Reclined Ashurbapinal and percussionists
Reclined Ashurbapinal and percussionists
3D
Published 2019-04-12T12:03:45+00:00
In this relief, a female harpist and percussionist play music for the king and queen. In the background, pine trees alternate with fruit-bearing date palms. They may represent the native flora of Assyria (the pine tree) and Babylonia (the date palm). Birds frolic in the foliage. One swoops towards a locust. Ashurbapinal describes the Elamites as a 'dense swarm of locusts' in his annals.
Ashurbapinal reclines on a carved couch decorated with human figures and leaping lions. His legs are covered with a blanket. He drinks from a bowl and holds a lotus blossom.
A queen, probably Libbali-sharrat, sits facing Ashurbapinal on a throne and rests her feet on a footstool. She wears a crown representing a city wall with its towers. Like the king, she drinks from a bowl and holds a flower.
Two grapevines entwined around pine trees meet to form a canopy over the royal couple.
A deep dish containing a bunch of onions, a small bowl and a box decorated with winged bulls are laid out on a tall table. Its legs are decorated with fittings shaped like a lion's paw.
| Date published | 12/04/2019 |
| Complexity | Easy |
| Title | Reclined Ashurbapinal and percussionists |
| Medium | Gypsum |
| Credit | From the I am Ashurbapinal exhibition, British Museum, 2019 |
| Artist | Unknown artist |
| Place | British Museum |
