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Relief of a protective deity
Near Eastern, Mesopotamian, Assyrian
Neo-Assyrian Period, reign of Ashurnasirpal II
883–859 B.C.
Findspot: Iraq, Nimrud (Calah, Kalhu), Northwest Palace
Medium/Technique
Gypsum
Dimensions
Height x width x depth: 230 x 132 x 9.4 cm (90 9/16 x 51 15/16 x 3 11/16 in.)
Credit Line
Everett Fund
Accession Number81.56
CollectionsAncient Egypt, Nubia and the Near East
ClassificationsArchitectural elements – Relief
DescriptionOrthostat depicting a protective spirit (apkallu) facing right, from the Northwest Palace of Ashurnasirpal II (reigned 883–859 B.C.) in Nimrud. Across the center, the panel is inscribed with the "Standard Inscription" of Ashurnasirpal II.
InscriptionsThe standard inscription of Assurnasirpal II (as carved on the reliefs in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston)
Palace of Assurnasirpal, priest of Assur, the favorite of Bel and Ninurta, the beloved of Anu and Dagan, the Strong one of the great gods, the mighty king, king of the world, king of Assyria, son of Tukulti-Ninurta, the great king, the mighty king, king of the world, king of Assyria; (grand)son of Adad-Nirari, king of the world, king of Assyria; the valiant hero, who goes hither and yon, trusting in Assur his lord and who is without rival among the princes of the four quarters; the shepherd of the fertile pastures, who fears no opposition; the mighty flood, who has no opponent; the king who subjects the unruly, the entire hosts of the nations' subjects; the strong man who treads on the necks of his foes, who crushes all his enemies, who shatters the alliance of the rebels; the king, who with the help of the great gods, his lords, proceeds and whose hand has conquered all lands; who has mastered all the mountain regions and has received their tribute, who takes hostages and establishes his power over all the lands.
When Assur, the lord who pronounced my name and who made great my kingdom, entrusted his unrelenting weapon unto the power of my authority, I overthrew with weapons the armies of the land of Lullume (i.e. Luristan in western Iran), the wide spreading ones in the midst of battle. With the help of Shamash and Adad, the gods in whom I trust, I thundered over the lands of Nairi, Kirkhi, Shubari, and Nirbe (i.e. Kurdistan) like Adad the destroyer. (I am) the king who from beyond the Tigris to Mount Lebanon and the Great Sea brought into submission under his feet the country of the Laqe in its whole extent, the land of Sukhi together with the city of Rapiqu (i.e. the Euphrates Valley) whose hand conquered (the territory) from the source of the River Subnat as far as the land of Urartu (i.e. Armenia).
Palace of Assurnasirpal, priest of Assur, the favorite of Bel and Ninurta, the beloved of Anu and Dagan, the Strong one of the great gods, the mighty king, king of the world, king of Assyria, son of Tukulti-Ninurta, the great king, the mighty king, king of the world, king of Assyria; (grand)son of Adad-Nirari, king of the world, king of Assyria; the valiant hero, who goes hither and yon, trusting in Assur his lord and who is without rival among the princes of the four quarters; the shepherd of the fertile pastures, who fears no opposition; the mighty flood, who has no opponent; the king who subjects the unruly, the entire hosts of the nations' subjects; the strong man who treads on the necks of his foes, who crushes all his enemies, who shatters the alliance of the rebels; the king, who with the help of the great gods, his lords, proceeds and whose hand has conquered all lands; who has mastered all the mountain regions and has received their tribute, who takes hostages and establishes his power over all the lands.
When Assur, the lord who pronounced my name and who made great my kingdom, entrusted his unrelenting weapon unto the power of my authority, I overthrew with weapons the armies of the land of Lullume (i.e. Luristan in western Iran), the wide spreading ones in the midst of battle. With the help of Shamash and Adad, the gods in whom I trust, I thundered over the lands of Nairi, Kirkhi, Shubari, and Nirbe (i.e. Kurdistan) like Adad the destroyer. (I am) the king who from beyond the Tigris to Mount Lebanon and the Great Sea brought into submission under his feet the country of the Laqe in its whole extent, the land of Sukhi together with the city of Rapiqu (i.e. the Euphrates Valley) whose hand conquered (the territory) from the source of the River Subnat as far as the land of Urartu (i.e. Armenia).
ProvenanceFrom the Northwest Palace of Ashurnasirpal II, Nimrud (Calakh, Kalhu), Iraq. May 25, 1870, W. J. Shaw sale, 817 Broadway, NY, lot 774; February 16, 1881: purchased of G. L. Feuardent, New York, for $600.
(Accession Date: April 21, 1881)
(Accession Date: April 21, 1881)