A Neo-Assyrian gypsum relief depicting a royal lion hunt, from the Northwest Palace at Nimrud Palace Relief.
Created between 875 BCE and 860 BCE.
(Photo: rosemanios viaWikimedia Comons[CC BY 2.0])
What was Ancient Assyria?
A Neo-Assyrian gypsum relief depicting a royal lion hunt, from the Northwest Palace at Nimrud Palace Relief. Created between 875 BCE and 860 BCE. (Photo:© The Trustees of the British Museum[CC BY-NC-SA 4.0])
The city then came under the control of the Akkadian Empire.
However, by about 4,000 years ago, the city had achieved independencea small city-state under its own king.
These early kings styled themselves viceroys of Ashur, the god of the city for whom they constructed temples.
The Gate of Nimrud, featuring two giant Neo-Assyrian lamasu from the reign of from the reign of Ashurnasirpal II (883 BCE to 859 BCE). (Photo: rosemanios viaWikimedia Comons[CC BY 2.0])
Successive kings began military campaigns to expand Assyrian controlled territory and trade lines.
The next major phase of Assyrian history traditionally begins in the mid 14th century BCE.
King Assur-Uballit I once more established full Assyrian independence, this time from the Kingdom of Mitanni.
A statuary head of ivory carved in the round depicting a female figure, Neo-Assyrian from the 8th or 7th century BCE. (Photo:The Metropolitan Museum of Art[Public domain])
New territory could be governed directly or by subordinated local princes.
The Assyrian Empire left countless written records of governance and imperial expansion.
An advanced society, the Assyrians built magnificent cities with grand temples and palaces.
Map of the Neo-Assyrian Empire, the farthest reach of the ancient Assyrian polity. (Photo:Wikimedia Commons[Public domain])
Like Hammurabi, the Assyrians also had a written code of law.
Map of the Neo-Assyrian Empire, the farthest reach of the ancient Assyrian polity.
Weakened by internal division, vassal states began to separate from imperial control.
A glazed terracotta tile from Nimrud depicting the Assyrian king holding a bowl. (Photo: Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin FRCP(Glasg) viaWikimedia Commons[CC BY-SA 4.0])
Other groups took advantage of the situation.
Scythians attacked the provinces and the Medes forced their way into Assyrian-controlled lands.
The city of Nimrud was sacked in 615 BCE, and Nineveh fell in 612.
An 8th century Neo-Assyrian cloisonné furniture plaque with two griffins in a floral landscape. (Photo:The Metropolitan Museum of Art[Public domain])
In 609 BCE, the last stand of imperial troops fell.
A glazed terracotta tile from Nimrud depicting the Assyrian king holding a bowl.
Whether carved in ivory or stone, the bull was more than just an important food source.
A wall relief showing a winged figure tending a sacred tree. (Photo:The Metropolitan museum of Art[Public domain])
The bull remained an important symbol in Assyrian and other Mesopotamian cultures.
It also was combined with human, lion, and avian traits to form mythical creatures.
For example,Lamassucombined winged lions or bulls with human heads.
Ivory furniture panel (with restored wood) showing a tree pattern, circa the 8th century BCE. (Photo:The Metropolitan Museum of Art[Public domain])
Their caps carried horns, identifying them as divine creatures.
These imposing stone statues usually guarded gateways, towering imperiously over all who entered.
The other of the two main Assyrian deities was Assur, orAshur.
The Sargon Vase, belonging to Sargon II (720-710 BC). (Photo:© The Trustees of the British Museum[CC BY-NC-SA 4.0])
Associated with the city of Assur, the Assyrians promoted him as their chief deity.
He was often included in art as a horned and winged sun disk with rays of divinity emanating.
Within the disk, the figure of the god often clasps a bow.
Bronze pendant showing the head of Pazuzu, the king of evil wind demons. Pazuzu could protect the wearer from Lamashtu, dangerous spirits. (Photo:The Metropolitan Museum of Art[Public domain])
Another commonly depicted theme is kingly power.
At times the Assyrian ruler himself is depictedperhaps hunting lions or tending to the sacred tree.
Foreign visitors to the palaces of Assyrian kings would be in no doubt of his might.
Neo-Assyrian glass inlays, 9th or 8th century BCE. (Photo:The Metropolitan Museum of Art[Public domain])
What sort of artwork did the Ancient Assyrians create?
Carved Reliefs
A wall relief showing a winged figure tending a sacred tree.
At Nimrud, across the figural reliefs of winged figures was carved aStandard Inscription.
A molded-style cylinder seal with a cultic scene with the goddess Ishtar on a platform. (Photo:The Metropolitan Museum of Art[Public domain])
This inscription repeats across the panels.
Ivory pieces could be combined with colorful accents or inlaid in wood for a beautiful effect.
These more delicate additions have often not survived intact.
The Esarhaddon Cylinder fragment from Fort Shalmaneser at Nimrud. (Photo: Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin FRCP(Glasg) viaWikimedia Commons[CC BY-SA 4.0])
Bronze and Gold
The Sargon Vase, belonging to Sargon II (720-710 BC).
Bronze pendant showing the head of Pazuzu, the king of evil wind demons.
Pazuzu could protect the wearer from Lamashtu, dangerous spirits.
The Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser III, created between 858 and 824 BCE of black limestone. (Photo: Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin FRCP(Glasg) viaWikimedia Commons[CC BY-SA 4.0])
Crafted by a seal cutter, the seals could be marble, quartz, or another semi-precious stone.
When rolled across wet clay tablets, the seal left behind its deign raised upon the clay.
Cuneiform Tablets and Cylinders
The Esarhaddon Cylinder fragment from Fort Shalmaneser at Nimrud.
A Neo-Assyrian pomegranate carved out of ivory. (Photo:The Metropolitan Museum of Art[Public domain])
The obelisk carries scenes that depict subjugated kingdoms paying tribute to the Assyrian king.
Cuneiform script details the king’s military victories as well.
Ancient Assyrian Art Today
A Neo-Assyrian pomegranate carved out of ivory.
The objects were returned to the Iraqi government.
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