This winged eagle-headed Assyrian creature was known as an apkallu. The bas-relief was uncovered at Nimrud in Iraq.

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This winged eagle-headed Assyrian creature was known as an apkallu. The bas-relief was uncovered at Nimrud (ancient Kalhu) in present-day Iraq. Following Assyrian custom, it wears a wristband with a rosette design. The pocketbook-type bag it carries represented a pail, thought by scholars for holding liquids for fertilizing the palm tree, king, and palace. The cone-shaped object in its right hand represents the male flower cluster of the date palm and figuratively represents the fertilizing of the "sacred tree," which represents the Assyrian Empire and the king. The fertilizing of the tree is thought to bring good times to the empire and the king.

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Size: 3540px × 5100px
Photo credit: © Ivy Close Images / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No

Keywords: ancient, apkallu, assyria, assyrian, bas, beliefs, creature, eagle-headed, east, empire, fertility, fertilizing, figure, iraq, kalhu, middle, nimrud, relief, religion, sacred, tree, winged