Detail of an alabaster-bas relief depicting the Assyrian king Ashurbanipal. The king is identified by his conical head cap. He holds a long spear and stabs a leaping lion in his head. Note the exquisitely carved embroidery, armlets, earring, and costume. Two royal attendants ward off the lion with their spear. One of his royal attendants is guiding the royal chariot. From Room C of the North Palace, Nineveh (modern-day Kouyunjik, Mosul Governorate), Mesopotamia, Iraq. Circa 645-535 BCE. The British Museum, London. Photo©Osama S.M. Amin.