Guardian Figure

CultureAssyrian
Titles
  • Guardian Figure
Date883–859 BC
MediumGypsum
Dimensionsrelief: 42 1/8 × 26 × 1 1/2 inches (107 × 66 × 3.8 cm)
width of stone and attached backing material: 2 5/8 inches (6.7 cm)

130 lbs.
Credit LineMuseum purchase funded by the Agnes Cullen Arnold Endowment Fund
Object number80.53
Non exposé

Explore Further

Department
Antiquities
Object Type
ProvenanceFound during excavations at Nimrud, Iraq, by Sir Henry Layard, c. 1840s–1853; purchased by Dudley Francis Stuart Ryder (1831–1900), Lord Sandon, 3rd Earl of Harrowby, Sandon Hall, Linconshire, 1853–1900; by inheritance to his younger brother, Henry Ryder (1836–1900), 4th Earl of Harrowby, 1900; by inheritance to his son, John Herbert Ryder (1864–1956), 5th Earl of Harrowby, 1900–1956; by inheritance to his son, Dudley Ryder (1892–1987), 6th Earl of Harrowby, 1956–1980; sold through [Robin Symes, Limited, London, 1980]; purchase by MFAH, 1980.
Exhibition History

Inscriptions, Signatures and Marks
The inscription at the top of this panel is one which occurs repeatedly on the panels of the palace of Assurnasirpal II, proclaiming him as the Great King, ruler of the World:
"I placed doors of cedar, cypress, dapranu and meskannu in its doorways. I took in great quantities of put therein silver, gold, tin, bronze, iron and booty from the countries over which I gained dominion." (translation by Andre F. Conradie)

Cataloguing data may change with further research.

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Hammered and repoussé gold
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Robert Gober
2014–2015
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2016.222
Overall recto
Clay Ketter
1997
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2024.306
Pair of Arm Ornaments
c. 1890
Gold, rubies, and diamonds
2004.2264.1,.2