Lamassu
myminifactory
This breathtaking masterpiece is a five-legged Lamassu with lion's feet, embodying the essence of Assyrian protective deities. These powerful beings are often depicted as having a human head, an ox or lion body, and bird wings, representing both male and female forms in some writings. The male counterpart is known as shedu, while female Lamassus are called apsasû. In ancient Mesopotamian art, the Lamassu is portrayed as a celestial being with a human head, bull's body, sometimes adorned with horns and ears of a bull, and wings. This hybrid creature is common in Near Eastern art, first recorded around 3000 BCE in Ebla. The distinct Lamassu motif emerged in Assyria during Tiglath-Pileser II's reign as a symbol of power. Assyrian sculptors typically placed prominent pairs of Lamassu at palace entrances, facing the street and internal courtyards. These double-aspect figures are carved on corners in high relief, appearing to stand from the front and walk from the side. Earlier versions often featured five legs, visible when viewed obliquely. Colossal entrance way figures were frequently accompanied by a hero grasping a wriggling lion, also colossal and in high relief. At the palace of Sargon II in Khorsabad, at least seven Lamassu and two such heroes surrounded the entrance to the throne room, creating an overwhelming impression of power. They also appear on cylinder seals and are found in notable museums worldwide. The Lamassu or Lumasi represent the zodiacs, parent-stars, or constellations, encompassing all life within them. In the Sumerian Epic of Gilgamesh, they are depicted as physical deities, originating from this ancient text. Although "lamassu" had a different iconography in Sumerian culture, the terms lamassu, alad, and shedu evolved throughout Assyro-Akkadian culture to denote the Assyrian-winged-man-bull symbol and statues during the Neo-Assyrian empire. In Mesopotamian art, the Lamassu is frequently depicted as a celestial being with a human head, bull's body, sometimes with horns and ears of a bull, and wings. It was considered a household protective spirit by the common Babylonian people, becoming associated later as royal protectors. The Akkadians linked the god Papsukkal with lamassu and the god Išum with shedu. To safeguard homes, the Lamassu were engraved on clay tablets, buried under door thresholds. They often appeared in pairs at palace entrances and colossal sizes at city gates, each facing a cardinal point.
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