The Queen of the Night also known as the Burney Relief is a high relief terracotta plaque of baked clay. It originated in southern Mesopotamia *(modern day Iraq) *most probably in Babylonia, during the reign of Hammurabi* (1792-1750 BCE)* as it shares qualities in craftsmanship and technique with the famous diorite stele of Hammurabi’s laws and also with the piece known as `The god of Ur’ from that same period. The woman depicted in the relief is acknowledged to be a goddess as she wears the horned headdress of a deity and holds the sacred rod-and-ring symbol in her raised hands. Not only is the woman winged but her legs taper to bird talons *(which seem to grip the lion’s backs)* and she is shown with a dew claw on her calves. Along the base of the plaque runs a motif which represents mountains, indicating high ground. Who the winged woman is, however, has not been agreed upon though scholars generally believe her to be either Inanna *(Ishtar)*, Lilith, or Ereshkigal *(‘The Queen of the Great Below’ or ‘Lady of the Great Place’ - death)*.
Open Yesterday's Pages
Monday, May 4, 2026
Inanna aka other goddess names
Once the piece was done baking and had cooled, it was painted with a black background, the woman and the owls in red, and lions in white with black manes. The rod-and-ring symbols, the woman’s necklace, and her headdress were gold. The original color traces may still be detected on the piece today even though they have largely worn away over the centuries.
Thursday, April 16, 2026
12,000 year old calendar
Ancient carvings at Göbekli Tepe may record time with surprising precision. A new interpretation suggests people 12,000 years ago could have tracked the year in ways once thought impossible.
At Göbekli Tepe, Pillar 43 is one of the site’s most famous stones, covered with carved symbols and animal figures. Researchers from the University of Edinburgh studied these markings and proposed they may represent a calendar system.
According to the interpretation, the carvings reflect 12 lunar cycles with 11 extra days added to match the solar year, creating a total close to 365 days. If correct, this would show advanced observation of the sky at a very early stage of human civilization.
Göbekli Tepe already challenges old assumptions. Built long before cities, writing, or metal tools, the site proves organized communities could create monumental architecture far earlier than once believed. A working calendar would add another remarkable layer to that story.
Not all scholars agree on every interpretation, and debate continues about the exact meaning of the symbols. That is a normal part of archaeology, where new ideas are tested against evidence over time. Even so, the possibility is extraordinary.
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