Art Resource - ART209139

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Ivory plaque depicting a winged sphinx, Phoenician, found at Fort Shalmaneser, Nimrud (ancient Kalhu), northern Iraq, 9th-8th century BC. Fort Shalmaneser consisted of a palace, storerooms and arsenal for the Assyrian army. This openwork ivory plaque may originally have been part of a piece of furniture which came to Nimrud, the Assyrian capital, as part of tribute or booty. When Nimrud was plundered at the end of the seventh century BC objects such as furniture were broken up for their inlaid precious stones and metals. The sphinx shows clear Egyptian influence since he wears the Upper and Lower crown of Egypt and hanging from his chest is an apron with a projecting uraeus (rearing cobra) worn by Egyptian pharaohs. The style shows that the ivory was probably carved by a Phoenician craftsman on the coast of the Levant. It is similar to the falcon-headed sphinxes, which wear the double crown and uraeus, on a bronze bowl also from Nimrud. ANE, 134322

Location British Museum/London/Great Britain

Unique Identifier ART209139

Type Image

Purpose Public

Size 4000px × 3451px

Photo Credit Erich Lessing / Art Resource, NY

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