A Lamaštu Plaque from the Mašqi Gate in Nineveh

This paper publishes a finely-made quartzite Lamaštu plaque recently excavated at the Mašqi Gate in Nineveh. The plaque bears a complex iconography, which is thoroughly analysed, along with the Akkadian text of Pazuzu Standard Inscription B. Supported by other finds from the gate, an argument is presented that the location may have been home to a magician’s workshop. Comparison with a number of previously published Lamaštu amulets leads to the conclusion that they share a common place of manufacture, which we accordingly designate the “Nineveh Elite Workshop.”