Dur-Sharukkin

Dur-Sharukkin
   Meaning "Fortress of Sargon," a new capital of the Assyrian Empire built in the last years of the eighth century B.c.byKing Sargon II. The city was located about 7 miles (11 km) northeast of the modern Iraqi city of Mosul. Dur-Sharukkin (modern Khorsabad) was surrounded by an imposing brick defensive wall some 46 feet (14m) thick and 39 feet (12m) high and covered about 1 square mile (2.6 sq. km). The corners of the square marked out by the walls pointed to the north, south, east, and west.
   one of the city's outstanding structures was Sargon's palace, which he claimed was "without rival." His inauguration inscription, which has survived, reads, "For me, Sargon, who dwells in this palace, may he [the god Ashur] decree as my destiny, eternal life." The palace originally featured more than two hundred rooms grouped around three large courtyards, and the entrances were guarded by giant stone, winged bulls. The interior walls of the palace are still covered with magnificent relief sculptures depicting Sargon's military exploits. There are so many panels of reliefs that if they were laid end to end they would stretch for nearly a mile (1.6 km)! The city also had a number of temples and shrines, the most important of which was dedicated to Nabu, god of literacy and wisdom.
   Thefirstmodernexcavations of Dur-Sharukkin were conducted by archaeologists Paul Emile Botta and Victor Place in the 1840s and the 1850s, during the golden age of Assyriology. A later expedition to the site mounted by the University of Chicago's Oriental Institute between 1929 and 1934 uncovered the so-called Khorsa-bad King List, a list of the names and lengths of the reigns of Assyria's rulers from about 2200 B.C.downtoSargon'sday.

Ancient Mesopotamia dictioary. . 2015.

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  • Sargon II — (reigned ca.721 705 b.c.)    The founder of the Assyrian Sargonid dynasty and one of the more aggressive kings of Assyria during its last and greatest phase of expansion. The manner in which Sargon acquired the throne in the wake of the death of… …   Ancient Mesopotamia dictioary

  • Botta, Paul Emile — (1802 1870)    A French diplomat and archaeologist who is sometimes called the world s first As syriologist because he was the first person to excavate an Assyrian palace. While working in an official capacity for the French government in iraq,… …   Ancient Mesopotamia dictioary

  • Khorsabad —    The modern name for the ancient Assyrian city of Dur Sharukkin. Modern scholars sometimes use the two names interchangeably. For details, see Dur Sharukkin.    See also: Assyrian Empire; Botta, Paul Emile …   Ancient Mesopotamia dictioary

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  • sculpture —    Ancient Mesopotamian sculpture took two principal forms: the free standing, three dimensional statue, figurine, or bust; and the relief, a carved scene raised partially from but still attached to a flat surface, such as a wall. Statues… …   Ancient Mesopotamia dictioary

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