Tell Asmar: Plow and Caterpillar Seal

(Jan 3, 2022) Above image shows a sealing and seal (black stone) from the Mesopotamian city site of Tell Asmar. It is now at the University of Chicago (Registration Number: C4117A8579).  It dates to about 2100 BCE based upon simplifications in cuneiform style. At the very top are symbols for the three main life-power deities (right to left), BU, AN and INANNA. The 3-pronged horn of plenty is the chaotic rain storm bull (horned) god BU. The horns on the horn of plenty are barley on one side and wheat on the other. The 8 pointed ball is the sun god AN representing the life network of the Ancient Pagan Paradigm. The line are light and heat rays. The crescent moon is his feminine complement, INANNA, who edits that network. She can be seen either as motherly or as a death bringer when she cuts some threads of life.

Below them is a man (left) plowing and ahead of him is another man holding two magical items. In one hand is a sword while the other holds a scorpion. He is pointing the scorpion at an enemy of the land which is a leaf eating caterpillar having a long body.  Its head is shown with two bulbous eyes, two antenna, and big mandibles. Scorpions are the natural predator of such large insects because scorpions typically eat them by first paralyzing them with their stinger. Scorpions in general represent the power of paralysis (anti-motion). The lion, as guardian of the land, is roaring at the locust.

The text has a divider line 2/3 the way down. The top text is a label for the caterpillar (texts are read right to left) while the bottom text is a label for the people. It reads:  

• Kingdoms are toppled by mouths (caterpillars) | The grain-field pair.

Lexicon used for this translation: About This Early-Sign Sumerian Lexicon  

Image online at: https://oi-idb-static.uchicago.edu/multimedia/316781/IMG_2852.1920x1200.jpg