
Ancient Mesopotamian sculpture spans roughly 5,000 years of artistic production from the civilizations between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers (modern Iraq, Syria, and Turkey). From the Sumerians through the Akkadians, Babylonians, and Assyrians, Mesopotamian artists created works ranging from tiny cylinder seals to colossal stone guardian figures.
Assyrian palace reliefs, carved in gypsum alabaster and originally painted, depicted royal hunts, battles, and religious ceremonies with remarkable narrative detail. Sumerian votive figures with wide staring eyes and clasped hands represent some of the earliest known devotional sculptures. The winged lamassu (human-headed bulls) that guarded Assyrian palace gates are among the most imposing ancient sculptures to survive.
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