North-West Palace, Nimrud

The sculptures in the state apartments of the North-West Palace at Nimrud, built by Ashurnasirpal II, portray the Assyrian king as invincible, under divine protection. Small-scale narrative scenes from the throneroom and other public reception rooms show him hunting wild animals and defeating his enemies in war. The king takes an active part in every inevitable victory. A magic figure, the god in the winged disc, accompanies him. The throneroom facade showed people from different countries bringing tribute to the king.In other rooms the king appeared in a variety of dignified postures with servants or magical protective spirits beside him. In some rooms the magic figures were predominant, their presence emphasising the importance which the Assyrians attached to the supernatural world around them.Every one of the panels on which there scenes and figures were carved had inscribed on it a text, the Standard Inscription, listing the king's main titles, claims, and achievements.