the lord, the lengthener of my days. O Shamash, great lord, look upon my deeds with friendly favor! Life till distant days, abundance of descendants, security of throne, long life for my dynasty give me as gifts! The lifting of my hands (my prayer) accept in good faith! At your exalted command, which is unchangeable, may my action, the work of my hands, last eternally! May my descendants revel in kingly might, may they be secure in the land! Wherever my hand is lifted to you (wherever I pray to you), Lord Shamash, pave my roads for the destruction of my enemies. You are Shamash! Your grim weapons, which are not to be withstood, may they be at my side for the overthrow of my enemies! Just as the bricks of Ebabbara are laid down (firmly) for eternity, so may my years be long into eternity!"

Label

Despite their unusual appearance, these football-shaped clay objects share functional similarities with a number of other objects in this gallery, including the relief panels from the Northwest Palace of Ashurnasirpal II. Like the Standard Inscription that proclaims Ashurnasirpal’s power, these cylinders record achievements of two other rulers from the ancient Near East—the Babylonian Nebuchadnezzar II and the Assyrian Sargon II.

Cuneiform cylinders typically celebrate the physical construction of an empire through architectural projects. Nebuchadnezzar II drastically expanded his capital of Babylon during his reign, while Sargon II built an entirely new capital at Dur-Sharrukin. In contrast to the cuneiform brick, which would have been visible even after Shalmaneser III’s ziggurat was completed, these cylinders would have been encased within the walls or foundations of a building. This practice demonstrates the desire of kings to situate themselves within a historical narrative, ensuring that their deeds and buildings would be remembered far into the future. Perhaps more importantly, however, the text would be seen and remembered by the gods.

From the exhibition, Stone, Sand, and Clay: Connecting Cultures in the Ancient Mediterranean, curated by Ashley B. Offill, Curator of Collections

Course History

REL 81, Dickinson Distinguished Scholar Seminar: Orientalism and the Origins of Religion, Susannah Heschel, Fall 2012

ANTH 12.2, The Archaeology of the Ancient Near East, Jason Herrmann, Spring 2013

ANTH 12.2, Archaeology of the Ancient Near East, Daniel Potts, Spring 2014

History 10.02, Archival Research, Julia Rabig, Summer 2025

Anthropology 31.01, Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies 36.01, Gender in Cross Cultural Perspectives, Sabrina Billings, Fall 2025

Theater 15.01, Theatre & Society I, Samantha Lazar, Fall 2025

Classical Studies 12.01, Greek and Roman Engineering and Technology, Margaretha Kramer, Fall 2025

Humanities 1.01, Decadence, Rebecca Biron, Fall 2025

Anthropology 5.01, Introduction to Archaeology, Maddie McLeester, Fall 2025

Exhibition History

Stone, Sand, and Clay: Connecting Cultures in the Ancient Mediterranean, Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, June 7, 2025 - Ongoing

Provenance

Milton S. Yondorf, Chicago, Illinois; given to present collection, 1942.

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Subjects