ticketsMember | Make a donation

Dog

ca. 9th–8th century BCE
Not on view
Cast in bronze, this figurine represents a dog with head thrust forward in a posture of alertness, pointed ears pricked up, and curled tail. The dog stands solidly on all four feet, suggesting it is keeping watch rather than in motion. The legs are relatively short and the body compact, suggesting a dog smaller than the mastiffs sometimes represented as guard dogs in Mesopotamian art, such as the large terracotta sculpture on display in the museum (1989.233). This small bronze was found in a well in the Northwest Palace at Nimrud along with other bronze dogs, finely carved ivory furniture elements, and other palace furnishings. It is likely that these objects were thrown in the well by the conquering armies who looted the palace during the final defeat of Assyria by a coalition of Babylonians and Iranian peoples in 612 B.C.

Dogs were associated with several Mesopotamian gods, especially the healing goddess Gula. Clay or bronze dog figurines were frequently placed under the floors of buildings to guard the structures from evil during the late second and early first millennium B.C., a magical act that recalls the use of actual dogs as watchful guardians. Five clay dogs were excavated under a doorway in a later Assyrian palace at Nineveh and are now in the collection of the British Museum. The dogs were painted vivid colors and inscribed with short phrases describing their functions, such as: "Expeller of evil," "Catcher of the enemy," and "Don’t think, bite!" The bronze dog likely had a similar protective function.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Dog
  • Period: Neo-Assyrian
  • Date: ca. 9th–8th century BCE
  • Geography: Mesopotamia, Nimrud (ancient Kalhu)
  • Culture: Assyrian
  • Medium: Bronze
  • Dimensions: 1 1/4 × 1 9/16 × 1/2 in. (3.1 × 4 × 1.3 cm)
  • Credit Line: Rogers Fund, 1954
  • Object Number: 54.117.23
  • Curatorial Department: Ancient West Asian Art

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
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
Head of a female or goddess wearing a necklace, Ivory, gold, Assyrian
Head of a female or goddess wearing a necklace
Assyrian
ca. 9th–8th century BCE
Figure of a man with an oryx, a monkey, and a leopard skin, Ivory, Assyrian
Figure of a man with an oryx, a monkey, and a leopard skin
Assyrian
ca. 8th century BCE
Head of a female figure, Ivory, Assyrian
Head of a female figure
Assyrian
ca. 8th century BCE
Relief panel, Gypsum alabaster, Assyrian
Relief panel
Assyrian
ca. 883–859 BCE

Related Content

Timeline of Art History

Entries from The Met's art encyclopedia.

Publications

Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.

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.