The royal Lion Hunt of Ashurbanipal

3D Model

he royal Lion Hunt of Ashurbanipal is depicted on a set of gypsum reliefs from the North Palace of Nineveh. They are widely regarded as “the supreme masterpieces of Assyrian art”. They show a formalized ritual “hunt” by King Ashurbanipal (reigned 668 – c. 631/627 BC) in an arena, where captured Asian lions were released from cages for the king to slaughter with arrows, spears, or his sword. They were made about 645–635 BC, and originally formed different sequences placed around the palace.