Clay Fired
circa 1300-1200 BCE
Türkiye
Vorderasiatisches Museum, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin
Details
Culture/Civilisation
Ancient Mesopotamia, Hittite
Theme
Writing
Subtheme
Writing and the Divine
Display Location
Coomaraswamy Hall
Findspot
(ancient Hattusha), Bogazkale, Türkiye
Measurements
13.2 x 11.3 x 2.4 cm
Accession Number
VAT 07414
Description
‘Hepatoscopy’ is the study of livers of sacrificed animals. It was used to foretell the outcome of significant events, was widespread in ancient West Asia and the Mediterranean. This clay model, likely of a sheep’s liver, has instructions written in cuneiform language to help the diviner ‘read’ the liver and so predict the future.
