Neo-Assyrian wall panel
- Gallery: Room 7
- Culture: Neo-Assyrian
- Date: 865BC-860BC
- Object type: wall panel, relief
- Materials: gypsum
- Museum number: 124536
- Museum: The British Museum
- Collection record: British Museum website
- Image © The Trustees of the British Museum, shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licence.
Listen to the free audio guide
About this object
This is a Neo-Assyrian wall panel depicting a dramatic scene of warfare, carved into gypsum with remarkable precision. Before you, King Ashurnasirpal II leads the siege of a walled town. You'll notice Assyrian soldiers using a tall wooden tower to attack the enemy—archers on top are shooting, while those below use a battering ram to break through the defenses.
The king stands proudly at the base of the tower, drawing his bow to strike at the enemy. Nearby, his attendants and armor-bearers support him. Running along the panel is a cuneiform inscription—probably a dedicatory text recording this military achievement.
Carved in the late 9th century BCE, this relief originally came from the North West Palace. It was excavated in 1846 and traveled to England aboard the H.M.S. Meeanee, arriving in 1849.
This piece captures the power and organization of the Neo-Assyrian military, offering a vivid look into ancient siege tactics.
See it in person
Neo-Assyrian wall panel is on display in Room 7 at the British Museum on Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, London — free to enter. Choose British Museum on audioguide.london and take a photo of it to hear this free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
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