Babil Province - Iraq
Babil province in Iraq is home to the ancient city of Babylon and it is also host to other famous, popular and ancient Iraqi cities like Sippar, Borsippa, Kish, Seleucia, Al-Hillah or Hilla, Kifil, Al-Hashmiya, Al-Qasim, Mahmudiyah, Al-Hamzah, Al-Madhatiyah, Iskandariya, Latifiya, Salman-Pak, Yusufiyah, Musayyib, Al-Mahawil and of course the gate of Ishtar at the ancient ruins of Babylon (Babil, after which the region is named) and few other PROUD Iraqi villages and cities ... Magnificent places you won't believe your eyes and you wouldn’t think 10,000+ ancient and wonderful places still exist in the cradle of civilization once known as Mesopotamia and best known today as Iraq
Diyala Province - Iraq
Diyala province in Iraq is home to the city of Baqubah and it is also host to other famous, popular and ancient Iraqi cities like Muqdadiyah, Khanaqin, Balad Ruz, Al Khalis, Buhriz, Mandali, Kifri, Hebheb, Khan Bani Saad, Jalula, Ashraf City, Dwelah, Kingirban, Qarah Tapah, Sadiya, Sodur, Qazaniya, Al-Muntheriya, Abu Saydah, Kan’aan, Al-Wajihiya, Al-Mansouryah, Eshnunna (Tell Asmar) and few other PROUD Iraqi villages and cities ... Magnificent places you won't believe your eyes and you wouldn’t think 10,000+ ancient and wonderful places still exist in the cradle of civilization once known as Mesopotamia and best known today as Iraq
Dhiqar Province - Iraq
Dhiqar or Dhi-Qar (Thi-Qar) province in Iraq is home to the ancient Sumerian city and Ziggurat of UR and it is also host to other famous, popular and ancient Iraqi cities like Ngirsu or Girsu (Tell Telloh), Larsa, Lagash, Eridu (Tell Abu Shahrain), Umma, Bad-tibira and of course Nasiriyah, Al-Rifai, Qalat-Sukkar, Tallil, Ash-Shatrah, Al-Gharraf, Suq al-Shuyouk, Khamisiyah, Al-Chibayish and few other PROUD Iraqi villages and cities ... Magnificent places you won't believe your eyes and you wouldn’t think 10,000+ ancient and wonderful places still exist in the cradle of civilization once known as Mesopotamia and best known today as Iraq
Salahadin Province - Iraq
Salahadin or Salah-ad-Din province in Iraq is the heartland of Iraq where famous, fabulous, proud, intelligent, talented and many of Iraq’s brave army and air force officers hale from. Salahadin province is named after Saladin (Salah ad-Din), a Muslim leader who defeated the Crusaders in Palestine at the Battle of Hattin in 1187, it is also host to other famous, popular and ancient Iraqi cities like Samarra, Tikrit, Ad-Dawr or (Al-Dour), Al-Shirqat, Baiji, Balad, Tuz-Khormato, Ad-Dujail and few other PROUD Iraqi villages and cities ... Magnificent places you won't believe your eyes and you wouldn’t think 10,000+ ancient and wonderful places still exist in the cradle of civilization once known as Mesopotamia and best known today as Iraq
Assyria: Nineveh Palace Panels - British Museum - June 2016
The rooms and courtyards of the Neo-Assyrian Southwest Palace of King Sennacherib (704-681 BC) at Nineveh (in modern northern Iraq) were decorated with a series of detailed carved stone panels. Many of them are on display in Room 9.
The panels depict a variety of scenes, including the transport of huge sculptures of human-headed winged bulls (lamassu) that weigh up to 30 tons and were intended for the main entrances to the palace.
These illustrations provide an insight into ancient quarrying and transport techniques, as well as Sennacherib’s keen interest in his building projects. Other panels on display depict the king’s military campaigns.
Assyria: Lion Hunts (Room 10a)
645 – 635 BC
In ancient Assyria, lion-hunting was considered the sport of kings, symbolic of the ruling monarch’s duty to protect and fight for his people. The sculpted reliefs in Room 10a illustrate the sporting exploits of the last great Assyrian king, Ashurbanipal (668-631 BC) and were created for his palace at Nineveh (in modern-day northern Iraq).
The hunt scenes, full of tension and realism, rank among the finest achievements of Assyrian Art. They depict the release of the lions, the ensuing chase and subsequent killing.
Assyria: Siege of Lachish (Room 10b)
710 –700 – 692 BC
Lachish was one of the chief cities of the kingdom of Judah in the southern Levant and in 701 BC it was captured by the Assyrian King Sennacherib (704-681 BC). The siege followed the refusal of Lachish to pay tribute to the Assyrian Empire (based in modern northern Iraq) and is mentioned in the Bible.
Many of the relief sculptures on display in Room 10b depict the capture of the city, alongside a selection of items and weaponry used in the siege. A “prism” inscribed with an Assyrian account of the campaign is also on show.
Assyria: Khorsabad (Room 10c)
710 – 705 BC
The city and palace at Khorsabad (in modern northern Iraq), was built for the Assyrian King Sargon II (721-705 BC). The palace entrances were originally dominated by pairs of colossal human-headed winged bulls, which were intended as guardians, accompanied by protective spirits with magical powers.
Two of these impressive statues now stand in Room 10c, along with carvings depicting the king and crown prince, royal courtiers and hunting scenes. Inscriptions on display in the gallery come from a similar winged bull from the palace of Sennacherib (704-681 BC) at nearby Nineveh and were badly burnt when the city was destroyed in 612 BC.