The Image of Lion in Assyrian Reliefs:The Examples in the Time of Ashurbanipal, II

As one of the prominent civilizations of northern Mesopotamia (now Iraq), Assyrian civilization enjoys a distinguished place in terms of the arts of relief and sculpture. The Assyrian art, reflecting the bravery and dauntlessness of its people, has been represented in its reliefs. Basically, the spirit of combativeness and being a warrior is the dominant theme in Assyrian carvings. In this respect, the image of lion is one of the most commonly used images in Mesopotamian Art in general an in Assyrian Art in particular. This image can be traced from the very advent of Assyrian Art, in Assyrian meal dishes and metal handicrafts up to the reliefs and architectural works created by them. The present study aimed to identify the role of the image of lion in the Assyrian reliefs in general and specifically in the time of Ashurbanipal, II. In other words, the study aimed to make it clear why the image of lion has been so commonly represented in the Assyrian reliefs. Accordingly, the symbolic meaning of lion in the reliefs was examined. “Why do the images of hunting lions symbolize the authority and power of the Assyrian kings; why do they allude to the defeat of the foes?” are the research questions. Sadr-o-Din Taheri (2012) in a study entitled the architype of lion in Iran, Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt and Saied Ahmadi Oliaie and Mohammad Azamzadeh (2016) in a study entitled typology of the motif of standing god on animals in civilizations of Anatolia ancient Mesopotamia (Sumer, Babylonia and Ashur) have, to some extent, addressed the issue.