Stone Panels of Nimrud

...

ancient Assyrians, the bow was a symbol of incredible expertise in a specialized field, and in Ashurnasirpal II’s case, the bow represents his incomparable talents in both hunting and battle. Behind him stands a protective spirit sporting wings and a horned crown, which helps to suggest that the figure is divine.

Something that was truly special to the Assyrian people was their belief in the Tree of Life. The Tree symbolized what the Assyrians considered “the divine world order”, and in some ancient Assyrian reliefs, the king actually took the form of the Tree of Life. By doing so, the king represented himself as the realization of the divine order, that he was the true image of God, or in other words, “the Perfect Man”. The two corner panels both contain one half of the Sacred Tree. The winged figure in the panel on the far right wears armbands, a necklace, earrings, and bracelets that contain rosettes. At first glance, the figure appears to be a portrait of Ashurnasirpal II; however, his horned crown and wings signify that he is actually a deity. In his right hand, he holds a “purifier” made from the flower sheaths of the date palm, and in his left hand, he holds a bucket of holy water. The deity would dip the purifier into the holy water and would sprinkle the water over all of the trees of the land to ensure that they would continue to grow and prosper.

The Stone Panels from Ashurnasirpal II’s Palace at Nimrud tell an extremely detailed and magnificent narrative that give the viewer a quick time-travel journey back to the ninth century B.C. There were several functions for the creation of the Stone Panels; they were used to elaborately depict the incredibly successful military conquests of Ashurnasirpal II, they guarded and protected the royal palace from evilness and sickness, and they were a way to pay tribute to the deities whom the Assyrians worshiped, as a form of gratitude for their protection. As strong and powerful as Ashurnasirpal II was, he wanted a guarantee that his home would be safe. He believed that by paying a form of gratuity to the deities in the form of sculpted relief, he would earn their appreciation and they would protect the palace. Ashurnasirpal II was one of the most successful military leaders and kings of the ancient world, and the Stone Panels that lined the walls of his grand palace prove that.