Walls and Towers
Decorative Items

Assyria

Assyrian Lion

Winged Bull Guardian

Tiglath-Pileser III

Sargon II

Battering Ram

Siege Relief

Hebrew Captives

King Stabbing Lion

Ashurbanipal Feasting

Tiglath-Pileser in Chariot 

Forced Quarry Labor

Winged Lamassu

Human Headed Bull

Hero Grasping Lion

Sargon and High Official

Sargon II and Tartan

Eagle-Headed Deity

Assyrian Archers

Blinding Prisoners

Impaled Prisoners

Jehu Relief

King Hunting

Lachish Captives

Assyrian Slinger

Trodden Under Foot

Ashurbanipal Hunting

The Black Obelisk

Sennacherib's Prism

Assyrian Soldier 1

Assyrian Soldier 2

Babylon

The Striding Lion

Weld-Blundell Prism

The Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser III was discovered by the late Henry Layard in 1845. The 7 foot black limestone monument was found in the ruins of the palace of Shalmaneser III at ancient Calah, near Nineveh. It contains many panels displaying the Assyrian kings exploits. The Black Obelisk is one of the most important discoveries in Biblical Archaeology because one of the panels depicts the Hebrew king Jehu, or possibly one of his servants, bringing gifts to Shalmaneser and kneeling at his feet. The inscription above it reads:

"The tribute of Jehu, son of Omri, silver, gold, bowls of gold, chalices of gold, cups of gold, vases of gold, lead, a sceptre for the king, and spear-shafts, I have received." 

Material - Black Limestone Obelisk 
Neo Assyrian
Date: 858-824 BC 
Height: 197.85 cm (77.8937008 inches)
Width: 45.08 cm (17.7480315 inches)
Depth: 
Nimrud (ancient Calah), northern Iraq
Excavated by: Henry Layard 1845-1849
Location: British Museum, London

British Museum Excerpt

The Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser III

Neo-Assyrian, 858-824 BC
From Nimrud (ancient Kalhu), northern Iraq

The military achievements of an Assyrian king

The archaeologist Henry Layard discovered this black limestone obelisk in 1846 during his excavations of the site of Kalhu, the ancient Assyrian capital. It was erected as a public monument in 825 BC at a time of civil war. The relief sculptures glorify the achievements of King Shalmaneser III (reigned 858-824 BC) and his chief minister. It lists their military campaigns of thirty-one years and the tribute they exacted from their neighbours: including camels, monkeys, an elephant and a rhinoceros. Assyrian kings often collected exotic animals and plants as an expression of their power.

There are five scenes of tribute, each of which occupies four panels round the face of the obelisk and is identified by a line of cuneiform script above the panel. From top to bottom they are:

Sua of Gilzanu (in north-west Iran)
Jehu of Bit Omri (ancient northern Israel)
An unnamed ruler of Musri (probably Egypt)
Marduk-apil-usur of Suhi (middle Euphrates, Syria and Iraq)
Qalparunda of Patin (Antakya region of Turkey)

The second register from the top includes the earliest surviving picture of an Israelite: the Biblical Jehu, king of Israel, brought or sent his tribute in around 841 BC. Ahab, son of Omri, king of Israel, had lost his life in battle a few years previously, fighting against the king of Damascus at Ramoth-Gilead (I Kings xxii. 29-36). His second son (Joram) was succeeded by Jehu, a usurper, who broke the alliances with Phoenicia and Judah, and submitted to Assyria. The caption above the scene, written in Assyrian cuneiform, can be translated

The tribute of Jehu, son of Omri: I received from him silver, gold, a golden bowl, a golden vase with pointed bottom, golden tumblers, golden buckets, tin, a staff for a king [and] spears. 

Height: 197.85 cm 
Width: 45.08 cm 

Excavated by A.H. Layard
ANE 118885
Room 6, Assyrian sculpture

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Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser III, black stone, Nimrud, c. 852 BCE
From the Neo-Assyrian Period, 1000 BCE - 612 BCE
Found in Nimrud
Covered in lecture on Apr 11th, 2005
The Neo-Assyrian Kings saw the benefits of relaying political messages through carved stone (a relatively long-lasting material) and exploited the idea thoroughly with relief programs placed in all the major Assyrian palaces, and the placement of obelisks (such as the one pictured above) in public places. The Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser III is particularly interesting for its content (which shows the subjugation of Jehu, King of Israel) and for its use of narrative. It is inscribed with the annals of King Shalmaneser, which are then illustrated by carved panels on all four sides.

It was in 1845 that Henry Layard an Englishman who was one of the first and one of the greatest Assyriologists of the 19th century, dug up this now world-famous black basalt obelisk.

It is a victory Monument over 6 feet high, commemorating the campaign of Shalmaneser III of Assyria, who reigned from 859-824 B.C. Both the reliefs in the second top row and that cuneiform text are of great interest for Biblical studies of the period. They tell us that King Jehu of Israel paid tribute to this Assyrian king.

How King Jehu paid tribute Shalmaneser III is shown in the series of reliefs in the second row of the black obelisk.  The king of Israel grovels in the dust before the Assyrian king, who is making a libation.  Behind Shalmaneser III stand two officers, one holding a parasol and the other a club.  Opposite the monarch two grooms-in-waiting have taken up their stance, one waves a fan and a censer, the other, carrying a scepter under his arm, has his hands respectfully clasped in front of him.  Then comes a bearded officer with an attendant, leading a procession of 13 Israelites laden with precious gifts for the Assyrian king.  All the Israelites are bearded, and wear peaked caps and bandeaux. A long robe with fringes round the hem and a girdle, a long cloak with fringed end thrown over the shoulder, and pointed shoes complete their outfit.

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Black obelisk of Shalmaneser III, side A row 2
Shalmaneser beneath a parasol, accepts "the tribute of Iaua of the House of Humri" in 841 BC. This is King Jehu of Israel (2Ki 9-10). The symbols of the gods Assur (winged sun disc) and Ishtar (star) hover overhead. The Bible does not mention Jehu paying tribute to the Assyrians.

Black obelisk of Shalmaneser III, closeup of Jehu, side A row 2
The official prostrating in front of Shalmaneser is quite possibly King Jehu of Israel, though it could also possibly be his ambassador. This gives us some idea of Israelite dress in old testament times.