An Examination of Late Assyrian Metalwork: with Special Reference to Nimrud

Description

Despite the fact that the Assyrian kingdom that dominated the Ancient Near East between the ninth and seventh centuries BC had a rich material culture, attested particularly by the distinctive stone wall reliefs and colossal gateway figures, practically nothing is known about Assyrian metalwork. There has been no previous survey of this subject, largely because a number of the material used to be not accessible. This volume makes available for the first time a vast amount of up to now unpublished metalwork, much of it from the Assyrian capital city of Nimrud, excavated first by Sir Henry Layard between 1845 and 1851 and then by the British School of Archaeology in Iraq between 1949 and 1963. It emerges that Assyria had a thriving metalworking industry probably superior to any latest state in the region, and used to be producing large quantities of sophisticated bronze and ironwork, of high technical quality and occasionally elaborately decorated. This book will subsequently be of interest to archaeologists, art historians and metallurgists. It is the publication of a PhD thesis that used to be successfully submitted in 1979. It is published here in its original form to be able to make the large amount of primary data that it contains available to a much wider circle of scholars.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter I. Review Of The Evidence
Introduction
A) Nimrud
B) Nineveh
C) Khorsabad
D) Ashur
E) Balawat
F) Sharif Khan
G) Tell Billa
H) Tell al Rimah
I) Tell Abu Marya
J) Sites in the Makhmur Plain
K) Assyrian metalwork out of the country

Chapter II. Tools And Weapons
Introduction
A) Axes
B) Axe-adze
C) Adzes
D) Pick-axes
E) Saws
F) Ploughshares
G) Sickle-blades
H) Hoes
I) Knife-blades
J) Needles and bodkins
K) Wedges
L) Miscellaneous tools
M) Daggers
N) Swords
O) Scabbards
P) Spearheads
Q) Spear-butts
R) Arrowheads
S) Quivers
T) Quiver-pin
U) Helmets
V) Shields
W) Armour scales

Chapter III. Fixtures And Fittings
Introduction
A) Foundation plaques and bosses
B) Miniature symbols
C) Model dogs
D) Masonry clamps
E) Brick-stamps
F–G) Wall-pegs and plaques
H) Pivot-casings
I) Gate-post caps
J) Holdfasts for doors
K) Door-lock(?)
L) Bronze gate overlay
M) Metal overlay for columns
N) Bronze overlay for ‘hands of Ishtar’
O) Ring fixtures
P) Movable temple furniture
Q) Grappling-irons and chains
R) Pulley-wheels
S) Altar- and throne-bases

Chapter IV. Tripods, Vessels And Weights
A) Tripods
B) Cauldrons and large vessels
C) Bowls and other small vessels
D) Buckets
E) Strainers
F) Spoons
G) Lamps
H) Weights

Chapter V. Furniture And Boxes
Introduction
A) Complete items of furniture
B) Furniture legs and feet
C) Furniture finials
D) Bronze furniture overlay
E) Applied furniture ornaments
F) Furniture hinges and connecting rods
G) Holdfasts for boxes
H) Box hinges
I) Box handles
J) Decorative plaques for boxes

Chapter VI. Horse Harness And Chariot Fittings
Introduction
A) Horse-bits
B) Decorative bosses
C) Blinker ornaments
D) Bronze bells
E) Decorative bronze plaques
F) Decorative bronze caps
G) Bronze nail-studs
H) Tubular beads
I) Corrugated caps and their fittings
J)‘Torques’
K) Wire tassel
L) Figure-of-eight plaques
M) Bronze toggles
N) Linch-pins
O) Wheel-flange(?)

Chapter VII. Personal Ornaments
Introduction
A) Bracelets
B) Anklets
C) Finger-rings
D) Earrings
E) Hair-rings
F) Torques
G) Fibulae
H) Pendants
I) Beads
J) Moulds
K) Garment plaques
L) Pins
M) Belts
N) Belt-buckles
O) Mirrors
P) Tweezers
Q) Spatulae

Chapter VIII. Varia
A) Mace-heads
B) Standards
C) Iron ingots
D) Statuary
E) Cymbals

Chapter IX. The Industry
A) Organization
B) Techniques
C) Ore sources

Chapter X. Conclusions
A) Ironwork
B) Bronzework
C) Gold, Silver and lead
D) The introduction of iron
E) An indigenous tradition?
F) Status of Assyrian metalwork
G) Historical conclusions
Catalogue
1) Tools and weapons
2) Fixtures and fittings
3) Tripods, vessels and weights
4) Furniture and boxes
5) Horse harness and chariot fittings
6) Personal ornaments
7) Varia