Weiner Mihályné szerk.: Az Iparművészeti Múzeum Évkönyvei 12. (Budapest, 1970)

HOPP FERENC MÚZEUM — MUSÉE FERENC HOPP - Meyer, G. R.: The Museum of Western Asiatic Antiquity in Berlin (G.D.R.) Rebuilt and Reorganized

Fig. 4. The Large Water Basin from Assur Room 11 is made to resemble a room in an Assyrian palace. Without exception, the wall reliefs placed here belong to the period of Assur-nasir-pal II, whereas the coloured ornamentation of the walls indicates motifs from TululAqir (13th century before our era), the former Tar-Tukulti-Ninurta, a foundation of King Tukulti-Ninurta I on the left bank of the Tigris, North-north-east of the city of Assur. During the German excavations various remnants of plaster painted in colour were found in that place, among other things. In designing Room 11, the colours and ornamentation of those plaster fragments served as models. The reconstruction of the ceiling with its heavy timber work of (imitation) cedar and the pure gold covering of the 16 caskets are based on cuneiform cnnstructional descriptions by rulers of Ancient Hither Asia. Small show-cases fitted into the two embrazures as well as a bigger one built into the pier between the windows, enable the spectator to acquaint himself with the development of cuneiform writing and the wide range of Babylonian and Assyrian cuneiform literature, by presenting original inscriptions, a clearly arranged tabulation, and brief explanations. Room 12 has a different appearance. Objects of special interest in it are the large water basin from the Assur Temple at Assur (of the period of Sanherib, 704 to 681 before our era) (fig. 4) and a selection of the finest small finds in the show-cases; but quite particularly the large and small reliefs from the palaces of Sanherib and of Assur-bani-pal at Niniveh (fig. 5). Wo want to point out especially the relief showing Assur-bani-pal during a lion hunt, which is one of the most exquisite specimens of Assyrian art in relief. The wall ornamentation over the reliefs in this room consists of a band of three stripes, inlaid