Why did Sumerian votive statues often show people with clasped hands?

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The Great Ziggurat of Ur in Iraq, a massive ancient brick structure with broad staircases and terraced levels, stands alone in a barren landscape. — Mesopotamian art and architecture Ziggurat at Ur (modern Tall al-Muqayyar, Iraq), constructed c. 2100 bce.

Sumerian votive statues often depict individuals with clasped hands as a physical representation of an attitude of prayer. These figures served as ritual equipment for temples, and their inscriptions—such as "It offers prayers" or "Statue, say to my king (god)"—confirm their purpose as perpetual stand-ins for the worshippers, intended to communicate with the deity on their behalf.1