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Primary sourceSculpture7th century BCE

Stone Stela of Ashurbanipal Rebuilding Esagil

7th century BCE

A royal stela showing Ashurbanipal carrying a ritual basket of earth as a builder, restoring the temple of Marduk in Babylon.

Depicts Ashurbanipal himself as royal builder restoring the temple of Marduk in Babylon.

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Photograph of a grey-pink stone stela carved with cuneiform script in horizontal rows. A relief figure of a bearded king in a long robe lifts a basket of earth on his head with both hands. Displayed in a museum case.
Stela of Ashurbanipal rebuilding Esagil, 7th century BCE. British Museum, London.

About this source

What it is

This stone stela carries a cuneiform inscription and a carved image of a bearded king lifting a basket of earth on his head. It shows Ashurbanipal acting as royal builder during the restoration of Esagil, the sanctuary of the god Marduk in Babylon, connected to the accession of Shamash-shum-ukin. It dates to the 7th century BCE and is held in the British Museum.

Why it matters

Assyrian kings often showed themselves performing ritual building work to prove their devotion to the gods and their right to rule. This stela links Ashurbanipal to the rebuilding of one of Babylon's most important temples, showing how he presented himself not only as a conqueror but also as a pious restorer of religious sites.

Look closer

  • Why might a king want to be shown doing manual building work rather than fighting?
  • What does the inscription add that the image alone cannot tell us?
  • How does this image of Ashurbanipal compare with images of him as a warrior?

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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