Relief panel ca. 883–859 Assyrian This relief, from the palace of the Assyrian king Ashurnasirpal II (r. ca. 883-859 ), depicts a supernatural protective figure and a mortal Assyrian courtier. The two larger-than-life-sized figures are carved in low relief. This panel joins a second relief (, see ‘Additional Images’ above) that shows the king and a second courtier. Together, the two panels show the king flanked by his human courtiers. The winged figure here formed part of a similar neighboring scene, this time with the king flanked by divine winged human-headed
Relief panel ca. 883–859 Assyrian This relief, from the palace of the Assyrian king Ashurnasirpal II (r. ca. 883-859 ), depicts a supernatural protective figure and a mortal Assyrian courtier. The two larger-than-life-sized figures are carved in low relief. This panel joins a second relief (, see ‘Additional Images’ above) that shows the king and a second courtier. Together, the two panels show the king flanked by his human courtiers. The winged figure here formed part of a similar neighboring scene, this time with the king flanked by divine winged human-headed figure wears a horned crown - a traditional Mesopotamian marker of divine status - and bracelets adorned with rosettes, as well as armbands, a necklace of beads, and large pendant earrings. He wears a tunic with long tassels and a fringed shawl, emerging from which at chest level can be seen the decorated handles of two knives. Embroidery on the clothes is represented by fine incised patterns of stylized plant imagery at the ends of the sleeves and near the fringe of the shawl. The exposed lower leg with exaggerated musculature is seen in many Assyrian and Babylonian depictions of divine and heroic figures. The figure holds a small bucket in his left hand, and in his right an object resembling a pine-cone. This cone, called by the Assyrians a "purifier," seems to have been used to sprinkle holy water from the bucket, and may have had a symbolic association with the artificial fertilization of date-palm trees. The bucket itself is incised with the image two miniature winged figures performing the same act, not toward the king but toward a central 'sacred tree' and the winged disk associated with Assyria's chief god second figure on the relief is human, and his beardless image indicates that he is probably a eunuch. He is richly dressed, with jewelry including rosette bracelets, armbands, a collar of beads, probably of semiprecious stone with gold spacers, pendant
Size: 3885px × 3839px
Photo credit: © MET/BOT / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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