Iraq unveils ancient Assyrian lamassu statue in Nineveh province
The Iraqi government has worked to repatriate smuggled artifacts in recent years. The city of Khorsabad, where the lamassu is located, was one of several ancient sites targeted by the Islamic State.
Iraqi authorities on Tuesday unveiled an ancient Assyrian statue as the government continues to work on preserving the country’s rich archaeological heritage.
The General Authority for Antiquities and Heritage said the excavation of the lamassu took place in Khorsabad, north of Mosul in the Nineveh province. The structure was first discovered in 1992 by an Iraqi excavation team. Its head was stolen in 1995, but was then recovered and placed in the Iraqi National Museum in Baghdad, where it remains. The remaining structure was reburied for preservation, the authority said in a Facebook post.
A new discovery in Nineveh by the French mission (Lamasu) pic.twitter.com/4XEUfZOwTX
— Zahraa Al-Jabiri (@anhaduannu97) October 24, 2023
The authorities did not specify when exactly the structure was reburied nor when the head was brought to the museum. A joint Iraqi-French team working on excavations in Khorsabad is assessing the lamassu's condition, according to the post.
What it means: The lamassu is an Assyrian protective deity that dates back to ancient Mesopotamia. It is often depicted with a human head, the body of a lion, bull or related animal, and wings. Assyrian kings placed them in their domains as a form of protection.
