Adorning the edges of this garment are tassels that seem to suggest movement of the figure through the soft curves of each individual fringe. These tassels are strung together and attached along the border of the robe, yet it is unknown whether they were sewn on by hand or woven by skilled artisans. Details like these tassels are an important source of knowledge about Assyrian clothing and textiles, given that very few textiles survive in the archaeological record.
This object is one of several ritual implements commonly held by the winged spirits (apkallu) that populate the reliefs from the Northwest Palace. It’s precise function and identification is unknown and much debated; suggestions include the male spathe of a date palm, a pinecone, and a citron. In all cases it is held aloft in the right hand of the spirit, who gestures with it towards a stylized, sacred tree, towards an image of the king, or towards a palace doorway. These applications indicate that the cone and its ritual use likely served protective or apotropaic functions
Typically worn in the middle of the bicep, such arm cuffs would likely have been made of solid gold, and could have weighed over two pounds each. They may have been brought to the court as trade or tribute by emissaries from across the empire. It is not likely that bands such as these would be worn daily, instead, they would have been worn as part of ceremonial dress on special occasions in the court of King Ashurnasirpal. They are found on the arms of many figures in reliefs, and the more elaborate cuffs feature animal heads, often rams, at the ends.
The standard inscription was the cuneiform inscription recording the titles, career, and campaigns of Ashurnasirpal II that appears across the stone reliefs of the palace as well as on other objects from the site. Among other highlights of the career of Ashurnasirpal II, the standard inscription documents the founding of the city and expands on the extensive building campaign the king undertook: “The ancient city of Kalhu… had become dilapidated; it lay dormant and had turned into ruined hills. I rebuilt this city. I took people that I had conquered… [and] I settled them therein. I dug a canal… I planted orchards in its environs… I cleared away the old ruin hill and dug down to water level; I sank the foundations to a depth of 120 layers of brick. I built its walls anew.”
Most often referred to as a “sacred tree,” this stylized tree bears a distinct resemblance to the cultivated date palm, an important agricultural product in ancient Mesopotamia. At the center is a tall and bare trunk crowned by a large and highly stylized palmette, a fan-like arrangement of palm leaves. Surrounding the tree is a dense and symmetrically arranged network of offshoots which may allude to the fertility of the date palm and, in a symbolic way, of Mesopotamia. Here, as in most cases, the offshoots are palmettes, though buds and pomegranates are occasionally depicted instead. The sacred tree was found in many of the rooms of the Northwest palace, often in the corners. In most cases, including this example, the tree is flanked on either side by winged spirits (apkallu) who hold a cone and pail and perform a ritual act, alternatively identified as purifying, protecting, or fertilizing the tree. In rare instances, the winged spirits are replaced by Assyrian kings.
This small, single-handled pail was one of several ritual objects commonly held by the winged spirits (apkallu) that populate the reliefs from the Northwest Palace. In most instances, the bucket is held in the left hand, and accompanied by a cone held in the raised right hand. Occasionally however, the bucket appears on its own with the right hand raised in a gesture of blessing. Though it was clearly an important ritual object, the precise function of the bucket is unknown and debated. When paired with the ritual cone, the bucket may have held oil or water for to be sprinkled, incense or other fragrance to be wafted through the palace, or it may have served as a holding vessel for the ritual cone itself. Possible examples of ceramic bandudu have been uncovered in excavations at the site of Nimrud.
Although there are several naturalistic elements depicted in this relief, such as the texture of the tassels, the musculature of this figure is decidedly stylized in a more fantastical manner. This is particularly evident when studying his right leg. Unlike other body parts which appear to be anatomically correct, such as the hands and fingers, the kneecap is heavily stylized with four curvilinear horizontal lines. The calf muscle similarly echoes this spherical, protruding shape and is essentially as wide as the knee. There is a bulging vein that begins just under the circular ankle bone, wrapping around either side of it and extending all the way up to the base of the calf muscle. Similarly, stylized musculature is also present in reliefs of lions and bulls, both of which are ferocious animals who rule the animal kingdom and are also associated with royal hunts. It is possible that the naturalism of these reliefs reflects the world known to Assyrian subjects, allowing the striking stylization to exaggerate the divine, other worldly nature of the winged genies and King Ashurnasirpal II himself.
A striking feature of the reliefs, is the elaborate and highly stylized hair and beards of both King Ashurnasirpal II and the winged spirits. Both the hair and beards of these figures are comprised of alternating rows of tight swirls and small vertical groupings of thin, softly curving lines. The distinctive styling of the hair and beard of such figures is one of the most notable, and recognizable features of Neo-Assyrian art and endured in relief sculptures that adorned the palaces of many of King Ashurnasipral’s successors. The iconic beard became so synonymous with notions of Assyrian culture and life that it even gave rise to a fashion trend known as the “Assyrian beard” during the 19th century as discovery of Assyrian palaces at Nimrud, Nineveh, and Khorsabad captured imagination.