Katana VentraIP

Stela of Shamshi-Adad V

The Stela of Shamshi-Adad V is a large Assyrian monolith erected during the reign of Shamshi-Adad V. The stela was discovered in the mid nineteenth century at the ancient site of Kalhu (now known as Nimrud) by the British archaeologist Hormuzd Rassam. Dated to between 824-811 BC, the sculpture is now part of the British Museum's collection of Middle East antiquities.[1][2]

Stela of Shamshi-Adad V

Limestone

Height 195.2 cm, Width 92.5 cm

9th century BC

British Museum, London

ME 118892

Discovery[edit]

This stela was found by Rassam in 1855 near the Temple of Nabu at Nimrud. It was shipped to London the following year to become part of the British Museum's Assyrian collection, where it is displayed alongside the Kurkh Monoliths and adjacent to the Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser III and the White Obelisk of Ashurnasirpal I.

J.E. Reade, Assyrian Sculpture (London, The British Museum Press, 1998)

A.K. Grayson, Assyrian Royal Inscriptions (Wiesbaden, O. Harrassowitz, 1976)

J.E. Curtis and J.E. Reade (eds), Art and empire: treasures from (London, The British Museum Press, 1995)

A.H. Layard, Discoveries in the ruins of Nineveh and Babylon (London, J. Murray, 1853)