The Warka Vase or Uruk vase is a slim carved alabaster vessel found in the temple complex of the Sumerian goddess Inanna in the ruins of the ancient city of Uruk, located in the modern Al Muthanna Governorate, in southern Iraq. Like the Uruk Trough and the Narmer Palette from Egypt, it is one of the earliest surviving works of narrative relief sculpture, dated to c. 3200–3000 BC. Simple relief sculpture is also known from much earlier periods, from the site of Göbekli Tepe, dating to circa 9000 BC.
The votive Warka Vase within its display case at the Sumerian Gallery of the Iraq Museum. It is about 1 meter tall.
The vase shows presentation scenes to goddess Inanna.
Top register, Warka Vase, Iraq Museum
The Iraq Museum is the national museum of Iraq, located in Baghdad. It is sometimes informally called the National Museum of Iraq. The Iraq Museum contains precious relics from the Mesopotamian, Abbasid, and Persian civilizations. It was looted during and after the 2003 Invasion of Iraq. Despite international efforts, only some of the stolen artifacts have been returned. After being closed for many years while being refurbished, and rarely open for public viewing, the museum was officially reopened in February 2015.
Entrance of the Iraq Museum
Exhibit during renovations in 2007
The Iraq Museum in Baghdad was looted in 2003 but has since reopened. A statue of Nabu, the 8th century BC Assyrian god of wisdom, stands before the building.
The statue of Entemena, back in the museum