Beschreibung:

A GYPSUM BAS-RELIEF WALL-SLAB FROM THE NORTH-WEST PALACE OF ASHURNASIRPAL II AT KALHU (NIMRUD), 883-859 B.C., depicting a beardless royal arms bearer/eunuch ( sha reshe ) and a bearded winged divine figure about to come into the king's presence. The eunuch wears a tasselled and fringed upper garment, pendant earring, necklace, arm and wristlet with rosette design; he carries a rosette-headed mace, bow and quiver decorated with rosettes, cones and palmettes. The divine figure ( apkalle ) wears a horned cap, pendant earring, necklace, arm and wristlet; two daggers, one with decorated handle, and a calf-headed whetstone are inserted in his waist-band; in his right hand he holds a cone with which he 'anoints' the attendant and in his left he would have held a situla. Across the lower part of their bodies are bands of the standard cuneiform inscription listing the king's titles, claims and achievements including the building of his palace 72 x 46in. (183 x 117cm.), 2½in. (6.4cm.) thick Ashurnasirpal II, the son of Tukulti-Ninurta II, inherited a large empire which he had to consolidate through numerous military campaigns. Early in his reign he moved his capital from Ashur to a modest site on the Tigris which then became a vast administrative centre with temples, palace, canals and gardens. Carved reliefs adorned the palace depicting the king as the spiritual, military and political leader of his people. The 'anointment' of the king and his attendants by a protective deity maintained the potency of the royal figure. The cone, which is self-pollinating, has also been identified as a male date which is used in pollination and appears on reliefs with the sacred tree. Kalhu (biblical Calah) remained the capital for the next 150 years. The standard inscription reads as follows: " Property of the palace of Ashur-nasir-apli, vice-regent of Ashur, chosen of the gods Enlil and Ninurta, beloved of the gods An and Dagan, destructive weapon of the great gods, strong king, king of the universe, king of Assyria, son of Tukulti-Ninurta (II), great king, strong king, king of the universe, king of Assyria, son of Adad-nerari (II) (who was) also great king, strong king, king of the universe, (and) king of Assyria; valiant man who acts with the support of Ashur his lord and has no rival among the princes of the four quarters, marvellous shepherd, fearless in battle, mighty flood tide which has no opponent, the king who subdues those insubordinate to him, he who rules all peoples, strong male who treads upon the necks of his foes, trampler of all enemies, he who breaks up the forces of the rebellious, the king who acts with the support of the great gods his lords and has conquered all lands, gained dominion over all highlands and received their tribute, capturer of hostages, he who is victorious over all countries: When Ashur, the lord who called me by name (and) made my sovereignty supreme, placed his merciless weapon in my lordly arms, I felled with the sword the extensive troops of the Lullumu in battle. With the help of the gods Shamash and Adad, the gods my supporters, I thundered like the god Adad, the devastator, against the troops of the lands Nairi, Habhu, the Shubaru, and the land Nirbu. The king who subdued at his feet (the territory stretching) from the opposite bank of the Tigris to Mount Lebanon and the Great Sea, the entire land Laqu, (and) the land Suhu including the city Rapiqu; he conquered from the source of the River Subnat to the land Urartu. I brought within the boundaries of my land (the territory stretching) from the pass of Mount Kirruru to the land Gilzanu, from the opposite bank of the Lower Zab to the city Til-Bari which is upstream from the land Zaban, from the city Til-sha-Abtani to the city Til-sha-Zabdani, the cities Hirimu, Harutu, which are fortresses of Karduniash. I accounted (the people) from the pass of Mount Babitu to Mount Hashmar as people of my land. In the lands over which I gained dominion I always app