Winged Assyrian bull
Khorsabad, palace of Sargon of Assyria
721-705 BC
Gypseous alabaster
H 4.40 m
AO 19857
Description
"King Sargon II built his palace in the citadel of the new town
that he founded near Nineveh, which was discovered by Paul-Emile
Botta in 1843. The gates were guarded by bulls with human heads.
These benevolent spirits, called "lamassou", were the
guardians of the foundations of the world; in the same way they
assured those of the palace. They are sculpted in the round for the
foreparts and in high relief for the remainder of the body. They are
shown with five legs. Seen from the front they are motionless, but
seen from the side they walk. The inscription between the legs
includes the titles of Sargon. Then it relates the construction of
his town, called Dur-Sharrukîn, i.e. Fort Sargon. The new
presention in the courtyard of the museum; called the Cour de
Khorsabad, evokes the monumentality of the Assyrian palaces."
- Louvre