Assyrian Sculpture

by Reade, Julian

• ISBN13: 9780674050174
• ISBN10: 0674050177
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1999-02-01
• Publisher: Harvard Univ Pr

Summary

For almost three centuries, until 612 B.C. , the small kingdom of Assyria dominated the Middle East, its empire at one point extending from Iran to Egypt. The story of those years--the triumphs of the Assyrian kings in war and peace, their exploits in the hunting field, and the gods who watched over them--were recorded in stone on the walls of a succession of royal palaces. These sculptures, offering eyewitness views of a long-lost civilization, were not rediscovered until the nineteenth century. The finest collection, transported with great difficulty to Europe, is now preserved at the British Museum. This book describes how the sculptures were found and what they meant to those who created them. It is both a richly illustrated history of Assyrian sculpture in general and a guide to the outstanding collections of the British Museum. For this Second Edition of Assyrian Sculpture, in a new format, the author has updated the text and bibliography.

Author Biography

Julian Reade is an Assistant Keeper in the Department of Western Asiatic Antiquities in the British Museum.

Table of Contents

Preface

The Discovery of Assyria

The Sculptures in Their Setting

Ashurnasirpal at Nimrud

The Assyrian Court

The Palace of Sennacherib

Biblical History in Assyrian Sculpture

The Hunts of Ashurbanipal

Ashurbanipal at War

Kings of Assyria

Further Reading

Key to Illustrations

Index

Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.