Neo-Assyrian wall panel
- Gallery: Room 10a
- Culture: Neo-Assyrian
- Date: 700BC-692BC
- Object type: wall panel, relief
- Materials: gypsum
- Museum number: 124905
- 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 relief, carved from gypsum and dating to between 700 and 692 BCE. The scene shows the beginning of an assault on Lachish, a real historical site. In the background, long-range artillery are firing arrows, while in the foreground, storm troopers prepare for battle. Some of the soldiers carry objects that look like stones—possibly for construction or defense. The detailed carving captures the intensity of war from this powerful ancient civilization. The piece was originally part of a larger wall in the South West Palace in Nineveh. This relief is an impressive example of Assyrian art, known for its vivid storytelling and realism. A cast of the original is still available at the British Museum Facsimile Service, showing that this wall panel continues to inspire and educate people today.
See it in person
Neo-Assyrian wall panel is on display in Room 10a 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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