Standard of Ur
Monument Sumerian mosaic artifact from Ur, housed in Britain
_(2).jpg?width=1200)
Standard of Ur is an Early Dynastic Sumerian inlaid wooden box from the ancient city of Ur, dating to about 2600-2400 BCE. It is one of the best-known artifacts from the Royal Cemetery at Ur and is now in the British Museum in London.
The object is composed of two large inlaid panels that present narrative scenes in horizontal registers. One panel is conventionally interpreted as a procession or banquet scene and the other as a battle or victory scene; each panel is arranged in three stacked registers with multiple figures shown inlaid in bright materials.
Excavated in the 1920s during Leonard Woolley’s work at the Royal Cemetery at Ur, the object was recovered from a burial context among other high-status grave goods. Scholars consider it a ceremonial or prestige object dating to the Early Dynastic period of Sumerian Mesopotamia.
Originally from the site of Tell el-Muqayyar in southern Iraq, the artifact is housed and exhibited by the British Museum in London, where it is accessible to the public and to specialists for study.
- Materials: Inlaid mosaic of shell, lapis lazuli, red limestone and bitumen set into a wooden frame, assembled in panels that form two main scenes commonly called the 'War' and 'Peace' panels.
- Where to see: On display in the British Museum in London within the Mesopotamian antiquities collection.
How to Get to Standard of Ur #
The British Museum is in Bloomsbury, central London, a 5-10 minute walk from Tottenham Court Road or Holborn stations (Central, Piccadilly lines). Numerous buses serve Great Russell Street.
Tips for Visiting Standard of Ur #
- View the Standard of Ur in the British Museum's Mesopotamia galleries (check the gallery number on arrival) and study it closely with a magnifying app - the mosaics are astonishingly fine.
- Don't rush past: the two-panel scenes ('War' and 'Peace') reward slow looking; note the hierarchy signified by scale (king larger than soldiers).
- Photography inside the British Museum is usually permitted without flash but confirm gallery rules that day.
Best Time to Visit Standard of Ur #
The Standard of Ur is inside the British Museum; visit outside school holidays for a calmer experience.
Weather & Climate near Standard of Ur #
Standard of Ur's climate is classified as Hot Desert - Hot Desert climate with very hot summers (peaking in July) and cool winters (coldest in January). Temperatures range from 6°C to 44°C. Very dry conditions with minimal rainfall with a pronounced dry season.
January
January is the coolest month with highs of 18°C and lows of 6°C. Light rainfall and mostly sunny skies.
Comfort
Weather
February
February is cool with highs of 20°C and lows of 8°C. Light rainfall and mostly sunny skies.
Comfort
Weather
March
March is mild with highs of 25°C and lows of 11°C. Almost no rain and mostly sunny skies.
Comfort
Weather
April
April is warm with highs of 32°C and lows of 17°C. Almost no rain and mostly sunny skies.
Comfort
Weather
May
May is hot with highs of 38°C and lows of 22°C. Almost no rain and mostly sunny skies.
Comfort
Weather
June
June is hot with highs of 42°C and lows of 25°C. The driest month with just 0 mm and clear sunny skies.
Comfort
Weather
July
July is the hottest month with highs of 43°C and lows of 26°C. The driest month with just 0 mm and clear sunny skies.
Comfort
Weather
August
August is hot with highs of 44°C and lows of 26°C. The driest month with just 0 mm and clear sunny skies.
Comfort
Weather
September
September is hot with highs of 41°C and lows of 23°C. The driest month with just 0 mm and clear sunny skies.
Comfort
Weather
October
October is warm with highs of 35°C and lows of 18°C. Almost no rain and clear sunny skies.
Comfort
Weather
November
November is mild with highs of 26°C and lows of 12°C. Light rainfall and mostly sunny skies.
Comfort
Weather
December
December is cool with highs of 19°C and lows of 7°C. Light rainfall and mostly sunny skies.
