Monday, November 8, 2021

Shalmaneser III receives tribute in horses - dais from Nimrud

Salvete Omnes,
we have not visited the ancient Assyrian in a while.






so here we have something worthy of our look and study - the dais of the Neo-Assyrian king Shalmaneser III throne, where he himself was carved into several scenes along with his vassals and tributaries. 


And as usual with the Neo-Assyrian kingdom their horse is featured and it is shown prominently in this relief, these chariot horses are tribute from the Chaldeans and Neo-Hittites.

. This dais was found in the eastern end of the throne room (T1) at Fort Shalmaneser in the city of Nimrud (in modern-day Nineveh Governorate, Iraq) in 1962 CE. The front and sides of the dais were carved in relief depicting various tributary scenes. The dais was completed around 846-845 BCE (and that would be the king's 13th year of reign).


 


 

This scene is part of a long tributary one where the Shalmaneser III (r. 858-824 BCE) receives Chaldean tribute from Musallim-Marduk, son of Ukani. On the right, a groom leads a pair of horses, unharnessed except for the halter by which they are controlled. This is followed by a second group of tribute bearers. The procession is headed by a bearded male figure (probably the prince). Before him, a smaller male figure (child), probably his son, appears. Both raise their hands in a homage or submission gesture. They are followed by a chamberlain bearing his staff of office, followed by a bearded figure carrying in his extended hands a small tray of loaf-like objects, perhaps ingots of some relatively precious metal.



 

 

This scene is part of a long tributary one where Shalmaneser III (r. 858-824 BCE) receives tribute from Qalparunda (c. mid 9th Century BCE) of the Land of Unqi (a Luwian Syri-Hittite state, also known as Pattin). This is the rear part of the tributary procession. The rear is brought up by two grooms in long, belted tunics, one brandishing a whip, and each leading a pair of ornately caparisoned horses

 

 

During the ransacking of the Iraq Museum in April 2003 CE, this object[dais] was not vandalized and remained intact. It is on display at the Assyrian Gallery of the Iraq Museum in Baghdad, Republic of Iraq.

Valete

ps the description comes from the Wiki Commons page on the details of this dais - 

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