Modern-day Iraq and Iran have been inhabited by countless people-groups for thousands of years. Once called Mesopotamia, the Assyrian people esteem Lamassu as a protective deity. Taking the hybrid form of a bull or lion, man, and bird, Lamassu represents the zodiacs and constellations and its form graces numerous cities, temples, and seals.
Who is Lamassu?
Originally known as the goddess Lamma, she mediated between the gods. A figure of the goddess was discovered in the temple of Ishtar in Uruk. She wore a ruffled dress and horned tiara, and her hands were raised in prayer. She is also known to have a male counterpart named Shedu. They were also known as royal protectors and became household protective spirits for the Assyrian people.
Lamassu in Mesopotamian Art and Architecture
Resembling a sphynx or griffin, Lamassu has the body of a bull or lion with the head of a human and eagle-like wings. This motif is common in the Near East and dates to 3000 BCE. The first Lamassu appeared under Tiglath-Pileser in the 900s BCE. To protect the household, Lamassu were engraved in clay tablets, and the tablet would then be buried under the door’s threshold. On a larger scale, Lamassu would also flank the entrances of palaces as colossal sculptures, in high relief, in pairs. They would look toward cardinal points. Lumasi are usually depicted as standing and sometimes have five legs and a male head. These enormous sculptures were often accompanied by a hero grasping a lion, also colossal in scale and in high relief.
Where Can I See Lamassu Now?
In addition to the sculptures that still protect ancient palaces in ancient Iraqi and Iranian cities, many have been moved to museums. You can see them at Gate of All Nations at Persepolis in Iran, the British Museum in London, the Louvre in Paris, the National Museum of Iraq in Baghdad, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and the University of Chicago Oriental Institute. In addition, they grace seals such as the British 10th Army insignia, the SAVAK of Iran insignia, and the seal of the United States Forces – Iraq.
The Terrorist Destruction of Lamassu
Historically, most if not all ancient cultures have been the victim of iconoclasm at one time or another. Around 2015, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, commonly known as ISIS or ISIL, destroyed several examples of Assyrian art including representations of Lamassu when they occupied sites in northern Iraq. Lamassu from Nimrud and the Mosul Museum, along with many other artifacts, were filmed as they were destroyed by drills and explosives. The terrorist organization sought to destroy example of non-Islamic worship, and UNESCO called the destruction of such heritage cites as a war crime.
Conclusively, Lamassu is an everlasting protective deity. Since antiquity, various people groups herald hybrid figures in numerous forms and cultures. We can still see many in existence in museums and as reminders of the roots of civilizations, but even protective deities sometimes need their own protection.