citycell Balawat Gates - British Museum - June 2016

Assyrian sculpture and Balawat Gates (Room 6)

11th – 8th centuries BC

Colossal statue of a winged lion from the North-West Palace of Ashurnasirpal II (Room B) -865/-860

From the collection of British Museum

This is one of a pair of guardian figures that flanked one of the entrances into the throne room of Ashurnasirpal II (883-859 BC). Stone mythological guardians, sculpted in relief or in the round, were often placed at gateways to ancient Mesopotamian palaces, to protect them from demonic forces. They were known to the Assyrians as lamassu. This winged lion has five legs so that when viewed from the front it is standing firm, and when viewed from the side it appears to be striding forward against any evil. It wears ropes like other protective spirits. Between the legs is inscribed the 'Standard Inscription' of Ashurnasirpal which is repeated over many of his reliefs. It records the king's titles, ancestry and achievements.

This colossal figure was excavated by Austen Henry Layard who worked in Assyria between 1845 and 1851. He suggested that these composite creatures embodied the strength of the lion, the swiftness of birds indicated by the wings, and the intelligence of the human head. The helmet with horns indicates the creature's divinity.

Large stone sculptures and reliefs were a striking feature of the palaces and temples of ancient Assyria (modern northern Iraq). An entrance to the royal palace of King Ashurnasirpal II (883-859 BC) at Nimrud was flanked by two colossal winged human-headed lions. A gigantic standing lion stood at the entrance to the nearby Temple of Ishtar, the goddess of war.

These sculptures are displayed in Rooms 6a and 6b alongside fragments and replicas of the huge bronze gates of Shalmaneser III (858-824 BC) from Balawat.

A Black Obelisk also on display shows the same king receiving tribute from Israel and is displayed with obelisks and stelae (vertical inscribed stone slabs) from four generations of Assyrian kings.

citycell Balawat Gates - British Museum - June 2016
Likes	Dislikes
422 views views	288 followers
Travel & Events	Upload TimePublished on 17 Aug 2016

Related keywords

citibank branch,city of lies,city university,city group,citibank credit card,city inn khulna,city corporation,city touch,city bank amex card,city hunter,city of god,city college dhaka,city university bangladesh,city hospital,city bank bd,city bank job circular,citibank,city college,city bank career,