Investiture of Zimri-Lim

As investiture of Zimri- Lim to a 1770-1760 BC arisen mural is called from the palace of Zimri- Lim of Mari in present day Syria.

The image is now in the Department of Antiquities of the Louvre in Paris orientales ( Inventar-Nr. AO 19826 ). It is the only found in situ painting in Mari, which was found there on the south wall of the clay plaster a large palace courtyard in the French excavations by André Parrot in 1935/36. It uses the colors red, orange, yellow, blue, green, white and black, and was probably a younger version of an even older painting. It is a tempera painting.

The image area is divided into several friezes. Two main motives are in the middle, the lower two water bubbling goddesses, the top, the Adoration of the goddess Ishtar by Zimri- Lim, accompanied by two Lamma deities shows. The upper frieze was repeatedly addressed as investiture scene, as it shows the king in a gesture that could be interpreted as acceptance of the insignia. He may show the establishment of the ancient Babylonian king of Mari, Zimri -Lim. In addition to the scenes in the middle of four trees, two of which date palms, and hybrids are shown. The decor of the painted picture frame reminiscent of tassels and fringes, so here may also tapestries could have served as a model.