Royal Cemetery, PG779, excavated artifact, #U.11164, Standard of Ur, front, War side: center portion

Ur (deserted settlement), Iraq; H: 8 1/2 in.; shell, lapis lazuli, red limestone; set in bitumen

Royal Cemetery, PG779, excavated artifact, #U.11164, Standard of Ur, rear, War side

Ur (deserted settlement), Iraq; 1 ft. 7 1/2 in. x 8 1/2 in.; shell, lapis lazuli, red limestone; set in bitumen

Royal Cemetery, PG779, excavated artifact, #U.11164, Standard of Ur, War Side, upper left: first register

Ur (deserted settlement), Iraq; shell, lapis lazuli, red limestone; set in bitumen

Royal Cemetery, PG779, excavated artifact, #U.11164, Standard of Ur, War Side, upper left: detail of 1st to 3rd registers: detail

Ur (deserted settlement), Iraq; shell, lapis lazuli, red limestone; set in bitumen

Royal Cemetery, PG779, excavated artifact, #U.11164, Standard of Ur, War Side

Ur (deserted settlement), Iraq; 8 35/64 in.x 1 ft. 7 27/32 in.x 4 9/16 in.; shell, lapis lazuli, red limestone; set in bitumen

Inter arma; being essays written in time of war,

Reprinted from the Edinburgh review.