Biblically Related Artifacts

in the Musee du Louvre

GENERAL INFORMATION
The French were the first to excavate in Egypt and Meso-
potamia. For years they had exclusive rights to excavate
in Persia and Syria. The collection from these countries is
exceptionally rich.
The Louvre is closed on Tuesday. Hours other days:
9:45 a.m. to 8 p.m. Not all departments are open every
day. I like to plan to be in the Louvre parts of three days in
order to catch all of departments open. Purchase an Eng-
lish plan of the museum. Photography without flash is
permitted. High speed film (1000) works nicely, but digi-
tal cameras are best for this photography, especially items
behind glass.
The Louvre has a nice web site with pages in English. It
is a good idea to buy tickets in advance in order to avoid
the long lines at the ticket counter.
The Louvre is housed in a former palace dating back to Esarhaddon. Bronze relief shows the king of Assyria
the 12th century. The collections are divided into seven with his mother, Naqi’a, the widow of Sennacherib.
departments. The departments of interest for this study are Parrot, Babylon and the Old Testament, 78.
as follows:
1. Greek and Roman antiquities (Antiquites grecques Lagash, Ur, and Uruk. There is a small statue of
et romaines). Gudea of Lagash from 2150 B.C.
2. Egyptian antiquities (Antiquites egyptiennes).
3. Oriental antiquities (Antiquites orientales). This in-
cludes Mesopotamia (Sumerian, Akkadian, Assyr- BABYLONIAN EMPIRES
ian, Babylonian), Persia and the Levant (Syria and
Palestine). There is also a nice collection from Cy- Code of Hammurabi
prus (Chypriote) (5th century B.C.).
The Code of Hammurabi was discovered in Shushan,
Some of the listings below are by empire (Babylonian, 1901/1902, where it had been carried by the Elamites.
Assyrian, Persian, Roman, etc.) and other listings are by It was originally erected in Babylon by Hammurabi,
location (Syria, Palestine, etc.). In some cases I have in- the king of Babylon, 18th/17th century B.C. (c. 1760
cluded the French term for the artifact. Some of the mu- B.C.).
seum identification numbers are given.
The stele is a round pillar of black polished diorite, 7
½ feet high. The top panel shows Hammurabi stand-
ing before the sun god Shamash. The inscription is in
EARLY MESOPOTAMIA Old Babylonian cuneiform. The code consists of a
prologue, 282 laws, and an epilogue, and is the longest
Mesopotamia is often referred to as the cradle of civili- Babylonian inscription which has survived (New In-
zation. Much helpful information comes from Sumer ternational Dictionary of Biblical Archaeology 227).
and Akkad. The Louvre has material from cities such as Many of the laws are similar to civil laws of the Law
Biblically Related Artifacts in the Musee du Louvre 2
of Moses. There are several clay tablets containing 4. Interesting reliefs: Several panels show boats trans-
portions of the Code. porting logs of cedars of Lebanon for use in the pal-
ace of Sargon. Photo in The Biblical World 588.
A head identified possibly as that of Hammurabi is
displayed along with a small image which may show Sennacherib (704-681 B.C.)
Hammurabi in prayer. 1. Took 46 cities of Judah in the days of Hezekiah (2
Kings 18:13).
Lions from Babylon
2. A fragment of one of the annals from the reign of
A few examples of lions made of multicolored tiles are Sennacherib tells of his campaign against the Chal-
on display. These come from the procession street of dean, Merodach-Baladan, who ruled Babylon.
ancient Babylon. Daniel was in Babylon during the (Some translations, including the NASB, follow
reigns of Nebuchadnezzar (605-562) and Nabonidus. the Masoretic Text and translate the name as Bero-
The best collection of Babylonian artifacts can be seen dach-Baladan.). See 2 Kings 20:12; Isa. 39:1-8.
in Berlin. AO7747.
Nabonidus (556-539 B.C.) Esarhaddon (681-669 B.C.)
The last ruler of the Neo-Babylonian Empire. His son, 1. Came to the throne after the assassination of his fa-
Belshazzar, seems to have been co-regent with him ther Sennacherib (2 Kings 19:37; Isa. 37:38). See
(Dan. 5; 7:1; 8:1). Clay barrel-cylinder on display. also Ezra 4:2.
Nabonide: AO6444. 2. Prism. AO 7736.
3. A bronze relief commemorates the restoration of
Babylon by Esarhaddon. This relief shows
ASSYRIAN EMPIRE Esarhaddon with his mother Naqi’a, the widow of
Sennacherib. She is thought to have exercised con-
Shalmanesser III (858-824 B.C.) siderable power. See Parrot, Babylon and the Old
Shalmanesser is not named in the Bible, but he de- Testament 77. AO 29185.
feated Ahab at the battle of Qarqar. Some items from
Ashurbanipal (668-631 B.C.)
Tell Ahmar, ancient Barsip, are displayed.
1. Possibly he Osnappar of Ezra 4:10 who relocated
Tiglath-Pileser III (Pul) (745-727 B.C.) foreigners to Samaria.
1. He is called Pul in the Bible (1 Chron. 5:26). 2. Clay prism. AO19939.
2. Invaded Palestine in days of Pekah, king of Israel (2 3. Relief showing soldiers leading away prisoners of
Kings 15:29). Menahem had paid tribute to him war. Photo in The Biblical World 420.
earlier (2 Kings 15:19-20).
3. See relief: Le roi Teglathphalasar III.
4. Stone bulls from his palace at ancient Hadatu. SYRIA
5. Ivories. A collection of ivories from the mound of
Arslan Tash (ancient Hadatu) are displayed. These Baal
ivories “had formerly belonged to Hazael, Ara- 1. Stele found at Ras Shamra (ancient Ugarit). Baal
maean king of Damascus and oppressor of Israel, was the chief god of the Canaanites and was re-
one piece even bearing his name” (Kitchen, NIDBA sponsible for fertility (the crops), storms and thun-
224). These ivories date to the 8th century B.C. and dershowers.
are similar to those found at Samaria (1 Kings 2. Several small bronze images are displayed.
22:39; Amos 3:15). Some images may help in un- 3. Numerous examples of the teraphim (cf. household
derstanding the cherubim of the Old Testament (1 idols, Gen. 31:19) are on display.
Sam. 4:4; 2 Sam. 6:2; Ps. 99:1; Ezek. 10). The ivory
bearing the name of Hazael is displayed with items Ugarit
from Syria. 1. Ugarit was the ancient name for Ras Shamra on the
Mediterranean coast of Syria. Excavations were
Sargon II (721-705 B.C.)
begun in 1929 by C. F. A. Schaeffer who spent 28
1. Claims to have taken Samaria. seasons working at the tell.
2. Only mentioned in Isaiah 20:1. His existence was 2. An ivory plaque of the Cretan-Mycenaean fertility
once questioned. Palace found by Paul Emile Botta goddess was discovered from Minet el Beida, the
at Khorsabad in 1843. port of Ugarit. Schaeffer described it this way: “On
3. Winged bulls from gateway. her head the goddess wears a graceful Asiatic head-
Biblically Related Artifacts in the Musee du Louvre 3
dress. Her torso is nude. From hips to feet falls a Cylinder Seals
much-pleated skirt with many ruffles. This is the These seals, from various sites, are similar to those in
most beautiful ivory relief that has been preserved use during the patriarchal period (Gen. 38:18).
from this remote age.”
3. Clay tablets in alphabetic cuneiform script. These
include administrative texts, and correspondence
between Ugarit and other nations. The language of
PERSIA
Ugarit belongs to the Northwest Semitic family, and
Model of a High Place
is a close relative of biblical Hebrew. A complete
abecedary of 30 letters was found and is now dis- A bronze model of a high place from Shushan (12th
played in the Damascus Archaeological Museum. A century B.C.) is on display. It shows essential features
fragment is displayed in the Louvre. of the high places (Hebrew, bamah) mentioned in the
4. These items illustrate the idolatrous and immoral Bible (1 Kings 3:3, et al.): an altar, two standing
conditions of at least some of the Canaanites during stones, tree stumps representing the goddess Asherah,
the 14th and 13th centuries B.C. Baal, Anath, vessel holding water for ceremonial washings, two al-
Ashtart, and Dagon were all gods and goddesses of tars for drink offerings, two nude priests or worshipers
Ugarit. The Baal mythological poem, composed of squatting, etc.
six large tablets, has been called the “Canaanite Bi- Darius I (521-486 B.C.)
ble.” This mythology provided the substance of
Darius I allowed the Judeans to rebuild the temple
faith for many people of the ancient Levant.
(Ezra 6:1-15). See wall coverings of multicolored tiles
5. One tablet is described as the Legend of Aqhat, son
from the palace of Darius I at Shushan. Could this be
of Dan’el (c. 1400 B.C.). Ezekiel (14:14, 20) men-
the palace of where the banquet of Esther 1:3 took
tions a famous person named Dani’el, and some
place during the reign of Xerxes? Several inscriptions
scholars think it is this Daniel that Ezekiel had in
of Darius are displayed.
mind. AO17323. The Hebrew name of the Daniel of
the book of Daniel is Daniyye’l. See Taylor, Ezekiel Artaxerxes II (405-362 B.C.)
(Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries) for more See gigantic Achaemenid capital from the top of one
information. of the high columns of his palace at Susa, the winter
Hazael (841-798 B.C.) resort of Persian kings (André Parrot, Discovering
Biblical Worlds, figure 22). This is later than the kings
1. A high official of Benhadad, king of Syria. Hazael
of Persia mentioned in the Bible.
killed Benhadad and seized the throne for himself (2
Kings 8:7-15). Miscellaneous Items
2. Some ivories from the palace of Hazael, including Gushing vases from Mesopotamia. (1st, 2nd, 3rd.
one containing his name, are on display. These were millennia B.C.). Cf. Jn. 7:38. See Parrot, Land of
discovered at Arslan Tash, ancient Hadatu. AO Christ 97).
11489.
Rhyton. Silver drinking cup. AO3093. Nehemiah was
Household Idols cup bearer to Artaxerxes I (464-423 B.C.; Neh. 1:11).
Several examples of “household idols” (Gen. 31:19; 2
Kings 23:24) can be seen among the items from Syria.
The Hebrew word is teraphim. PALESTINE ANTIQUITIES
Mari
Mari is not mentioned in the Bible, but it was an impor- Moabite Stone (La stele de Mesha)
tant Amorite cultural center. Zimri-Lim, king of Mari, Mesha, king of Moab, revolted against paying tribute
was defeated in battle by Hammurabi about 1760 B.C. to Israel after the death of Ahab (2 Kings 3:4-5). The
Archaeologists have excavated the 300-room palace of Moabite Stone was found at Dibon (east of the Dead
Zimri-Lim that covered 15 acres. They also discovered Sea; now in Jordan) in 1868, and is the only Moabite
an archive of over 20,000 tablets written in Akkadian. inscription of any significance yet found. It was set up
Mari is identified with Tell Hariri in south east Syria. by Mesha about 850 B.C. The stone mentions David,
Some scholars believe that the Amorites controlled the Omri, and his son (Ahab) and at least 14 places men-
area of Haran at the time of Abraham (Harrison, tioned in the Bible. A piece of Moabite sculpture, de-
NIDBA 300). A small statue of an attendant of the tem- picting a warrior, is also on display.
ple of Ishtar is displayed (2400 B.C.).
Biblically Related Artifacts in the Musee du Louvre 4
Statue from ‘Ain Ghazal 1380 B.C. They describe conditions in Palestine,
‘Ain Ghazal is located in the Wadi Zarqa near Amman, showing that it was a well-developed country. They
Jordan. It is a Neolithic site which is said to have had tell of the invasion of Palestine by a group of outsid-
four phases of occupation from7200 B.C. to 5200 B.C. ers, called the Habiru. Some scholars think this is a
Pottery came into use in the fourth phase. The earliest reference to the Israelites. The senders of the letters in-
phase included clay animal figurines, plastered human clude rulers of Hazor, Gezer, Megiddo, Lachish,
skulls and lime-plastered human statutes (info from a Shechem, et al. A few tablets are on display in the
display in the British Museum). The Louvre has one of Louvre. See AO7096 and AO7098.
these plastered statues on display. Others can be seen in • There is much interesting background material from
the British Museum and in the Amman Archaeological Egypt which is not directly related to the Bible.
Museum.
Artifacts from Tell el-Farah
1. Omri reigned as king of Israel at Tirzah for six years GREECE
(1 Kings 16:23). Archaeologists have learned of in-
tensive occupation at Tirzah in the 8th cent. B.C. 1. Alexander the Great bust. Alexander was respon-
2. The site was excavated by Roland DeVaux of the sible for the spread of the Greek culture across the
Ecole Biblique, 1946-1960. Numerous rich private Mediterranean world.
houses were discovered (Murphy-O’Connor, The 2. Seleucus Nicator bust (358-280 B.C.). Successor
Holy Land 309). Some nice vases are on display. to Alexander the Great in Babylon. Became King
3. Model of a sanctuary. This illustrates idolatrous of Syria and founder of the Seleucid Empire. The
worship. A small image would be placed inside the Seleucids were not favorable toward the Jews.
sanctuary and removed for worship. AO21689. Seleucus founded Seleucia on the Tigris River and
4. Tirzah is described as a beautiful place in the Song Antioch on the Orontes (Acts 11-13).
of Solomon 6:4. 3. Hermes. Hermes was the messenger of the gods.
Hence our word hermeneutics. He is considered
Seals the god of travelers, messengers, and heralds. He is
1. There is a wonderful exhibit of seals of numerous identified with the Roman Mercury. Paul was
individuals, including kings. Some of these come called Hermes by the citizens of Lystra because he
from Mesopotamia. was the chief speaker (Acts 14:12).
2. Ahab (king of Israel, 874-853 B.C.; 1 Kings 21:8). 5. The philosopher Epicurus (Acts 17:18).
3. Menahem (king of Israel, 752-742 B.C.; 2 Kings
15:17).
4. Servant of Uzziah (Ozias), king of Judah (767-740
B.C.; Isa. 6:1).
ROMAN
Pool of Bethesda Votive Offering Emperors. Several statues and busts
The foot of Pompeia Lucilia. Found in Jerusalem in Augustus (30 B.C.– A.D. 14).
1866. The inscription reads, “Pompeia Lucilia dedi- Birth of Jesus
cated (this).” This indicates that the Pool of Bethesda Caligula (A.D. 37-41).
was considered a sacred place in Jerusalem. See John 5. Claudius (A.D. 41-54).
I have not seen this item on display for several years. Paul’s journeys.
Nero (A.D. 54-68).
Pottery Death of Paul and Peter. First persecution of
Examples of pottery from various biblical cities, in- Christians by the Empire.
cluding Jericho, Et Tell (Ai?), Tell el Hesi (Eglon?), Titus (A.D. 79-81).
Gezer, and Lachish, are on display. Destruction of Jerusalem (A.D. 70).
Trajan (A.D. 98-117).
Approved persecution of Christians in Asia Minor.
EGYPT Julian the Apostate (A.D. 360-63).
Futile attempt to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem.
Tell Amarna Tablets Veiled Women
About 350 tablets found at Tell Amarna in Egypt in There are examples of women wearing veils (cf. 1
1887. Written in Babylonian cuneiform, during reign Cor. 11). Most of these are from funerary monuments.
of Pharaoh Amenhotep (Greek, Amenophis IV), about
Biblically Related Artifacts in the Musee du Louvre 5
Hair Styles
Several busts of women illustrate the elaborate hair
THIS PUBLICATION
styles of the time (cf. 1 Tim. 2:9; 1 Pet. 3:3).
This publication has been prepared and updated over a
Sacrificial Scenes period of many years for the personal use of the author
Roman sacrificial scenes are shown in relief, usually on and those who travel with him. I have spent many days
sarcophagi (coffins). One of these shows a bull and in the Musee du Louvre over the past third of a century
some other animals being brought for sacrifice and is searching for and photographing the items mentioned
reminiscent of the attempt to worship Paul and Barna- here. Corrections or information regarding additional
bas at Lystra (Acts 14:13). items will be appreciated.
NOTE: Similar publications have been prepared on
the British Museum, and the museums of [East]
ANOTHER MUSEUM Berlin.

The Bibliotheque Nationale has a small, but impres- Internet: From time to time I include photographs of
sive, collection on display. It is definitely worth the places mentioned in the Bible on one of my web
visit. pages: biblicalstudies.info (especially the page on
Bible Places) and bibleworld.com.

blguide\louvre guide.vp. Revised 02-03-2004.