Egypt and the Origin of Assyrian Wall Reliefs by Mattias Karlsson Introductory

The sudden rise of monumental palace art in the shape of wall relief programs in Assyria in the ninth century BCE under Ashurnasirpal II (883-859) in his North-West Palace of Kalhu (modern Nimrud) has long interested scholars. It has been common practice to speak of the Syrian and Anatolian cultural spheres as the source of inspiration for these relief programs (e.g. Winter 1982, Gilibert 2004). The issue has rather revolved around to what extent the Assyrians copied or transformed these Syrian-Anatolian influences (e.g. Gerlach 2000, Orlamünde 2011). The perspective that these influences may be indirect, then having Egypt as their ultimate source, has less often been brought up (but see Groenewegen-Frankfort 1951: 172). Monumental relief programs in Egyptian palaces and temples were well developed in the New Kingdom (1550-1069), and because of this fact and Egypt’s proximity, it is natural to take a closer look on this art when discussing the origins of Assyrian relief programs. This paper contributes, in all modesty, to the debate by making a comparison out of an iconographic motif that is attested both from ancient Egypt and Assyria, namely “the siege scene” (Figs. 1-2). The comparative case is a most-likely-to-be-similar one. Thus, if it can be proved that there are substantial divergences between the two scenes, then the idea of Egypt as the ultimate source of inspiration for Assyrian art will be somewhat undermined. In case of the alternative outcome, the idea in question will reappear as a credible explanatory force. The Egyptian scene given below (Fig. 1) is taken from the art of the famous ruler Ramesses II (1279-1213) who is known for his ample monumental art and whose art in its grandeur can be seen as a good representative of Egyptian palace art, conveying a high point. The Assyrian scene (Fig. 2) is, for evident reasons, taken from the palace art of Ashurnasirpal II. It is my hope that this paper will bring more light on the issue of the latter art’s origins.