Lamassu from the citadel of Sargon II

Summary

The script explores the ancient Mesopotamian civilization, focusing on the Assyrian period from 1000 to 500 BCE. It delves into the palace of Sargon the 2nd, highlighting the impressive sculptures, particularly the Lamassu, guardian figures with human heads and wings of bulls. These monolithic stone figures, found at the modern-day Khorsabad, symbolize the king's power and serve as awe-inspiring protectors of the city gates and citadel. The script describes their detailed craftsmanship, from the delicate crowns to the muscular anatomy, and the unique representation with five legs to appear both stationary and moving from different perspectives. The Lamassu, along with the palace's relief sculptures, convey the might and authority of the Assyrian king.

Takeaways

• 🏛️ Ancient Mesopotamia is known as the cradle of civilization, but it was a series of civilizations that conquered each other.
• 🗿 The Louvre houses sculptures from the Assyrians, who controlled the ancient Near East from around 1000 BCE to 500 BCE.
• 🕍 The sculptures are from the palace of Sargon the 2nd, representing the height of Assyrian civilization in the 8th century BCE.
• 📍 The modern-day location of these sculptures is Khorsabad in Iraq, where various Assyrian kings had palaces.
• 👥 The guardian figures, such as the Lamassu, were significant for protecting city gates and the royal citadel.
• 🦏 The Lamassu are winged bulls with human heads, symbolizing the power of the Assyrian king.
• 🏗️ Each Lamassu was carved from a single piece of stone, showcasing the impressive engineering of the ancient world.
• 🎨 The palace walls were adorned with relief sculptures depicting royal power through hunting scenes and other significant events.
• 👑 The Lamassu's crown and facial features are intricately detailed, reflecting the artistic skill of the time.
• 📜 Inscriptions on the Lamassu in cuneiform script declare the king's power and warn against threats to the citadel.
• 👁️ The Lamassu's design allows it to be viewed effectively from both the front and the side, with a unique five-leg perspective for a dynamic appearance.

Q & A

What is often referred to as the 'cradle of civilization'?

Ancient Mesopotamia is often credited as the 'cradle of civilization', which is the place where farming and cities began.

What was the historical period of the Assyrians' control over the ancient Near East?

The Assyrians controlled the ancient Near East from about 1000 BCE to around 500 BCE.

Where are the sculptures from the palace of Sargon the 2nd located today?

The sculptures from the palace of Sargon the 2nd are located in a room in the Louvre.

What is the modern-day location of the ancient city of Khorsabad?

Khorsabad is located in modern-day Iraq.

What were the guardian figures protecting the city gates of the citadel called?

The guardian figures protecting the city gates were called Lamassu, which were winged bulls with the heads of men.

What is significant about the Lamassu sculptures being carved from a monolithic stone?

The significance of the Lamassu being carved from a monolithic stone is that it demonstrates the ancient world's ability to work with large, single pieces of stone without any cuts.

What scenes were depicted in the palace's relief carvings?

The palace's relief carvings depicted hunting scenes and other scenes indicating royal power.

What is unique about the Lamassu's depiction of movement?

The Lamassu's depiction of movement is unique because it appears to be stationary from the front view but moving forward from the side view.

What decorative elements are featured on the Lamassu's crown?

The Lamassu's crown is decorated with rosettes and double horns that come around to the top center, along with a ring of feathers.

What does the decorative pattern on the Lamassu's body represent?

The decorative pattern on the Lamassu's body, including ringlets and spirals, represents the fur of the beast and adds to the overall sense of its power and majesty.

What inscriptions can be found under and around the legs of the Lamassu?

Inscriptions in cuneiform can be found under and around the legs of the Lamassu, some of which declare the power of the king and damnation for those who would threaten the king's work.

Outlines

00:00

🏛️ Ancient Mesopotamia and the Assyrian Civilization

This paragraph delves into the complexities of Ancient Mesopotamia, often celebrated as the cradle of civilization but marked by a series of warring civilizations. It highlights the Assyrians' dominance from 1000 BCE to 500 BCE and the grandeur of their sculptures, particularly those from the palace of Sargon the 2nd. The discussion centers on the guardian figures, the Lamassu, which were colossal winged bulls with human heads, symbolizing the power of the Assyrian king and serving as protectors of the city gates and the citadel. These monolithic stone figures, with their intricate details and combination of naturalistic and imaginative elements, were not only decorative but also had a structural purpose, standing between massive arches and contributing to the awe-inspiring presence of the citadel.

Keywords

💡Ancient Mesopotamia

Ancient Mesopotamia, often referred to as the 'cradle of civilization,' is the region in Western Asia between the Euphrates and Tigris rivers where one of the earliest civilizations developed. It is known for the advent of farming and the establishment of cities, which are foundational to human civilization. In the video, it is mentioned as the backdrop for the rise and fall of various civilizations that conquered each other, setting the stage for the discussion on the Assyrian civilization.

💡Assyrians

The Assyrians were a Semitic people who inhabited the northern part of Mesopotamia, and their civilization is known for its military prowess and architectural achievements. In the context of the video, the Assyrians controlled the ancient Near East from around 1000 BCE to 500 BCE, and the sculptures discussed are from the height of their civilization in the 8th century BCE.

💡Sargon the 2nd

Sargon the 2nd, also known as Sennacherib, was a king of the Neo-Assyrian Empire. His reign is marked by significant expansion and construction projects, including the palace of Khorsabad. The video script mentions the palace as the origin of the sculptures being discussed, indicating the grandeur and power of his rule.

💡Khorsabad

Khorsabad, a site in modern-day Iraq, is known for its archaeological significance as the location of Sargon II's palace. The video script describes sculptures from an excavation in Khorsabad, emphasizing the historical and cultural importance of the site in understanding the Assyrian civilization.

💡Guardian Figures

Guardian figures are statues or sculptures that were believed to protect a city or important structures within it. In the video, these figures are described as winged bulls with the heads of men, known as Lamassu, which were placed at the gates of the city and the citadel to ward off evil and demonstrate the king's power.

💡Lamassu

Lamassu is a term used in the video to describe the mythical creatures that served as guardian figures in Assyrian culture. These creatures, depicted as winged bulls with human heads, were carved from monolithic stone and placed at gateways to protect the city and the royal palace. Their presence symbolizes the authority and might of the Assyrian king.

💡Monolithic Stone

Monolithic stone refers to a single, large piece of stone used for carving sculptures or constructing structures. The script highlights that the Lamassu were carved from such stones, indicating the impressive feat of ancient engineering and craftsmanship required to transport and place these massive sculptures.

💡Relief Sculpture

Relief sculpture is a technique where figures are carved so that they project from a flat background, creating a three-dimensional effect. The video mentions relief carvings in the palace depicting various scenes, including the moving of the Lamassu and hunting scenes, which served to illustrate the king's power and the grandeur of the Assyrian civilization.

💡Cuneiform

Cuneiform is one of the earliest systems of writing, characterized by its wedge-shaped marks on clay tablets, invented by the Sumerians. In the video, inscriptions in cuneiform are noted on the Lamassu, declaring the power of the king and curses for those who would threaten the king's work, thus reflecting the political and cultural significance of the script.

💡Five Legs

The concept of 'five legs' in the video refers to the artistic technique used in the Lamassu sculptures to convey movement and stillness simultaneously. From the front, the sculpture appears static with two legs, while from the side, it appears to be moving forward with four legs, one of which overlaps from the front view. This design choice effectively communicates the guardian's role of being both a stationary and active presence.

💡Composite Animal

A composite animal in art is a creature made up of parts from different animals, often used to create a mythological or symbolic being. The Lamassu, as described in the video, is an example of a composite animal, combining the body of a bull, the wings of a bird, and the head of a human, embodying the strength and power of the Assyrian civilization.

Highlights

Ancient Mesopotamia is the cradle of civilization, the birthplace of farming and cities, but was a series of civilizations that conquered each other.

The Louvre has a room filled with Assyrian sculptures from 1000 BCE to 500 BCE, showcasing the height of Assyrian civilization.

Sculptures from the palace of Sargon the 2nd, at the height of Assyrian civilization in the 8th century BCE.

Modern day Khorsabad in Iraq was the site of an Assyrian palace with impressive sculptures.

Assyrian kings established palaces in various cities, with sculptures from Khorsabad being particularly notable.

Guardian figures like the Lamassu, winged bulls with human heads, protected city gates and the citadel.

Lamassu sculptures expressed the power of the Assyrian king and had both a decorative and structural purpose.

The Lamassu were carved from single monolithic stones, a significant feat in the ancient world.

Relief carvings in the palace depicted the process of moving the massive Lamassu into place.

Palace walls were decorated with relief sculptures showing hunting scenes and other displays of royal power.

The Lamassu had intricate details like rosettes, double horns, and a ring of feathers on the crown.

The Lamassu's faces had extraordinary features, including incised wavy hair, connected eyebrows, and bull ears with earrings.

The Lamassu's beards had a complex representation with ringlets and spirals, interrupted by horizontal bands.

The wings of the Lamassu formed a decorative pattern, and the body had ringlets to represent the fur of the beast.

Inscriptions in cuneiform on the Lamassu declared the king's power and damnation for those who would threaten the citadel.

The Lamassu was designed to be seen from both a frontal and profile view, with a unique five-leg perspective.

The Lamassu's movement from the side view and stillness from the front view symbolized its role as a guardian figure.

The combination of decorative forms and sensitivity to the anatomy of the Lamassu showcased the power and authority of the king.

The impressive Lamassu sculptures would have awed anyone approaching the citadel, demonstrating the power of the Assyrian civilization.

Transcripts

(piano music)

-Ancient Mesopotamia is often credited as the

cradle of civilization, that is, the place where

farming and cities began.

It makes it seem so peaceful, but this was

anything but the case.

In fact, it was really a series of civilizations

that conquered each other.

-We're in a room in the Louvre filled with

sculpture from the Assyrians, who controlled

the ancient Near East from about 1000 BCE

to around 500 BCE.

-And these sculptures in particular come from

the palace of Sargon the 2nd, and we're carved

at the height of Assyrian civilization in

the 8th century BCE.

-So this is modern day Khorsabad.

-In Iraq.

-And various Assyrian kings established palaces

at different cities.

So there were palaces at Nimrid and Assur

before this, and after there'll be

a palace at Nineveh, but these sculptures come

from an excavation from modern day Khorsabad.

-The most impressive sculptures that survive

are the guardian figures that protected the city's

gates, and protected the gates of the citadel itself.

That is, the area within which were both the temple

and the royal palace.

-So at each of these various gates, there were

guardian figures that were winged bulls with

the heads of men.

-We think they were called Lamassu.

-As figures that stood at gateways, they make sense.

They're fearsome, they look powerful.

They could also be an expression of the power

of the Assyrian king.

-They are enormous, but even they would have

been dwarfed by the architecture.

They would have stood between huge arches.

In fact, they had some structural purpose.

It's interesting to note that each of these

Lamassu are actually carved out of a monolithic

stone, that is, there are no cuts here.

These are single pieces of stone, and in the

ancient world, it was no small task to get these

stones in place.

-Well, and apparently, there were relief carvings

in the palace that depicted moving these massive

Lamassu into place.

So it's important to remember that the Lamassu

were the gateway figures, but the walls of the

palace were decorated with relief sculpture

showing hunting scenes and other scenes

indicating royal power.

-This is a Lamassu that was actually a guardian

for the exterior gate of the city.

It's in awfully good condition.

-Well my favorite part is the crown.

It's decorated with rosettes, and then double

horns that come around toward the top center,

and then on top of that, a ring of feathers.

-It's really delicate for such a massive

and powerful creature.

The faces are extraordinary.

First of all, just at the top of the forehead,

you can see kind of incised wavy hair that comes

just below the crown, and then you have

a connected eyebrow.

-And then the ears are the ears of a bull

that wear earrings.

-Actually quite elaborate earrings.

-Well the whole form is so decorative.

-And then there's that marvelous, complex

representation of the beard.

You see little ringlets on the cheeks of the face,

but then as the beard comes down, you see

these spirals that turn downward, and then

are interrupted by a series of horizontal bands.

-And then the wings too form this lovely decorative

pattern up the side of the animal, and then

across it's back.

-In fact across the body itself there are ringlets

as well, so we get a sense of the fur of the beast.

And then under the creature, and around the legs,

you can see inscriptions in cuneiform.

-Some of which declare the power of the king.

-And damnation for those that would threaten

the king's work, that is, the citadel.

-What's interesting too is that these were meant

to be seen both from a frontal view and

a profile view.

-Well if you count up the number of legs,

there's one too many.

There are five.

-Right, two from the front, and four from the side,

but of course, one of the front legs overlaps,

and so there are five legs.

-What's interesting is that when you look at the

creature from the side, you actually see that

it's moving forward, but when you look at it

from the front, those two legs are static

so the beast is stationary.

And think about what this means for a guardian

figure at a gate.

As we approach, we see it still, watching us

as we move, but if we belong, if we're friendly,

and we're allowed to pass this gate, as we move

through it, we see the animal itself move.

-And then we have this combination of these

decorative forms that we've been talking about

with a sensitivity to the anatomy of this

composite animal.

His abdomen swells, and his hindquarters move

back, and then we can see the veins, and muscles,

and bones in his leg.

-So there really is this funny relationship

between the naturalistic and the imagination

of the sculpture.

-And the decorative, but all speaking to the

power, the authority of the king and the fortifications

of this palace, and this city.

-They are incredibly impressive.

It would be impossible to broach the citadel

without being awestruck by the power

of this civilization.

(piano music)