Statue of Ashurnasirpal II
Statue of Ashurnasirpal II | |
---|---|
Material | Magnesite |
Height | 113 cm |
Width | 32 cm |
Depth | 15 cm |
Created | 883-859 B.C.E. |
Period/culture | Neo-Assyrian period |
Present location | British Museum, London |
Identification | ME 118871 |
Period | Iron Age |
Culture | Neo-Assyrian |
The Statue of Ashurnasirpal II is a rare example of Assyrian sculpture in the round that was found in the mid nineteenth century at the ancient site of Kalhu (now known as Nimrud) by the famous archaeologist Austen Henry Layard. Dating from 883–859 BC, the statue has long been admired for its flawless condition and the high quality of its craftsmanship. It has been part of the British Museum's collection since 1851.[1][2][3]
Discovery
The statue was originally placed in the Temple of
Description
The statue shows Ashurnasirpal without his Assyrian crown allowing the viewer to see the king's hair and beard which he wore fashionably long. Commentators note the statue's beard is more impressive than that which an average Assyrian would have found practical. The king's torso is covered by a short-sleeved tunic and a shawl. In his right hand he appears to hold a kind of sickle; in Assyrian religion gods were sometimes depicted using the sickle as weapon to fight monsters. In the king's left hand he clasps a mace, which symbolized the authority vested in him as vice-regent of the supreme god Ashur.[4]
Inscription
Across the king's chest there is an eight-line
References
- ^ British Museum Highlights Archived 2015-05-04 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ British Museum Collection
- ^ a b c "Assyrian Sculpture – Smarthistory". smarthistory.org. Retrieved 2021-03-04.
- ^ "statue | British Museum". The British Museum. Retrieved 2021-03-04.
Further reading
- J.E. Reade, Assyrian Sculpture (London, The British Museum Press, 1998)
- A.K. Grayson, Assyrian Royal Inscriptions (Wiesbaden, O. Harrassowitz, 1976)
- J.E. Curtis and J.E. Reade (eds), Art and empire: treasures from (London, The British Museum Press, 1995)
- A.H. Layard, Discoveries in the ruins of Nineveh and Babylon (London, J. Murray, 1853)