11 Ivory Hall

This Hall highlights one of the most exquisite forms of ancient Mesopotamian art through a rare collection of ivory artifacts.

Ivory a precious material typically sourced from elephant tusks or the teeth of hippopotamuses was highly valued in antiquity and was most often associated with the elite and royal classes, due to both its rarity and the intricate craftsmanship it required.

The artifacts on display reflect the refined aesthetic and exceptional artistic skill of ancient Iraqi craftsmen, who mastered the delicate art of carving and shaping ivory. It was used to create boxes, ornaments, furniture inlays, and decorative panels that often depicted scenes from daily life, mythology, and symbolic iconography.

Most of these pieces originate from the great Assyrian cities, particularly Nimrud in northern Iraq, where extensive artistic treasures were uncovered in the palaces of Assyrian kings clear evidence of the royal opulence and cultural flourishing of that era. Other examples were found at various sites across Mesopotamia, indicating that ivory craftsmanship was widespread and diverse in its production centers across different Mesopotamian civilizations.