Libation with Musicians

The king, Ashurnasirpal II (883–859 BC), fanned by an attendant, pours out wine as an offering, or libation, over the body of a dead lion. He holds a bow, possibly the weapon used to slay the animal, while musicians perform at the right. The scene shows the particular ritual associated with lion hunts. Several of the elements illustrated here are repeated in the libation scene of the later king Ashurbanipal (668–631 BC) at Nineveh (exhibited in this gallery). Kalhu (modern Nimrud, Iraq) Northwest Palace, Room B, Slab 19 (bottom) Assyrian, mid-late 9th century BC Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East 1890.7.5 Modern painted resin cast of plaster copy of British Museum, London original 124535 Photogrammetry by Zhejiang University and Mohamed Abd elaziz