Khorsabad Court Gallery Reliefs

Khorsabad Court Gallery

The Yelda Khorsabad Court recreates part of the interior of a palace courtyard of the Assyrian king Sargon II (721–705 BCE) from Dur-Sharrukin (modern Khorsabad), giving visitors the opportunity to learn about Assyrian royal building under the watch of a 40-ton human-headed winged bull (lamassu). Other highlights include a section of a glazed-brick panel and embossed bronze bands from Assyrian temples, a relief panel of a winged mythological figure (apkallu) from Kalhu (modern Nimrud), and a digital recreation of the citadel of Dur-Sharrukin. The majority of objects in the Yelda Khorsabad Court were excavated by ISAC’s Iraq Expedition (1929–35) at the archaeological site of Khorsabad (ancient Dur-Sharrukin, “Fortress of Sargon”).

I had stone šēdus and lamassus, whose appearance repels evil, placed to the right and the left of their gate(s) as protectors of the walk (and) guardians of the path of the king who made them.

King Esarhaddon Assyrian clay prism (7th century BCE)
Khorsabad Court Gallery

Object Highlights

Khorsabad Glazed Bricks (A11810)

Temple Panel

Section of glazed bricks depicting a bull from the façade of the Sin Temple at Dur-Sharrukin (Khorsabad), Iraq.

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Bronze band, Khorsabad

Door Relief Band

Fragment of a bronze band depicting a striding bull from the Sin Temple at Dur-Sharrukin (Khorsabad), Iraq.

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Relief panel with an apkallu (A34980)

Palace Wall Relief

Carved relief panel depicting a mythological sage (apkallu) from the Northwest Palace at Kalhu (Nimrud), Iraq.

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Khorsabad Court Gallery, Temples Case

Browse the Gallery

Search the ISAC Museum collections for more objects on display in the Yelda Khorsabad Court Gallery.

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