04/19/2024
An 18-ton limestone sculpture of a lamassu, dating back to the reign of the Assyrian king Sargon II (721-705 BC), discovered in northern Iraq by an Iraqi-French archaeological team. Lamassu, mythical creatures with human heads, bull bodies, and eagle wings, symbolized intelligence and strength. This sculpture, once located at the entrance of the ancient city of Dur-Sharrukin (modern-day Khorsabad), had its head separated from the body, possibly due to looting in the 1990s. However, the rest of the body is in excellent condition and is now housed in the Baghdad Museum.
