Khorsabad - More Reliefs

Fig. 1 - Horses brought to Sargon as tribute.

     The Oriental Institute has more reliefs from Khorsabad than we have already seen. The reliefs from "Corridor 10" show tribute being brought to Sargon from Anatolia (what is now Turkey). In Sargon's day the Urartians and the Mushki we not ruled by the Assyrians and were a constant source of trouble. Indeed, Sargon died during a battle in Anatolia and his body was not recovered for a proper burial.

Fig. 2 - Two spirited horses being brought to the Assyrian King

     Some of the Corridor 10 reliefs show horses being brought to Sargon as tribute by the Mushki. The usual touches in Assyrian reliefs are here, with the horses trappings and the beards of the men being shown in detail. In Figure 1 the sculptor has added a little liveliness to the reliefs by showing one of the tribute bearers looking backwards almost as if he is conversing with the men who follow. In Figure 2 one person tries to control two horses. The person in front of him holds the reigns of one of the horses, but is turned away from the horse. The horses themselves seem to be showing some spirit and to be making their handler's lives a little bit difficult.



Copyright (C) 2016 John Freed