Nimrud’s Northwest Palace: 1 (2024-04-13)

Created by: Englund, Robert K.

Limestone reliefs from the palace of Assyrian King Assurnasirpal II in Nimrud (ancient Kalḫu) near Mosul in northern Iraq date to the beginning of the 9th century BC. Those reliefs contained images of religious and political significance as well as cuneiform inscriptions.

Room G of the Northwest Palace, like several of the other palace rooms, was lined with these reliefs containing depictions, often in stunning detail, of religiously and politically significant scenes in the rule of the Assyrian king. The image here is a detail shot of a winged genie in the act of consecrating a high Assyrian official; visible are the genie’s earring and necklace, including the characteristic rendering of hair and beard. The panel of which this is part is today found in the British Museum and contains a copy of the so-called Standard Inscription describing Assurnasirpal II’s military campaigns. Special pages are being prepared by CDLI collaborators to illustrate the architectural context of the reliefs within the palace. CDLI reference: P426805

credit: Englund, Klaudia M. (photo Ellen Rehm)