Archaeology Magazine - April 1972 - 27

around eleven meters from the floor. The corridor around the inner chamber is also tunnel
vaulted as can be seen in the illustration on page
105 of the eastern passage of the corridor.
This unit's location and excellent construction make it a characteristic example of the use
of this architectural form at Hatra. At least nine
comparable plans have been found at the site.
Grave monuments, both those that are freestanding and at the rear of iwans also follow this
plan, which is similar to examples found at nearby Ashur. Small shrines also are found in the city
proper. Five are opposite the main gateways of
the temenos of the central temple complex.
Throughout the city lie countless residential buildings, mostly of sun-dried bricks, situated on both
sides of the streets radiating from the temple
complex to the city wall. There are mansions of
noblemen and what appear to be an amphitheater
and a hippodrome near a lake. The remains of
stone tower tombs were found, the most monumental of which is in the eastern sector of the ruins.
The main buildings of the site are dated fairly
confidently within a time span of four hundred
years ending around a.d. 240, although the exact
date of Hatra's destruction is uncertain. Hatra
was ruled for three centuries by one dynasty the
first king of which was probably Sanatruq. An
inscription discovered in 1961 names him "King
of the Arabs," names his father "Nasr, the great
priest" and states that Sanatruq was himself responsible for completing the Temple of Shamash which suggests that his father began the temple.
Since the fortifications and main buildings were
built around the end of the Seleucid rule in Syria,
Hatra seems to have become an independent city
at the beginning of Roman entry_into the Middle
East. Arab sources state that the last king of Hatra
was Ad-Dayyzan Sitirun who was defeated by
Sapur i, King of the Sassanids, who besieged,
plundered and destroyed its fortifications shortly
after a.d. 240. Sapur's success is ascribed by certain
of the Arab historians to the treachery of an
Hatran princess, Nadira, who betrayed her father
by showing the attackers a way to breach the walls.

JLFie art of Hatra is of special interest particularly since it dates from a period about which
so little is known. It embodies various cultural
pressures on life in Hatra for although in the
main the art is Hellenistic, the artistic influence
of Western Asia (Mesopotamia, Persia and Palmyra, for example) is obvious. The art mirrors
the international character of the city which experienced many cultures, assimilated all to some
degree, but remained primarily Eastern. Consistent with the observation that the city remained
primarily Eastern is the fact that the writing
found at Hatra is in Aramaic. Exceptions are in
Latin: a Latin inscription on the outer cella of
Temple ix records the dedication of an altar and
three statues. One statue was consecrated to the
sun god by Quintus Petronius Quintianus who
describes himself as military tribune of the First
Parthian Legion (one of those legions established
by Septimius Severus in a.d. 197) and Tribune
of the Moors. His name appears in Latin on another statue dedicated to Heracles and set up
after a victory over Media.
A marble statuette of a seated goddess holding
something resembling a rope, wears a crown, two
garments and a collar-like necklace. The treatment of the eyes goes back to the Near Eastern
prototype and the drapery is somewhat similar to
Palmyrene sculpture. Another seated goddess
holds a ball in her left hand and a ring-like object in her upraised right hand. She wears two
garments belted under the breast by a knotted
double cord. Again the eyes are large and protruding in the Mesopotamian fashion. The drapery recalls statues of Buddha in the art of
Gandhara. A seated statue of a god with right
hand placed on his chest and left hand palm upward on his knee wears Persian dress, embroidered
shirt and trousers. His hair, beard and facial features betray strong Hellenistic influence.
Mixed influence is also seen in the statue of a
barefooted priest wearing a knee-length simple
garment and pointed headgear. He is probably
occupied by a religious ceremony for he carries
a bowl, perhaps for holy water, which he appears to be sprinkling with his right hand. Here
again, the eyes are in the Mesopotamian style,

A. Statues of a seated god and goddess from the sixth temple at Hatra; B. Marble statue of a goddess found in the seventh temple. This temple was probably dedicated to Heracles and this goddess
may have been regarded as his consort ; C. Statue of a priest from Hatra; D. A headless limestone
statue of Heracles. He leans on his club to the right and carries a glass in his left hand. The lion
skin hangs over his left arm. Found in the ninth temple at Hatra; E. Large marble statue of a
Hatrene nobleman which had been erected in the sixth temple at Hatra.
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Archaeology Magazine - April 1972

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Archaeology Magazine - April 1972