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Primary sourceSculpture

Relief of an Assyrian Chariot and Horsemen

Unknown artist

A carved stone relief fragment from Ashurbanipal's palace at Nineveh showing a chariot with archer and horsemen, part of the military imagery he commissioned.

This relief was commissioned for Ashurbanipal's palace and displays the military imagery he used to project his power.

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Carved gray stone relief panel showing an Assyrian chariot with two bearded figures in tall headdresses, one drawing a bow, pulled by horses, with a wheel with eight spokes in the foreground and a second horse on the right. Red inventory number AO 19909 at top.
Relief fragment, chariot and horsemen, from the palace of Ashurbanipal, Nineveh. Louvre Museum, AO 19909.

About this source

What it is

This is a fragment of a carved stone relief panel from the palace of Ashurbanipal at Nineveh. It shows a chariot pulled by horses, carrying two bearded men in tall headdresses, one drawing a bow, with another horse beside them. It is now held in the Louvre Museum.

Why it matters

Ashurbanipal decorated his palace walls with scenes like this to show off Assyrian military power. Reliefs like this one were made for the king by skilled but unnamed court artists, and they tell us how Assyrian rulers wanted to be remembered: as powerful warriors and hunters.

Look closer

  • What details show this is a scene of war or hunting rather than daily life?
  • Why might a king want huge stone pictures of chariots and soldiers on his palace walls?
  • What does the relief NOT show about the people who built and decorated the palace?

This sculpture is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Ashurbanipal on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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