The revealing details of the Assyrian Lion Hunt Reliefs | Curator’s Corner

The Assyrian Lion Hunt reliefs show the ancient King, Ashurbanipal, riding his chariot and hunting enraged lions in some of the most striking artwork of the ancient world. This was not simply a blood sport - there was a deep significance to these ritual hunts, but you have to look closely to find it. A small piece of jewellery, or scratch marks on the stone, can tell you so much more. Join Keeper of Middle East Paul Collins, as he sheds light on these objects that are often seen, but rarely truly understood. CONTENT WARNING: Please DO NOT try this at home by chasing your cat with a nerf gun and a bicycle.
00:00 Intro
01:00 The origin of the reliefs
01:42 The importance of lion hunting
02:29 How the reliefs were viewed
02:49 The Corridor Procession
03:45 The Preparation scene
05:36 The Arrow scene
08:02 Why there are eighteen lions
09:04 The Sword and Spear scene
10:35 Why the lions are drawn so accurately
11:06 The mystery of the jewellery
12:33 Why there is so much damage
12:59 Revisiting the intro