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645 – 635 BC
In ancient Assyria, lion-hunting was considered the sport of kings, symbolic of the ruling monarch’s duty to protect and fight for his people. The sculpted reliefs in Room 10a illustrate the sporting exploits of the last great Assyrian king, Ashurbanipal (668-631 BC) and were created for his palace at Nineveh (in modern-day northern Iraq).
Panel of Ashurbanipal, about 645 BC More information
Panel of Ashurbanipal, about 645 BC
Panel of Ashurbanipal, 669-630 BC More information
Panel of Ashurbanipal, 669-630 BC
The hunt scenes, full of tension and realism, rank among the finest achievements of Assyrian Art. They depict the release of the lions, the ensuing chase and subsequent killing.
See this gallery on the floor plan
Assyria: Siege of Lachish (Room 10b)
Assyria: Khorsabad (Room 10c)
Stone panel, North Palace
Illustrated introduction to Mesopotamia, £8.99
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