Mysterious Alabaster Figurines With Enormous Eyes – A Legacy Of Tell Brak, One Of Mesopotamia’s Largest Ancient Sites

| March 28, 2014 | Ancient Mysteries, Ancient World, Artifacts | No Comments

MessageToEagle.com – These remarkable statues with over-seized eyes raise some very intriguing questions?

Why have no similar “Eye Idols” been found in any other region? Who were these strange beings with huge staring eyes?

The “Eye Idols” of Tell Brak have no parallels, in either Syria or Mesopotamia and they could help us answer important questions of the history of the region.

The figurines were excavated at Tell Brak, in a building now called the Eye Temple.
The figurines were excavated at Tell Brak, in a building now called the Eye Temple.

Not much is known about the origin and nature of these remarkable figurines. In 1937-8, Sir Max Mallowan had excavated a fourth millennium building of considerable importance, known as the Eye Temple owing to the hundreds of so-called “Eye Idols” recovered from its foundations.

The temple was dated, on analogy with what was then known at Warka, to around 3000 BC. The area  was first photographed from the air by Fr Pierre Poidebard in the 1920s. From 2011, archaeological research at Tell Brak was funded by a British Academy Research Development Award (BARDA).

Alabaster “Eye Idols” vary in size from about 3 to 6 cm in height, and are made of either white or black alabaster.

Tell Brak, located in the Upper Khabur region of northeast Syria on the fertile plains near the Tigris river, is one of northern Mesopotamia’s largest ancient sites and among the world’s earliest cities.

In ancient times, Tell Brak was considered an international city. It was home to several civilizations over the centuries, including the Sumerians, Babylonians, Akkadians and the Mittani's. The city was finally abandoned in c.2000 BC
In ancient times, Tell Brak was considered an international city. It was home to several civilizations over the centuries, including the Sumerians, Babylonians, Akkadians and the Mittani’s. The city was finally abandoned in c.2000 BC

In ancient times, Tell Brak was considered an international city. It was home to several civilizations over the centuries, including the Sumerians, Babylonians, Akkadians and the Mittani’s. The city was finally abandoned in c.2000 BC.

Although Tell Brak is in north-eastern Syria, both the decoration and plan of the Eye Temple resemble that of south Mesopotamian temples, such as those in Uruk and Eridu.

Eye symbolism was also popular in Mesopotamia around this time, and eye designs have been found on objects from the Royal Cemetery from Ur as well as in temples.

The “Eye Idols” of Tell Brak, however, are completely unique and have no parallels, in either Syria or Mesopotamia.” Many of them are incised with multiple sets of eyes, others with jewelry, and still others with representations of “children”-smaller eyes and body carved on the body of the larger idol.

The figurines have been grouped into five types. Some have a single pair of eyes, with or without decoration; some have three, four or six eyes; some have small 'child' eye figures carved on their front (like here), and on others the eyes have been drilled through.
The figurines have been grouped into five types. Some have a single pair of eyes, with or without decoration; some have three, four or six eyes; some have small ‘child’ eye figures carved on their front (like here), and on others the eyes have been drilled through.

According to historians and archaeologists the idols are thought to be offering. It is believed that wide eyes demonstrate attentiveness to the gods in much Mesopotamian art. There reason why so many of these figures were left in the temple, was that they were considered gifts to the gods.

It seems also that they may have been personalized. Some of the figures have carved lines and zig-zags on their bodies depicting clothes. There are even examples of group idols representing more than one figure, some of which have a smaller ‘child’ figure carved onto the front.

The magnificent Tell Brak alabaster figurines are now on the emergency red list of Syrian cultural objects at risk. The red list is not a list of actual stolen objects. It describes categories of valuable cultural objects that are known to be in Syria and that are vulnerable to plunder and smuggling.

Several archaeological sites in Syria have been damaged due to bombing and ancient museum’s artifacts are looted and burned.

Museums, auction houses, art dealers and collectors are encouraged not to acquire such objects without having carefully and thoroughly researched their origin and all the relevant legal documentation.

“Due to the great diversity of objects, styles and periods, the Emergency Red List of Syrian Cultural Objects at Risk is far from exhaustive. Any cultural good that could have originated from Syria should be subjected to detailed scrutiny and precautionary measures,” the world museum authority informs.

Syria is in a bad situation that is getting worse every day and once ancient history is lost or permanently damaged, we will never be able to learn the truth about our ancestors and life on this planet in prehistoric times.

Are we witnessing the end of the Syrian cultural heritage?

MessageToEagle.com

Sources:

Britannica

ICOM

 

 

 

 

 

 

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