Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Steven Zucker provide a description, historical perspective, and analysis of Lamassu from the citadel of Sargon II.
Lamassu (winged human-headed bulls possibly lamassu or shedu) from the citadel of Sargon II, Dur Sharrukin (now Khorsabad, Iraq), Neo-Assyrian, c. 720–705 BCE, gypseous alabaster, 4.20 × 4.36 × 0.97 m, excavated by P.-E. Botta 1843–44 (Musée du Louvre)
In the News
Irreplaceable Lamassu sculpture, Assyrian architecture and whole archaeological sites have recently been destroyed by militants that control large areas of Iraq and Syria. This tragedy cannot be undone and is an attack on our shared history and cultural heritage. To learn more read this February 27, 2015, New York Times article.
Candela Citations
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- Lamassu from the citadel of Sargon II. Authored by: Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Steven Zucker. Provided by: Khan Academy. Located at: https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ancient-art-civilizations/ancient-near-east1/assyrian/v/lamassu. License: CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
