Lot 470

Neo-Babylonian Clay Tablet, Nebuchadnezzar II Dedication Inscription

Previous image preload Next image preload
Back to catalog
Lot 470
image_0 image_1 image_2
Neo-Babylonian Clay Tablet, Nebuchadnezzar II Dedication Inscription
Neo-Babylonian Clay Tablet, Nebuchadnezzar II Dedication Inscription
image_0 image_1 image_2

Neo-Babylonian Clay Tablet, Nebuchadnezzar II Dedication Inscription

Estimate: $9,000 - $13,500

Starting Bid: $4,500

(0 Bids)
by Artemis Fine Arts
June 12, 2026 9:00 AM MDT
Live Auction
686 S. Taylor Avenue
Suite 108
Louisville, CO, US 80027

Ancient Near East, Neo-Babylonian Dynasty, reign of Nebuchadnezzar II., ca. 604 - 581 BCE. A fantastic clay tablet stamped with a dedication to the most famous of all Kings of Babylon - Nebuchadnezzar II. The rectangular tablet has flat faces and sides as well as a slightly off-center stamped inscription. The importance of this tablet is reflected by the fact that the inscription of other similar examples has been deciphered by Professor Lambert of Birmingham University, an internationally renowned expert in this field. Professor Lambert's translation reads as follows: "Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, provisioner of Esagil and Ezida, prime son of Nabopolassar, King of Babylon, am I. Ebabbara, the Temple of Shamash in Larsa I restored as it was before, for Shamash, my Lord." Size: 5" W x 8" H (12.7 cm x 20.3 cm); 13" H (33 cm) on included custom stand.

Following the defeat of the Assyrian Empire by the Babylonians in 612 BCE, Nebuchadnezzar II rebuilt the city of Babylon on a grand scale. It has been estimated that roughly 15 million baked bricks were used in the construction of official buildings. The bricks are usually square and often bear cuneiform inscriptions, generally made with a large stamp as seen here.

Publication: A stylistically-similar example hammered for 5,250 GBP ($6,790.61) at Christie's, London, South Kensington "Antiquities Including the Plesch Collection of Ancient Glass" auction (sale 5951, April 28, 2009, lot 97); while a similar example from Artemis Gallery hammered at $21,000 in 2025.

Provenance: R. Burton, collection, Maine, USA; Timeline Auctions, United Kingdom, September 2023; ex-Cambridgeshire, UK collection acquired on the British art market before 2000; thence by descent.

SHIPPING: We coordinate worldwide shipping in-house through specialist international forwarders experienced with fine art and antiquities customs manifests. International buyers must confirm, prior to bidding, that their country's customs authority will accept the item. All duties, taxes, clearance fees, and any costs arising from customs delays, seizures, re-export, returns, or loss in transit are the buyer's sole responsibility. Artemis assumes no liability for items refused entry, detained, or lost after export. We cannot ship ancient items to their country of origin (Egyptian to Egypt, Greek to Greece, etc.).

PAYMENT EXCEPTION: For clients not previously established with Artemis, payment for all gold, precious metal, and gemstone lots must be made by bank wire transfer or certified bank check/money order, without exception.

Item # 202585

  • Condition: Intact and excellent. Like many of these tablets, the text became bit softer over time as the stamps were used literally hundreds of times.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

ACH, American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Auction House will ship, at Buyer's expense

Artemis Fine Arts

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 30% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $749 $25
$750 $1,499 $50
$1,500 $2,999 $100
$3,000 $7,499 $250
$7,500 $14,999 $500
$15,000 + $1,000