Silver is a soft, white, lustrous metal.  It is highly malleable, and has a low melting point, making it easy to cast.  It can be produced as a by-product of copper, gold, lead, and zinc refining.  It can be highly polished, leading to a very reflective surface.  

Most of the silver found at Ur is in jewelry, but sometimes it is made into axes or mirrors.  These are found mainly in the royal tombs.  

Objects: Silver Export: JSON - XML - CSV

Object U Number Museum Number (UPM Date Reg Number) Museum Number (BM Registration Number) Museum Number (UPM B-number) Description (Catalog Card)
15406K (none) (none) (none) Grouped: [A] (1) Two strings of small lapis lazuli and silver lentoids. [B] (2) Three strings lapis lazuli ovoids. [C] (3) About 27 strings of lapis lazuli and silver double conoids. The majority of the beads appeared to have three strings. [D-M] (4) Five pairs of silver earrings of 2 1/2 coils each [D-M]. [N] (5) Fragment of a copper spindle whorl [N].
15406L (none) (none) (none) Grouped: [A] (1) Two strings of small lapis lazuli and silver lentoids. [B] (2) Three strings lapis lazuli ovoids. [C] (3) About 27 strings of lapis lazuli and silver double conoids. The majority of the beads appeared to have three strings. [D-M] (4) Five pairs of silver earrings of 2 1/2 coils each [D-M]. [N] (5) Fragment of a copper spindle whorl [N].
15406M (none) (none) (none) Grouped: [A] (1) Two strings of small lapis lazuli and silver lentoids. [B] (2) Three strings lapis lazuli ovoids. [C] (3) About 27 strings of lapis lazuli and silver double conoids. The majority of the beads appeared to have three strings. [D-M] (4) Five pairs of silver earrings of 2 1/2 coils each [D-M]. [N] (5) Fragment of a copper spindle whorl [N].
15411B (none) (none) (none) [A-B] 2 silver rings. Open work. Worn on the head. [drawing 1:1]
17039.2 31-43-222B (none) (none) Earrings. Silver. [.1-.2] A pair. Type same as U.17030.
17415.2 (none) (none) (none) [.1-.2] Earrings. Silver. A pair. With circular pendants. [drawing 1:1]
17421B (none) (none) (none) 2 signet rings. Silver. [A] One with circular bezel. [B] One with oval bezel.
17813N (none) (none) (none) Group. From one burial. (A) [A and K-L] 3 gold frontlets. (B) Twisted gold hair-ribbon. (C) [C and M] Two gold hair-rings, spirally coiled with lunate ends, with one of them [N] a silver ring. (D) Beads: a string of very small fluted gold balls and carnelian balls and one very thin lapis bugle with gold caps. (E) Beads: gold balls, agate, carnelian, marble and jasper; long bugles, flattened lentoids, disks and lentoids. (F) [F and O] Two gold bracelets, of thin gold bent over copper wire. (G) Silver bracelet, plain wire. (H) [H and I] Copper bracelets, 2, plain wire. (J) Copper axe, thus: [reference to drawing] a copy of the old type but not cast: hammered and the socket made by bending. Type S10. [drawing]
17912L (none) (none) (none) Group from one burial. (A) [A and J] 2 Gold frontlets. (B) [B and K]2 tubular gold bracelets (C) Gold earring, spirally coiled with lunate ends (D) [D and L] 2 silver bracelets, single wire (E) Cylinder seal, lapis lazuli, introductory scene, 2 standing figures and seated deity; crescent above god; (F) Necklace of gold balls between carnelian bugles, flat lentoid chalcedones, carnelian barrels, carnelian ball, agate lentoid, green chalcedone bugles. (G) Axe, type XVIII, [H-I] Copper objects [These are drawn on the field catalog card, but not assigned subdivisions by Woolley][drawing]
17917R (none) (none) (none) Burial group. (A) 3 twisted gold hair-ribbons [A, I and O]. (B) 2 gold frontlets [B and P]. (C) Pair of gold hair-rings, spirally coiled, lunated ends [C and Q]. (D) Tubular gold 4 spiral finger ring. (E) Necklace of gold flat diamonds, gold double conoids, carnelian lentoids, bugles and barrels and diamonds, agate barrels. (F) Necklace of gold balls, agate barrels, flat lentoid agate, carnelian bugles, etc. (G) 4 silver bracelets [G and R-T]. (H) Remains of 2 copper bases, from above grave. [H and U] [J-N are metal vessels with drawings but no descriptive text][drawing]
17917S (none) (none) (none) Burial group. (A) 3 twisted gold hair-ribbons [A, I and O]. (B) 2 gold frontlets [B and P]. (C) Pair of gold hair-rings, spirally coiled, lunated ends [C and Q]. (D) Tubular gold 4 spiral finger ring. (E) Necklace of gold flat diamonds, gold double conoids, carnelian lentoids, bugles and barrels and diamonds, agate barrels. (F) Necklace of gold balls, agate barrels, flat lentoid agate, carnelian bugles, etc. (G) 4 silver bracelets [G and R-T]. (H) Remains of 2 copper bases, from above grave. [H and U] [J-N are metal vessels with drawings but no descriptive text][drawing]
17917T (none) (none) (none) Burial group. (A) 3 twisted gold hair-ribbons [A, I and O]. (B) 2 gold frontlets [B and P]. (C) Pair of gold hair-rings, spirally coiled, lunated ends [C and Q]. (D) Tubular gold 4 spiral finger ring. (E) Necklace of gold flat diamonds, gold double conoids, carnelian lentoids, bugles and barrels and diamonds, agate barrels. (F) Necklace of gold balls, agate barrels, flat lentoid agate, carnelian bugles, etc. (G) 4 silver bracelets [G and R-T]. (H) Remains of 2 copper bases, from above grave. [H and U] [J-N are metal vessels with drawings but no descriptive text][drawing]
18120D (none) (none) (none) [A] Beads. Carnelian balls and rings and tubular steatite cylinders and date-shaped. Carnelian eliptical, calcite eliptical jasper (?) biconvex square, hematite pear pendant, flattened rough pebble pendant and a few large paste beads, much decayed also. [B] 1 very small gold lunate earring. [C-D] 2 small silver earrings and [drawing] [E-F] two plain silver rings.
18120E (none) (none) (none) [A] Beads. Carnelian balls and rings and tubular steatite cylinders and date-shaped. Carnelian eliptical, calcite eliptical jasper (?) biconvex square, hematite pear pendant, flattened rough pebble pendant and a few large paste beads, much decayed also. [B] 1 very small gold lunate earring. [C-D] 2 small silver earrings and [drawing] [E-F] two plain silver rings.
18120F (none) (none) (none) [A] Beads. Carnelian balls and rings and tubular steatite cylinders and date-shaped. Carnelian eliptical, calcite eliptical jasper (?) biconvex square, hematite pear pendant, flattened rough pebble pendant and a few large paste beads, much decayed also. [B] 1 very small gold lunate earring. [C-D] 2 small silver earrings and [drawing] [E-F] two plain silver rings.
18152C (none) (none) (none) [A] Beads. Carnelian tubular and date shaped, lapis date-shaped and discoid (variant) strung alternately: also 1 yellow stone discoid with them [B-C] 2 silver earring, both broken.
18166C 32-40-452 (none) (none) Beads. Very small carnelians, date shaped, ring and double conoid, and one or two lapis they made a finger ring. Also 2 silver earrings thus, but broken [reference to drawing that has been excised from catalog card].
18166D 32-40-453 (none) (none) Beads. Very small carnelians, date shaped, ring and double conoid, and one or two lapis they made a finger ring. Also 2 silver earrings thus, but broken [reference to drawing that has been excised from catalog card].
18942B (none) (none) (none) [A] Beads. Carnelian tubular and rings; paste date-shaped, steatite fly and frog amulets; fluted balls. Arbitrarily restrung. [B] Also a silver bracelet, 3 coils of plain wire.
19026B.1 35-1-99B (none) (none) [A] Beads: a mixed lot: 1 gold double conoid; 2 lapis ditto; 2 carnelian barrels; smaller paste double conoids; paste and lapis rings or small balls. [B.1-.2] Also two silver earrings.
19444B (none) (none) (none) [A] Beads. Lapis valls and double conoids : silver ditto, and a few carnelian rings. [A-B] also 2 silver earrings of spirally twisted wire.
18930E (none) (none) (none) (A) Gold hair-ribbon, spirally twisted, with hole at each end. (B) 2 earrings, gold lunate type intertwined with similar type in copper. [B.1 and .2] (C) copper finger ring, spirally wound wire. (D) two copper toe rings.[D and H] (E) beads: carnelian tube, large flat oval agate, gold balls and diamonds, gold ribbed balls , carnelian barrels and balls, carnelian double conoid, lapis double conoid and tubes, agate date-shaped: silver balls, (in original order). (F) copper reticule. (G) copper bowl, type 3.
477B (none) (none) (none) [A-B] Pair of silver saucers (?) plain shallow concave disks (possibly small cymbals?) Corroded together and onto Nos U.478, U.479, U.483. [drawing]
9124C (none) (none) (none) [A-B] Beads (2). Long facetted conoids. One Lapis, 1- silver over a bitumen core. [drawing] [C] Also, a silver earring [drawing]
9547B (none) (none) (none) [A-B] 4 Ear Rings Two silver, two copper. Silver and copper linked together to form pair. [drawing]

Related Terms

Copper Alloy - Electrum - Gold - Iron - Lead