Palace of Assur-Bani-Pal at Nineveh
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Map of Nineveh
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Plan of Kuyunjik
Nineveh, one of the most ancient capitals of Assyria and one of the great cities of the ancient world, lay approximately 1.5 km east of the junction of the Tigris with its tributary the Khosr, opposite the modern city of Mosul on the West bank of the river. Genesis tells us that Nineveh was founded by Nimrud, a legendary king, in the days before the flood. The Book of Jonah says that the circuit of the cityÕs wall was a three dayÕs journey and that the number of its inhabitants was 12x10,000 While some portion of these numbers may represent poetic license we do know from modern measurements that SennacheribÕs wall measures 7 3/4 miles (12.5 km) . Not all that space was used for buildings, however. Much of it may have been given over to agriculture.
There are two mounds within the city. Nebi Unis, the smaller, southern hill and Nineveh, the northern tell, the remains of the great citadel itself. As far back in time as Manishtushu, son of Sargon the Great, king of Akkad (c 2300 BC.) Ishtar had a temple here built and maintained by Assyrian kings. Shamshi-Adad I (1813-1781) rebuilt the temple and Hammurabi calls himself Òthe king who raised the name of the goddess IshtarÓ in her temple at Nineveh. In this way Hammurabi proclaimed himself ÒprotectorÓ of Nineveh and other parts of the land of Assyria as well. Assur-uballit (1365-1330), Shalmaneser I (1274-1245), Tukulti-Ninurta I (1244-1208), Ashur-resh-ishi (1133-1116), Tiglath-pileser I (1115-1077) and Assur-nasir-pal II made repairs to this temple. Sennacherib tells us that a part of the temple stands right next to his palace.
The earliest palaces, however, are another story. There is no evidence for any palace at Nineveh before the time of Shalmaneser I. From this king we have an inscription. The earliest artifactual evidence for Assyrian palace buildings at Nineveh are the remnants of a structure built by Assur-nasir-pal II, famous as the founder of the Neo-Assyrian Empire.
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Plan of Palace
Sennacherib, however, made Nineveh his principal residence by raising his palace there called the Òpalace without rivalÓ. It is known today as the South-West Palace. The Sennacherib palace, finished in 694 BC., is typically Assyrian in style. It has long rectangular rooms arranged around several large courtyards. Some of SennacheribÕs building, according to Sennacherib himself, was done in a North-Syrian style called a bit hilani, an as yet undiscovered building apparently constructed with columns and open portico. The majority of the walls within the palace were decorated with scenes of battle and building operations. As one might expect great winged lions and bulls were stationed at the gates.
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Map
Sennacherib embellished the city in many other ways, fixing its overall appearance for the remainder of its days. An orchard of fruit trees from all over his empire, an aqueduct to bring fresh water to the city from the highlands, a great north-south road through the city and fifteen gates represent this great kingÕs contribution to the history of the mound of Nineveh.
Sennacherib was the father of Esarhaddon and the great-grandfather of Assur-Assurbanipal-pal. Under Assur-nasir-palÕs reign Nineveh saw the construction of a series of buildings that represent the zenith of Assyrian art. However, the palace of Assur-Assurbanipal-pal was still incomplete in 636 BC. At the end of his reign Assur-Nasir-pal seems to have moved his capital to Harran in North-East Syria. In 612 BC. the joint forces of Medes, Scythians and Babylonians captured, plundered and sacked the city.
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Reconstructed Plan
The North Palace at Nineveh built by Assur Assurbanipal pal along with Room XXXIII of the Northwest Palace of Sennacherib. Notice the throne Room M has the same rectangular three entrances onto a courtyard shape as all the preceding Assyrian Palaces. Here, however, Courtyard O was lower than the throne room M and several steps led up to the kingÕs audience chamber from the courtyard. These steps are unknown in Assyria before Assur-nasir-pal but are common in North-Syria where the so called bit-hilani is entered through an open air portico elevated over several steps. To the south-east of the courtyard scholars have restored a guard house with two chambers. . Around the courtyard is a series of large and small rooms opening directly onto the courtyard,. These have also been restored. At the northwest corner of the courtyard is a doorway through which one gains admittance, through Room P, to a second courtyard.
This Neo-Assyrian throne room complex with its courtyards (O and J), its reception room, L, and its staircase, K and its hypothetical bathroom just off the throneroom is typical of this period.
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Three Apkalle
Three of the original seven apkalle, the great gods, guardians of the realm, Stand in a niche in the face of the great courtyard O adjacent to a minor doorway to the throne room. These figures have been recarved over what were probably four archers carrying their bows and arrows. If you look carefully you can see the shape of the bows rubbed out behind these gods. Unfortunately we have no remaining reliefs from courtyard O itself.
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Entrance Slap Drawing
To your left and right as you enter through the main entrance from courtyard O you see three divine figures. The central creature, visible here only in part, has a lionÕs head, equine ears and eagleÕs feet. The two men on either side of him are human in form but wear the horned crown of divinities. One of them holds a spear and the other stands with threatening upraised arm. These figures face outwards into the Great Courtyard O.
Detail-Head
Close-up of the head of one of the divine figures guarding the entranceway to the throne room.
Reconstructed Figures
Reconstruction of two figures from rooms K and J of the same palace.
Stone Carpet
The doorway was covered with the stone carpet shown here, obviously a copy of the kind of floor and wall coverings in use in Assyria at the time.
Detail-Carpet 1
Closeup of carpet from doorway.
Detail-Carpet 2
Closeup of carpet from doorway.
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Assyrian Calvary
To your left as you enter the throne room you will see reliefs showing the Assyrian cavalry at war with Elam and Chaldea. They are fighting in the mountains as you can see from the scale pattern mountains and stylized pomegranate trees.
Chaldean Bowmen
Chaldean bowmen flee through palm groves in the well irrigated low-lands where the final surrender will take place.
Hill of Elam
Here in the hills of Elam king Ummanaldashas been captured. He is led down from his stronghold in a war chariot. His beautifully caparisoned chariot horses are led behind him. followed by Elamite nobility who raise their hands in surrender. A badly broken inscription tells us that someone captured Ummanaldas with the weapon of Ashur and brought him down from the mountain refuge of the town of Murubisu and into the presence of Assurbanipal.
Lioness Stalks Ibex
Here in the mountains while the armies destroy cities and takes men, women and children prisoner the Assyrian artist has put in a modest observation of events in the animal kingdom. The lioness stalks the ibex through the trees while the Assyrian and Elamites march away totally unaware of this aspect of their environment. It is unusual in Assyrian art to feel the presence of the artist. Generally one is so engrossed in the story that he/she forgets that there was someone who put it down and told it. Here we are shocked into remembering that these reliefs, which can be almost boring in the unremitting presentation of Assyrian slaughter and consequent victory, were sculpted by men who interjected every once in a while just a mite of their own creativity.
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Diagram of Throne Room M.
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Wall of Throne Room
The king in his chariot receives the surrender of Shamash-shum-ukin, his Òfalse brotherÓ and Ummanaldas, the Elamite king who mistakenly allied himself with Shamash-shum-ukin. This is the wall of the throne room that you see to your right when you enter the throne room from the east and courtyard O. The wall is divided into four registers. It is interesting to note that there are apparently no religious scene in this throne room unlike the throne rooms of Assurnasirpal. Instead, directly across from the main entrance from Courtyard O there is a niche in the wall, just as one would expect, but there is no carving and the slabs of stone are empty. Just as in medieval times, however, the king must have had ÒdrapesÓ, luxurious fabrics, embroidered in many colors and patterns so loved by the Assyrians. These would have hung behind him and could have been taken from one residence to another as the king moved around his realm and visited his subsidiary palaces. It is impossible to imagine an Assyrian king appearing on his throne with a flat gray stone slab behind him.
Sack of Elamite City
In the topmost register is the sacking and burning of an Elamite city. Assyrian soldiers carry off the booty and drive the citizenry out of the citadel.
Register 2
This scene in register 2 shows the surrender of Shamash-shum-ukin, AssurbanipalÕs rebellious brother who was viceroy of Babylon. Shamash-shum-ukin, whom Assurbanipal calls his Òfalse brotherÓ, joined the Elamites in revolt against his brother the Assyrian king. He is not shown here, having committed suicide in 648 BC. A man dressed in Assyrian clothing, with his left arm raised in greeting, offers the surrender of Babylon to the king. The crown, scepter and staff of Shamash-shum-ukin, in which the power of kingship inhere, have been removed and are carried on pillows by courtiers to Assur-Assurbanipal-pal. Behind this little band comes the dead manÕs chariot and his women.
Register 3
Register 3 depicts the surrender of Ummanaldas, the unfortunate Elamite king as he surrenders. He wears the typical hat of the Elamites, round and pot shaped, and a long fringed wrap around garment. He is followed by three lesser princes. Behind this group are two Assyrian scribes standing and taking notes on the amount of booty being collected and the number of Elamites killed. Then come two Assyrian soldiers adding to the token heads and quivers. They precede a herd of Elamite horses being driven toward the king. These horses are unsaddled and uncaparisoned and their tails and manes are unbraided. They are controlled by simple bridles. Unlike the horses depicted at Khorsabad presented as willingly sent to the king as tribute and thus decked out in all possible splendor, these animals are truly the spoils of war.
Chaldean Prisoners
Chaldean prisoners are marched off carrying booty for the king. Behind them come wagon loads of captured weaponry pulled by two men. Then follow horses, prisoners and more captured weaponry. The entire scene takes place in the south of Babylonia in a palm grove at the side of a river or major canal.
King in Chariot
The king in his war chariot receives the conquered. Behind him are two beardless eunuchs and other officials carrying maces, probably symbolic of the kingÕs authority. Notice that for the first time the king and his chariot are twice the size of his crushed enemy. This may reflect the fact that Assur-Assurbanipal-pal conquered Egypt where the Pharaoh was routinely shown as many times larger than his enemies.
Note that the umbrella is rather higher and smaller than that of Sargon, the sunshade is shorter and the wheels are studded. These changed when found elsewhere help you to date other reliefs of paintings to the reign of Assur-Assurbanipal-pal.
Inscription
The inscription in front of the king reads:
I am Assurbanipal, king of the universe, king of the land of Ashur, who, at the command of the great gods, attained the desires of his heart; the garments, the ornaments - the royal insignia of Shamash-shum-ukin, the faithless brother - his harem, his officials, his battle troops, his (battle) chariot, his processional chariot, his state vehicle, the horses of his yoked team, all the provisions which were in his palace, the people, male and female, great and small -- they made them to pass before me (in submission).
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Egyptian City Attacked
The opposite long wall presented images of the attack upon an Egyptian city. In this way the throne room reminded the viewer that the king rules the world from the farthest Eastern civilization, that is Elam, all the way to Egypt in the west. This room represents the greatest expanse of Assyrian territorial conquest. Unfortunately for Assurbanipal, his distruction of the Elamites and Chaldeans was soon to prove disastrous. When the Medes, the newest barbarians to sweep down into sedentary Mesopotamia from the Iranian highlands, attacked Assyria itself there was no one left to ally himself with against the external threat. The destruction of Elam removed the civilized buffer zone that had stood between Mesopotamia and the East since the days of their earliest inhabitants.
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Arab Tribe Attacked
Room L the reception room that forms part of the throne room suite stands to the left or west of the throne room proper (Room M0). It is connected to the throne room by a single door. This room, to the west of the throne room is decorated with reliefs that show an attack upon and defeat of Arab tribesmen and their families. All the walls originally were covered with three registers of carving. Now only pieces remain. Here we see Assyrian soldiers on horseback, chariot and foot chasing Arabs on camelback k and foot. Camels generally are shown to hold two men, one to use his stick to direct the camel - these animals do not wear bridles - and the second man to shoot at his pursuers over the back of the animal. This is the view that you encounter as you walk out of the throne room toward the inner court.
War Chariot Attack
Assyrian soldiers in a war chariot attack Arab tribesmen.
Fire Set to Tent
An Assyrian Soldier sets fire to an Arab tent with two men inside while a tribesman jumps off a kneeling camel to attempt to stop him (?).
Arabs Slain
Arabs are slain in their tents, men, women, and children. The tents are then put to the torch.
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Assyrians vs. Arabs
The Assyrians make war on the Arabs who are caught between soldiers on horse-back chariot and horse. Arabs can only shoot off the back of their camels while the forward rider controls the direction in which the camel moves. The battle must take place near an oasis or river in the South, as the palm trees, being chopped down by several Assyrian soldiers on the right, would indicate.
Arabs with Camels
Closeup of Arabs with their camels, daggers and bows. Notice their distinctive hair treatments and wrap skirts.
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King in Chariot
A long thin room (c) leads from Courtyard J, via a descending, ramped corridor to a northern exit from the palace. This exit is at least 20m below the level of the courtyard, throne room and room of the lion hunt. Some scholars believe that the corridor led to a park where the king hunted because the wall decorations all point in that direction.
Here the kingÕs chariot faces right o;n your right and ahead of you as you enter from the courtyard. . The king looks behink him to see that his weapons are being properly prepared. With him in the chariot are his charioteer and two bodyguards with spears.
Hunting Preparation
Behind the kingÕs chariot his kingÕs men prepare his weapons for the hunt.
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King's Bodyguards
The kingÕs bodyguard, some with round shields and lances, without helmets, others with tall shields, lances and crested helmets move towards the king as their fellow soldiers bring fresh horses to the kingÕs chariot for harnessing.
Watching the Hunt
Here we see the citizens of Nineveh climbing a hill to watch the hunt. The hill has evergreen trees (those that stick out of the hill like matchsticks) and pomegranites (the smaller, more wavy trees. Men in short skirts and women in lon robes come to watch.
To the right the kingÕs guard made up of spearmen and bowmen guard the edge of the enclosure in which the event takes place.
Top of the Hill
On the top of the hill is a palace gate through which you can see the king, ever so small, in his chariot as a lion attacks h im from the rear.
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The Enclosure Wall
Directly inside the enclosure wall, to the right of the spearmen are the kingÕs men with spears and hunting mastiffs. These three groups of people, men with dogs, spearmen and bowmen are stationed here to make sure that the dying lions do not escape from the compounds.
Dying Lions 1
Dying lions, shot by the king.
Dying Lions 2
More animals expire.
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Lions Rush
Lions rush to the left to escape the kingÕs bow.
The King Hunts
The king in his chariot shoots at the fleeing animals. One lion attacks him from the back where his two bodyguards dispatch it before it can get to the kingÕs person. The scene is carved directly opposite the entrance to this hall from Courtyard J. The wall begins and ends with the king in his chariot.
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More Dead Lions
Behind the kingÕs chariot, in the corner of the room we see more dead lions and Assyrian horsemen driving them out of pens towards the king.
Horsemen Drive Lions
Above, horesemen drive the lions onward. Notice the tails of the horses. Below a lion is let out of a cage by a small person. To the right a double phalanx of soldiers guards the enclosure to make sure that no animal escapes.
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King Spearing Lion
Directly to your left as you enter Room C, and just opposite the other views of the king in his chariot is the view of the king spearing an enraged lion that has come up behind him.
Lions Shot 1
More lions are shot.
Lions Shot 2
More lions are shot.
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Dying Lions 1-4
Beaters
Beaters chasing the animals.
Brought in from Hunt
Animals are brought in from the hunt.
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Bodyguards
Directly from Room C we proceed toward the outside escorted by the kingÕs boydguards. These figures line the descending corridor. To the left four men pull the kingÕs hunting chariot recognizable here by the presence of its horse-shaped whiffle tree.
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Chariots - Archers
Drawing of the chariot and archers seen in previous carvings.
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Men Carrying Things 1-3
On both walls of the long corridor R that leads to the northwest entrance to the palace the kingÕs hunt is shown. Here his men carry nets and various items used in the hunt out toward the field. Mastiffs accompany them.
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Attendants
Attendants with mules bring nets and stakes to the hunt. This is almost like a medaeval tapestry showing the whole royal entourage setting up for the hunt.
Detail-Leg
Detail-Skirt
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The Return
Guards and attendants return home from the chase with their prey.
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Attendants with Lions 1-2
Attendants carry the dead lions.
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Guardian Figurines
Guardians
On both sides of the doorway at the northwest of the palace we find these lion headed, eagle footed mace carrying guardians fo the gate.
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King Hunts 1-3
In the vestibule to the northwest exit the walls are lined with the king hunting. Here he hunts gazelles. In this entire series the king is on foot and has shed his crown.
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King Fights Lion 1
Again without his crown, the king fights a lion single handedly.
King Fights Lion 2
The king spears a lion from his horse unaided and without protective garments.
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King Shoots Onagers
The king, uncrowned, shoots at wild onagers.
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From a Galley 1 & 2
The king hunts lions in the marches from a Phoenician galley (notice the horseÕs head).
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King w/ Inscription 1
The king grabs a lion by the paw and prepares to kill it single handedly. The king has his crown on his head.
An inscription reads:
I, Ashurbanipal, king of the universe, king of the land of Ashur, in my recreation on foot seized a raging lion of the plain by the ears, and with the help of Ashur and Ishtar, lady of battle, I pierced its body with my own lance.
King Shoots Lion
The king shoots lions at close range with his bow and arrow. Here he does wear his crown.
King w/ Inscription 2
The king grabs a lion by the tail and raises his mace to dispatch it. Inscription reads:
I Assurbanipal, king of the universe, king of the land of Ashur in my royal sport, I seized a lion of the plain by its taill. and at the command of Ninurta and Nergal, the gods in whom I trust, I smashed its skull with my own mace.
King w/ Inscription 3
The king polurs a libarion over the dead beasts. There is a portable sacrificial table and a thurible. Musicians lead bearers of dead lions in from left. The slab, which has fallen into this room from elsewhere is inscribed:
I Assurbanipal, king of the universe, king of the land of Ashur, whom Ashur and Ninlil endowed with supreme strength, the lions which I killed I aimed the terrible bow of Ishtar lady of battle, at them. I offered an offering over them. I poured a libation of wine over them.
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Cooks 1 & 2
Triumphal banquet after the defeat of the Elamites shown on another part of the wall not illustrated here. The inscription tells us that the defeated princes of Elam were the cooks who prepared and served this meal to the king and queen.
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Triumphal Banquet
The king and queen banquet in a garden room. The head of Teumann, the defeated Elamite king and his severed hand hang in the trees to left and right of the royal pair.
Detail-War Paw Foot
Detail-Hanging Head
Detail-Men in Leg
Detail-Throne
