The end panels have always been described as "fanciful
scenes." However, it seems unlikely that the artist filled the front and
back of the standard with a complex and subtly nuanced tale of war and peace,
and when he came to the end panels, he suddenly threw up his hands and said,
"Okay, I've run out of ideas, here are some fanciful scenes to pass the
time."
I suggest the end panels have a deeper meaning. It seems that
the end panels, like the front and back of the standard, also represent “war”
and “peace.”
The Standard of Ur
end panel, “War Side.”
In the top register, a ram is feeding on the high branches
of a tree. This image occurs on many Sumerian artifacts and it seemed to be
symbolic of Sumer itself. The identity of the damaged creature on the right,
with hooved feet and a tail, isn't known. It may be a "bull/man", a
recurring figure in Sumerian mythology.
In the middle register, a Sumerian boy is making a
ceremonial offering to the ram. Then the Akkadian enemy in the angled-skirt
shows up. It’s not exactly clear what he is doing with the ram. The object that
he holds in his hand has been damaged, but the end of it looks like the pommel
of a sword or a dagger. It seems the blade goes across the body of the ram in
the same way that the spear points appear across the cloaks of the Sumerian
soldiers. In the above picture, the enemy symbolically enacts the provocations
that led to the war.
The sudden appearance of the enemy means that the end panels
are not quite so "fanciful."
In the last register, the ram is missing (?) and the tree is
flanked with two images of Anzud, the lion-headed eagle, a symbol of war. He is
attacking a man-headed bull (symbolic of Sumer?).
If one end panel means "war," then the
other side can only mean "peace."
The Standard of Ur
end panel, “Peace Side.”
The access door on the bottom is probably part of a locking mechanism by which the standard could be attached or removed from its pole.
In the top register, there are two flowering plants with the
eight-pointed rosettes, so symbolically important to the Sumerians.
At top was probably a large rosette.
In the middle register, a ram (its horns damaged) is being
stalked by a leopard.
In the bottom register, the ram is seen having escaped the
danger.
Before concluding, there is one more topic to be considered.
Which way was the standard carried? With the war side in front, or the peace side?
I believe the peace side of the standard was in front when in the presence of Sumerians, to show the bountiful tribute that the victorious king provides for his people.
The war side of the standard was in front when in the presence of foreign dignitaries, whether allies or enemies, to show the dire consequences for rebellion against the king.
