Colossal Guardian Lion from Nimrud

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Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin
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Colossal Guardian Lion from Nimrud Download Full Size Image

Colossal guardian lion found at the entrance to the temple of Ishtar, Sharrat-niphi. The cuneiform inscriptions on the statue mention the name of Ashurnasirpal II as the temple's builder. This lion was one of a pair of lions which were found by Sir Henry Layard in 1850 and excavated by Iraqi archaeologists in 2001. From Nimrud (ancient Kalhu), Mesopotamia, modern-day Iraq, Neo-Assyrian Empire, 865-860 BCE.

The British Museum, London.

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About the Author

Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin
Associate Professor of Neurology and lover of the Cradle of Civilization, Mesopotamia. I'm very interested in Mesopotamian history and always try to take photos of archaeological sites and artifacts in museums, both in Iraq and around the world.

Cite This Work

APA Style

Amin, O. S. M. (2014, October 17). Colossal Guardian Lion from Nimrud. World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/image/3170/colossal-guardian-lion-from-nimrud/

Chicago Style

Amin, Osama Shukir Muhammed. "Colossal Guardian Lion from Nimrud." World History Encyclopedia. Last modified October 17, 2014. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/3170/colossal-guardian-lion-from-nimrud/.

MLA Style

Amin, Osama Shukir Muhammed. "Colossal Guardian Lion from Nimrud." World History Encyclopedia. World History Encyclopedia, 17 Oct 2014, https://www.worldhistory.org/image/3170/colossal-guardian-lion-from-nimrud/. Web. 17 Jul 2025.

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