Early sculpture exhibiting these attributes is known as Daedalic; it was used for figurines, on clay plaques, and in relief decorations on vases.
In the 2nd and 1st millennia bce the humble categories of clay plaques and clay figurines often contained representations of deities, and the numerous sculptured boundary stones (kudurrus) furnish representations of symbols and emblems of gods, at times identified by labels in cuneiform.
Therefore Ur is one possible city of origin for the relief, but not the only one: Edith Porada points out the virtual identity in style that the lion's tufts of hair have with the same detail seen on two fragments of clay plaques excavated at Nippur.
Clay plaques made from molds, common in the Mediterranean area, show an inheritance from Greek times, when small clay molds of the head of Athena were stamped out in quantity as votive objects.
In about 700 bc, the Greeks learned from their Eastern neighbours how to use molds to mass-produce clay relief plaques.
Twice a week, most of the 120 patients attend crafts classes, where they learn to make clay pots and plaques.
WASHINGTON — The unlikely journey of 362 cuneiform clay tablets and plaques began in ancient Iraq as far back as 2030 B.C.
And: "a collection of career related awards presented to Frank Zappa including various Gold records, a National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences Lifetime Achievement Award, a GRAMMY nomination plaque; a clay Thing-Fish model; a ukulele featured on the Thing-Fish album cover; and a collection of hotel keys collected by Frank and Gail in their travels".
The epigraphic material included rock surfaces, building walls, columns, doorways, cornices, statues, and doorknobs; bricks, plaques, plates, and tablets of clay, stone, gold, and silver; vases; weights; and seals.
