Return to The Cyrus Cylinder and Ancient Persia
The Cyrus Cylinder Baked clay. Excavated at Babylon, Iraq, 1879. Achaemenid, 539–538 BC. British Museum, London (90920). Photograph © The Trustees of the British Museum. All rights reserved.
Fragment of Tablet with Babylonian Cuneiform Inscription Clay. Excavated at Babylon, Dilbat, or Borsippa, Iraq, 1880–81. Achaemenid, 539–538 B.C. (?). British Museum, London (47134). Photograph © The Trustees of the British Museum. All rights reserved.
Fragment of Tablet with Babylonian Cuneiform Inscription Clay. Excavated at Babylon, Dilbat, or Borsippa, Iraq, 1880–81. Achaemenid, 539–538 B.C. (?). British Museum, London (47176). Photograph © The Trustees of the British Museum. All rights reserved.
Brick with Inscription of Cyrus Baked clay. Excavated at Ur, Iraq, 1922–23. Achaemenid, 539–530 B.C. British Museum, London (118362). Photograph © The Trustees of the British Museum. All rights reserved.
Votive Plaque Showing a Priest Gold. From the Oxus Treasure. Achaemenid period, 5th–4th century B.C. British Museum, London, A. W. Franks bequest, 1897 (123949). Photograph © The Trustees of the British Museum. All rights reserved.
Omphalos Bowl Decorated with Lions Gold. From the Oxus Treasure. Achaemenid, 5th–4th century B.C. British Museum, London, A. W. Franks bequest, 1897 (123919). Photograph © The Trustees of the British Museum. All rights reserved.
Omphalos Bowl with Winged Lions Silver. Persian Empire. Achaemenid, 5th–4th century B.C. British Museum, London (135571). Photograph © The Trustees of the British Museum. All rights reserved.
Armlet Gold. From the Oxus Treasure. Achaemenid, 5th–4th century B.C. British Museum, London, A. W. Franks bequest, 1897 (124017). Photograph © The Trustees of the British Museum. All rights reserved.
Part of Column Base with Old Persian (right) and Babylonian (left) Inscriptions Gray limestone. Found at Hamadan, Iran, before 1885. Achaemenid, Artaxerxes II (404–359 B.C.). British Museum, London (90855). Photograph © The Trustees of the British Museum. All rights reserved.
Ostracon with Aramaic Inscription on Both Sides Baked clay. Probably from Elephantine, Egypt. Achaemenid, ca. 475 B.C. British Museum, London (45035). Photograph © The Trustees of the British Museum. All rights reserved.
Coin: Daric with "royal archer" Gold. Find spot unknown, acquired 1919. Achaemenid, 500–480 B.C. British Museum, London (1919,0516.15). Photograph © The Trustees of the British Museum. All rights reserved.
Coin: Siglos with "Royal Archer" Silver. Find spot unknown, acquired 1852. Achaemenid, 520–500 B.C. British Museum, London (1852,1027.2). Photograph © The Trustees of the British Museum. All rights reserved.
Coin: Stater with "Royal Archer" and Greek Inscription Silver. Find spot unknown, acquired before 1892. Achaemenid, 410–370 B.C. British Museum, London (BMC Ionia 323,1). Photograph © The Trustees of the British Museum. All rights reserved.
Stamp Seal and Modern Impression Showing Hunter in Median Garb Chalcedony. Persian Empire. Achaemenid, 5th–4th century B.C. British Museum, London (120326). Photograph © The Trustees of the British Museum. All rights reserved.
Stamp Seal and Modern Impression Showing the "Persian Royal Hero" Defeating a Winged Bull Chalcedony. Persian Empire. Achaemenid, 5th–4th century B.C. British Museum, London (89893). Photograph © The Trustees of the British Museum. All rights reserved.
Cylinder Seal and Modern Impression Showing the "Persian Royal Hero" and a Second Figure Conquering a Lion and Bull Chalcedony. Persian Empire. Neo-Elamite or Achaemenid, 6th–5th century B.C. British Museum, London, Claudius James Rich collection (89337). Photograph © The Trustees of the British Museum. All rights reserved.
The Darius Cylinder Seal and Modern Impression Showing the King in a Chariot Hunting Lions Chalcedony. Obtained in Egypt, acquired 1835. Achaemenid, 6th–5th century B.C. British Museum, London (89132). Photograph © The Trustees of the British Museum. All rights reserved.