Nimrud

Coordinates:36553.49N431943.57E

FromWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

Nimrud(Arabic:
)isthelaterArabnamefortheancientAssyriancityofKalhulocatedsouthof
MosulontheriverTigrisinnorthernMesopotamia.ArcheologistscalledthecityNimrudafterthe
BiblicalNimrod,alegendaryhuntinghero(cf.Genesis10:1112
(http://tools.wmflabs.org/bibleversefinder/?book=Genesis&verse=10:1112&src=KJV),Micah5:5
(http://tools.wmflabs.org/bibleversefinder/?book=Micah&verse=5:5&src=KJV),and1Chronicles1:10
(http://tools.wmflabs.org/bibleversefinder/?book=1Chronicles&verse=1:10&src=KJV)).Thecitywas
knownasCalah(Kalakh)intheBible.

Nimrud
(Arabic)

Thecitycoveredanareaof360hectares(890acres).[1]Theruinsofthecityarefoundwithinone
kilometerofthemoderndayAssyrianvillageofNoomaneainNinevehProvince,Iraq.Thisissome
30kilometres(19mi)southeastofMosul.
AuthoritiesconfirmedthecitywasbulldozedbyISILinMarch2015theextentofthedamagehad
notyetbeenverified.[2]

Contents
1Earlyhistory
1.1AshurnasirpalII
1.2ShalmaneserIII
2Archaeology
2.1TreasureofNimrud
2.2Colossalstatuesmovedtowesternarchaeologicalinstitutes
3Destruction
4Seealso
5Notes

AlamassufromNimrudintheBritishMuseum

6Referencesandfurtherreading
7Externallinks

Earlyhistory
TheAssyriankingShalmaneserI(1274BC1245BC)builtKalhu(Calah/Nimrud)duringthe
MiddleAssyrianEmpire.However,theancientcityofAshurremainedthecapitalofAssyria,asithad
beensincecirca3500BC.
Anumberofhistorians,suchasJulianJaynes,believethattheBiblicalfigureNimrod(ofwhomthe
farlaterArabnameforthecitywasderived)wasinspiredbythedeedsoftherealkingofAssyria
TukultiNinurtaI(12441207BC),thesonofShalmaneserI,andapowerfulconqueror.Others
believethenamederivedfromtheAssyriangodNinurta,whohadamajorculticcentreatKalhu
/Nimrud.[3]
ThecitygainedfamewhenkingAshurnasirpalIIoftheNeoAssyrianEmpire(883BC859BC)
madeithiscapitalattheexpenseofAshur.Hebuiltalargepalaceandtemplesinthecitythathad
fallenintoadegreeofdisrepairduringtheDarkAgesofthemid11thtomid10thcenturiesBC.
Agrandopeningceremonywithfestivitiesandanopulentbanquetin879BCisdescribedinan
inscribedstelediscoveredduringarcheologicalexcavations.ThecityofkingAshurnasirpalIIhoused
perhapsasmanyas100,000inhabitants,andcontainedbotanicgardensandazoo.Hisson,
ShalmaneserIII(858824BC),builtthemonumentknownastheGreatZiggurat,andanassociated
temple.

ShownwithinIraq

Alternatename Kalhu
Location

Noomanea,NinevehProvince,
Iraq

Region

Mesopotamia

Coordinates

36553.49N431943.57E

Type

Settlement

Area

3.6km2(1.4sqmi)

KalhuremainedthecapitaloftheAssyrianEmpireduringthereignsofShamshiAdadV(822811BC),AdadnirariIII(810782BC),Queen
Semiramis(810806BC),AdadnirariIII(806782BC),ShalmaneserIV(782773BC),AshurdanIII(772755BC),AshurnirariV(754746BC),
TiglathPileserIII(745727BC)andShalmaneserV(726723BC).TiglathPileserIIIinparticular,conductedmajorbuildingworksinthecity,aswell
asintroducingEasternAramaicasthelinguafrancaoftheempire.
Howeverin706BCSargonII(722705BC)movedthecapitaloftheempiretoDurSharrukin,andafterhisdeath,Sennacherib(705681BC)movedit
toNineveh.ItremainedamajorcityandaroyalresidenceuntilthecitywaslargelydestroyedduringthefalloftheAssyrianEmpireatthehandsofan
allianceofformersubjectpeoples,includingBabylonians,Chaldeans,Medes,Persians,ScythiansandCimmerians(between616BCand605BC).

TheNinevehProvinceinwhichtheruinsofNimrudlie,isstillthemajorcenterofIraq'sindigenousAssyrianpopulation(nowexclusivelyEastern
AramaicspeakingChristians)tothisday.
ThenameNimrudinconnectionwiththesiteisapparentlyfirstusedinthewritingsofCarstenNiebuhr,whowasinMosulinMarch1760.

AshurnasirpalII
KingAshurnasirpalII,whoreignedfrom883to859BC,builtanewcapitalatNimrud.Thousandsofmenworkedtobuilda5mile(8.0km)longwall
surroundingthecityandagrandpalace.Thereweremanyinscriptionscarvedintolimestoneincludingonethatsaid"Thepalaceofcedar,cypress,
juniper,boxwood,mulberry,pistachiowood,andtamarisk,formyroyaldwellingandformylordlypleasureforalltime,Ifoundedtherein.Beastsofthe
mountainsandoftheseas,ofwhitelimestoneandalabasterIfashionedandsetthemuponitsgates."Theinscriptionsalsodescribedplunderstoredat
thepalace."Silver,gold,lead,copperandiron,thespoilofmyhandfromthelandswhichIhadbroughtundermysway,ingreatquantitiesItookand
placedtherein."Theinscriptionsalsodescribedgreatfeastshehadtocelebratehisconquests.Howeverhisvictimswerehorrifiedbyhisconquests.The
textalsosaid"ManyofthecaptivesIhavetakenandburnedinafire.ManyItookalivefromsomeIcutofftheirhandstothewrists,fromothersIcut
offtheirnoses,earsandfingersIputouttheeyesofmanyofthesoldiers.Iburnedtheiryoungmenwomenand
childrentodeath."Aboutaconquestinanothervanquishedcityhewrote"Iflayedthenoblesasmanyasrebelled
andspreadtheirskinsoutonthepiles."Theseshocktacticsbroughtsuccessin877BCE,whenafteramarchto
theMediterraneanheannounced"Icleanedmyweaponsinthedeepseaandperformedsheepofferingstothe
gods."[4]

ShalmaneserIII
KingAshurnasirpal'ssonShalmaneserII(858823BC)Icontinuedwhereheleftoff.Hespent31ofhis35year
reigninwarandconquest.AfterabattleneartheOrontesRiverwithacoalitionofArameanand
Canaanite/Phoenicianstatesheboasted:
Islew14,000oftheirwarriorswiththesword.LikeAdad,Iraineddestructiononthem.Iscatteredtheircorpses
farandwide,(and)coveredthefaceofthedesolateplainwiththeirwidespreadingarmies.With(my)weaponsI
madetheirbloodtoflowdownthevalleysoftheland.Theplainwastoosmallfortheirbodiestofallthewide
countrysidewasusedtoburythem.WiththeircorpsesIspannedtheArantu(Orontes)aswithabridge.[5][1]
(http://books.google.com/books?id=uDijjc_D5P0C&pg=PA257&dq=shalmaneser+III+campaigns#PPA259,M1)
AstelefromNimrud.

AtNimrudhebuiltapalacethatfarsurpassedhisfather's.Itwastwicethesizeanditcoveredanareaofabout12acres(49,000m2)andincludedmore
than200rooms.[6]
In828BC,hissonrebelledagainsthimandwasjoinedby27otherAssyriancitiesincludingNinevehandAshur.Thisconflictlasteduntil821BC,
3yearsafterShalmaneser'sdeath,duringthereignofShamshiAdadV(822811BC).[6]

Archaeology
ThesitewasfirstdescribedbytheBritishtravelerClaudiusJamesRichin1820,shortlybeforehisdeath.
ExcavationsatNimrudwerefirstconductedbyAustenHenryLayard,workingfrom1845to1847andfrom1849
until1851[8][9][10]LayardbelievedatthetimethatthesitewaspartofNineveh,andhisexcavationpublications
werethuslabeled.Atthispoint,theworkwashandedovertoHormuzdRassam,himselfanAssyrian,in185354
andthenW.K.Loftusin185455.[11]
AfterGeorgeSmithbrieflyworkedthesitein1873andRassamreturnedtherefrom1877to1879,Nimrudwas
leftuntouchedforalmost60years.[12]ABritishSchoolofArchaeologyinIraqteamledbyMaxMallowan
resumeddiggingatNimrudin1949.Theworkcontinueduntil1963withDavidOatesbecomingdirectorin1958
followedbyJulianOrchardin1963.[13][14][15]

Lamassu'sattheNorthWestPalace
ofAshurnasirpal

SubsequentworkwasbytheDirectorateofAntiquitiesoftheRepublicofIraq(1956,195960,196978and198292),JanuszMeuzynski(197476),
PaoloFiorina(198789)withtheCentroRicercheArcheologicheeScavidiTorinowhoconcentratedmainlyonFortShalmaneser,andJohnCurtis
(1989).[16]In1974tohisuntimelydeathin1976JanuszMeuszynskithedirectorofthePolishCenterforMediterraneanArchaeologyproject,withthe
permissionoftheIraqiexcavationteam,hadthewholesitedocumentedonfilminslidefilmandblackandwhiteprintfilm.Everyreliefthat
remainedinsitu,aswellasthefallen,brokenpiecesthatweredistributedintheroomsacrossthesitewerephotographed.Meuszynskialsoarranged
withthearchitectofhisproject,RichardP.Sobolewski,tosurveythesiteandrecorditinplanandinelevation.[17]
Excavationsrevealedremarkablebasreliefs,ivories,andsculptures.AstatueofAshurnasirpalIIwasfoundinanexcellentstateofpreservation,aswere
colossalwingedmanheadedlionsweighing10shorttons(9.1t)to30shorttons(27t)[18]eachguardingthepalaceentrance.Thelargenumberof
inscriptionsdealingwithkingAshurnasirpalIIprovidemoredetailsabouthimandhisreignthanareknownforanyotherrulerofthisepoch.Portionsof
thesitehavebeenalsobeenidentifiedastemplestoNinurtaandEnlil,abuildingassignedtoNabu,thegodofwritingandthearts,andasextensive
fortifications.

ThepalacesofAshurnasirpalII,ShalmaneserIII,andTiglathPileserIIIhavebeenlocated.ThefamousBlackObeliskofShalmaneserIIIwas
discoveredbyLayardin1846.LayardwasaidedbyHormuzdRassam.Themonumentstandssixandahalffeettallandcommemoratestheking's
victoriouscampaignsof859824BC.Itisshapedlikeatempletoweratthetop,endinginthreesteps.Ononepanel,IsraelitesledbykingJehuofIsrael
paytributeandbowinthedustbeforekingShalmaneserIII,whoismakingalibationtohisgod.Thecuneiformtextontheobeliskreads"Jehutheson
ofOmri",andmentionsgiftsofgold,silver,lead,andspearshafts.

TreasureofNimrud
The"TreasureofNimrud"unearthedintheseexcavationsisacollectionof613piecesofgoldjewelryandpreciousstones.Ithassurvivedthe
confusionsandlootingaftertheinvasionofIraqin2003inabankvault,whereithadbeenputawayfor12yearsandwas"rediscovered"onJune5,
2003.[19]

Colossalstatuesmovedtowesternarchaeologicalinstitutes
In1847afterdiscoveringmorethanhalfadozenwingedpairsofcolossalstatuesoflionsandbullsalsoknownas
lamassuweighingupto30shorttons(27t)HenryLayardbroughttwoofthecolossiweighing10shorttons
(9.1t)eachincludingonelionandonebulltoLondon.After18monthsandseveralneardisastershesucceeded
inbringingthemtotheBritishMuseum.Thisinvolvedloadingthemontoawheeledcart.Theywerelowered
withacomplexsystemofpulleysandleversoperatedbydozensofmen.Thecartwastowedby300men.He
initiallytriedtohookthecartuptoateamofbuffaloandhavethemhaulit.Howeverthebuffalorefusedto
move.Thentheywereloadedontoabargewhichrequired600goatskinsandsheepskinstokeepitafloat.After
arrivinginLondonarampwasbuilttohaulthemupthestepsandintothemuseumonrollers.
Additional30shorttons(27t)colossiweretransportedtoParisfromKhorsabadbyPaulEmileBottain1853.In
1928EdwardChieraalsotransporteda40shortton(36t)ColossusfromKhorsabadtoChicago.[18][20]

Destruction
Nimrud'svariousmonumentshadfacedthreatsfromexposuretotheharshelementsoftheIraqiclimate.Lackof
properprotectiveroofingmeantthattheancientreliefsatthesiteweresusceptibletoerosionfromwindblown
sandandstrongseasonalrains.[21]

PlanofNimrud,byFelixJones
bef.1920[7]

However,thegreatestthreattoNimrudwasfromtheIslamicStateofIraqandtheLevant,whichoccupiedthatareainthesummerof2014.ISILhad
destroyedotherholysites,includingtheMosqueoftheProphetJonahinMosul.Inearly2015,theyannounced
theirintentiontodestroypreIslamicartifactsastheyoffendtheirreligiousviews,andinfact,reportedly
destroyedsomeartifactsfromNimrud.InFebruary2015,ISILdestroyedAkkadianmonumentsintheMosul
Museum,andonMarch5,2015,IraqannouncedthatISILmilitantshavebulldozedNimrudanditsarcheological
site,claimingtheywereblasphemous.[2][22][23]ISILhasdeclaredanintentiontodestroytherestoredcitygatesin
Nineveh.[22]

Seealso
CitiesoftheancientNearEast
Shortchronologytimeline
Nimrudlens
BlackObeliskofShalmaneserIII

Notes
1. ^Mieroop,Marcvande(1997).TheAncientMesopotamianCity(http://books.google.com/books?id=_YKlbIp9pYMC&pg=PA95).Oxford:OxfordUniversity
Press.p.95.ISBN9780191588457.
2. ^abKarimAbouMerhi(March5,2015)."IS'bulldozed'ancientAssyriancityofNimrud,Iraqsays"(http://news.yahoo.com/bulldozedancientassyriancity
nimrudiraqgovt203312292.html).AFP.RetrievedMarch5,2015.
3. ^JulianJaynes(2000).TheOriginofConsciousnessintheBreakdownoftheBicameralMind.MarinerBooks.Retrieved20130616.
4. ^TimeLifeLostCivilizationsseries:Mesopotamia:TheMightyKings.(1995)p.967
5. ^Miller,J.M.&Hayes,J.H.(1986).AHistoryofAncientIsraelandJudah.WestminsterJohnKnoxPress.p.257259.
6. ^abTimeLifeLostCivilizationsseries:Mesopotamia:TheMightyKings.(1995)p.1001
7. ^Budge,ErnestAlfredThompsonWallis(1920)."ByNileandTigris:anarrativeofjourneysinEgyptandMesopotamiaonbehalfoftheBritishMuseum
betweentheyears1886and1913"(http://www.archive.org/stream/cu31924088412592#page/n437/).JohnMurray:London.OCLC558957855
(https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/558957855)
8. ^A.H.Layard,NinevehandItsRemains,JohnMurray,1849
9. ^A.H.Layard,DiscoveriesintheRuinsofNinevehandBabylon,JohnMurray,1853
10. ^A.H.Layard,ThemonumentsofNinevehfromdrawingsmadeonthespot,JohnMurray,1849

10. ^A.H.Layard,ThemonumentsofNinevehfromdrawingsmadeonthespot,JohnMurray,1849
11. ^HormuzdRassamandRobertWilliamRogers,AsshurandthelandofNimrod,Curts&Jennings,1897
12. ^GeorgeSmith,AssyrianDiscoveries:AnAccountofExplorationsandDiscoveriesontheSiteofNinevehDuring1873to1874,Schribner,1875
13. ^M.E.L.Mallowan,NimrudanditsRemains,3vols,BritishSchoolofArchaeologyinIraq,1966
14. ^JoanOatesandDavidOates,Nimrud:AnImperialCityRevealed,BritishSchoolofArchaeologyinIraq,2001,ISBN0903472252
15. ^D.OatesandJ.H.Reid,TheBurntPalaceandtheNabuTempleNimrudExcavations,1955,Iraq,vol.18,no.1,pp.2239,1956
16. ^PaoloFiorina,UnbracieredaForteSalmanassar,Mesopotamia,vol.33,pp.167188,1998
17. ^JanuszMeuszynski,NeoAssyrianReliefsfromtheCentralAreaofNimrudCitadel,Iraq,vol.38,no.1,pp.3743,1976
18. ^abTimeLifeLostCivilizationsseries:Mesopotamia:TheMightyKings.(1995)p.112121
19. ^http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/06/0602_030602_iraqgold.html
20. ^Oliphant,MargaretTheAtlasOfTheAncientWorld(1992)p.32
21. ^JaneArraf(February11,2009)."Iraq:NoHavenforAncientWorld'sLandmarks"(http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/0211/p04s01wome.html).TheChristian
ScienceMonitor.
22. ^ab"Iraq:IsismilitantspledgetodestroyremainingarchaeologicaltreasuresinNimrud"(http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middleeast/iraqisis
militantspledgetodestroyremainingarchaeologicaltreasuresinnimrud10076133.html).TheIndependent.27Feb2015.
23. ^AlJazeera:ISILvideoshowsdestructionof7thcenturyartifacts(http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2015/2/26/isilseeninnewvideodestroying7thcentury
artifacts.html)(26February2015)

Referencesandfurtherreading
HenryC.Rawlinson,OntheBirsNimrud,ortheGreatTempleofBorsippa,TheJournaloftheRoyalAsiaticSocietyofGreatBritainandIreland,
vol.18,pp.134,1861
D.J.Wiseman,TheNabuTempleTextsfromNimrud,JournalofNearEasternStudies,vol.27,no.3,pp.248250,1968
D.J.Wiseman,FragmentsofHistoricalTextsfromNimrud,Iraq,vol.26,no.2,pp.118124,1964
BarbaraParker,SealsandSealImpressionsfromtheNimrudExcavations,Iraq,vol.24,no.1,pp.26401962
BarbaraParker,NimrudTablets,1956:EconomicandLegalTextsfromtheNabuTemple,Iraq,vol.19,no.2,pp.125138,1957
Crawford,VaughnE.etal.(1980).AssyrianreliefsandivoriesintheMetropolitanMuseumofArt:palacereliefsofAssurnasirpalIIandivory
carvingsfromNimrud(http://libmma.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/compoundobject/collection/p15324coll10/id/33166/rec/1).NewYork:The
MetropolitanMuseumofArt.ISBN0870992600.

Externallinks
Nimrud/Calah(http://ancientneareast.tripod.com/Nimrud_Calah.html)
CentroRicercheArcheologicheeScavidiTorinoexcavationsite
(http://www.centroscavitorino.it/en/progetti/iraq/nimrud.html)
ArchaeologicalsitephotographsatOrientalInstitute
(http://oi.uchicago.edu/OI/IS/SANDERS/PHOTOS/MESO/NIMRUD/nimrud1_1.html)

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THESECRETOFNIMRUDPhotographsbyNoreenFeeney(http://www.baghdadmuseum.org/secret/index.htm)
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