Why the Cyrus Cylinder Matters Today
Through this remarkable document, one of the world’s great rulers speaks across 2,500 years The Cyrus Cylinder is a document of baked clay, nine inches wide by four tall. It memorializes an event that,...
View ArticleUnderstanding the Cyrus Cylinder | Getty Voices
The Cyrus Cylinder is an object whose humble form belies its historical importance. Working on the exhibition now at the Getty Villa, it was my task to help explain this “object of many stories”...
View ArticleThe Search for Cyrus
One of the endlessly fascinating aspects of the Cyrus Cylinder is trying to understand the man behind its creation, Cyrus the Great. What were his intentions and motivations? What kind of ruler was he?...
View ArticleThe Cyrus Cylinder as Design Object
What explains the Cyrus Cylinder’s unusual shape? Dr. John Curtis of the British Museum reveals the answer The Cyrus Cylinder, Achaemenid, after 539 B.C. Terracotta, 22.9 x 10 cm. Image courtesy of and...
View ArticleIn Search of One of the World’s Oldest Religions
Look closely at the objects displayed with the Cyrus Cylinder to find symbols of the ancient religion of Persia—Zoroastrianism Plaque with a Priest from the Oxus Treasure, 500–330 B.C., Achaemenid....
View ArticleProclamations in Clay
Make your own clay (or plastic!) inscription inspired by the Cyrus Cylinder and an artist’s workshop at the Getty Villa The Cyrus Cylinder (seen from the back of the case during installation at the...
View Article