Relief of a winged genie (apkallu), from the palace of Ashurnasirpal II,

ca. 883–859 BCE

At a time when the kings of Assyria controlled a vast empire in the ancient Near East, Ashurnasirpal II (883–859 BCE) built a new capital in Kalhu, present-day Iraq. On this relief from his palace—once part of a larger frieze that lined the walls of the throne room—a carved winged male figure, representing a “genie,” or apkallu, the Assyrian word for “sage,” stands in profile with outstretched arms. In its original location, the genie would have faced another genie, together flanking an image of either the king or a sacred tree. In the missing part of the relief, the genie would have likely held a pinecone-shaped vessel that would have been used to sprinkle holy water from the small bucket he carried. A cuneiform inscription that runs through the middle of the relief describes Ashurnasirpal’s titles, successful military campaigns, and the construction of his monumental palace.