ticketsMember | Make a donation

Assyrian Crown-Prince

ca. 704–681 BCE
Not on view
This relief fragment dates to the time of Sennacherib (r. 704-681 B.C.), and comes from the great Southwest Palace, called by Sennacherib the "Palace Without Rival," at Nineveh. It originally formed part of a procession scene, and depicts in low relief the upper part of a male figure whose beard, clothing, and jewelry indicate particularly high status. His diadem, with incised decoration representing embroidered rosettes and a thin length of fabric running from its back, is an attribute often associated in this period with the Assyrian crown-prince. Visible jewelry includes a large earring, crescent-shaped with multiple projecting pendants or studs, thick armlets, and a bracelet whose faces originally would have depicted rosettes; related forms have been found among the gold jewelry discovered in the tombs of royal women at Nimrud. The figure rests his hand on the pommel of a short sword, the scabbard of which terminates in two lions. Much of the clothing was incised with fine detailed decoration representing embroidery, now difficult to see as the surface of the stone itself has suffered considerable wear. It seems likely that the panel was discovered out of position, possibly having been reused in antiquity, which might help explain its relatively poor condition. Other damage seems deliberate: part of the figure’s face appears to have been chiseled away in antiquity. Following the sack of Nineveh in 612 B.C., images of kings and some other royal figures were targeted, probably for magical as well as propagandistic reasons.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Assyrian Crown-Prince
  • Period: Neo-Assyrian
  • Date: ca. 704–681 BCE
  • Geography: Mesopotamia, Nineveh
  • Culture: Assyrian
  • Medium: Gypsum alabaster
  • Dimensions: 26 1/8 x 14 x 1 1/8 in. (66.5 x 35.5 x 2.8 cm)
  • Credit Line: Gift of John D. Rockefeller Jr., 1932
  • Object Number: 32.143.13
  • Curatorial Department: Ancient West Asian Art

Audio

Cover Image for 7062. Overview: The Assyrian Palaces at Khorsabad and Nineveh

  1. Overview: The Assyrian Palaces at Khorsabad and Nineveh

0:00
0:00
We're sorry, the transcript for this audio track is not available at this time. Please email info@metmuseum.org to request a transcript for this track.

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Relief fragment: cavalryman leading his horse beside a stream, Gypsum alabaster, Assyrian
Relief fragment: cavalryman leading his horse beside a stream
Assyrian
ca. 704–681 BCE
Relief fragment: cavalrymen along a stream in mountainous terrain, Gypsum alabaster, Assyrian
Relief fragment: cavalrymen along a stream in mountainous terrain
Assyrian
ca. 704–681 BCE
Furniture element carved in the round with the head of a roaring lion, Ivory, Assyrian
Furniture element carved in the round with the head of a roaring lion
Assyrian
ca. 9th–8th century BCE
Relief panel, Gypsum alabaster, Assyrian
Relief panel
Assyrian
ca. 883–859 BCE
Relief panel, Gypsum alabaster, Assyrian
Relief panel
Assyrian
ca. 883–859 BCE

Related Content

Perspectives

Articles, audio, and video from The Met's online magazine.

Timeline of Art History

Entries from The Met's art encyclopedia.

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.