Assyria to Iberia

Assyria to Iberia Assyria to Iberia is a series of exhibitions that define the birth of the Western Civilization. The exhibitions are coordinated by the Metropolitan Museum and involve more than 260 artworks obtained from Museums around the world. It seeks to trace the different aspects of civilization such as the spread of writing, religion, war, commerce and art from the Middle East to Western Europe. Assyria to Iberia explicates the roles of two different realms. These are the merchant adventures of the Phoenician city- states such as Tyre and Sidon and the Assyrian Empire that later on conquered the entire region. 

The historical timeline showcased stretches from the decline of the Bronze Age civilization which was about 1100 B.C. towards the resurgence of Babylon during the times of Nebuchadnezzar II, which was around 604-562 B.C. 

 The stories of the seafaring Phoenician merchants and that of the warlike Assyrians are the key subjects of the Assyria to Iberia. The contrast of the two realms can be better understood in terms of "good vs. evil." For instance, the period that is covered in the exhibition coincides with the exact time that the Hebrew Bible was being compiled. The Bible scriptures give a true depiction of the two realms that are covered by Assyria to Iberia in that it depicts the bloodthirsty Assyrians in negative words. 

One of the major artworks from the exhibit that is from the British Museum is a statue that clearly depicts the Bible's fearful portrayal

of the Assyrians. This is the sculpture of Ashurnasirpal II (883-859 B.C.), an ambitious ruler who actively triggered the Assyrian conquest march. 

The sculpture is a full-bodied rather than the bas-relief that is common in other artworks in the exhibit. The image projects the inhuman nature of the Assyrians. The resolute stance, the malevolent and ruthless glance and the hands holding dangerous weapons marked the model of the Assyrian Monarch. The curators of the exhibition astutely manage to navigate an objective course between loathing of the Assyrians presented in the Bible and the Assyrian’s bravado. 

The events are accorded a number of perspectives. A good example of this objectivity in the exhibition is the display of historical events such as the military conquests of Sennacherib, the Assyrian King, against Judah in 694 B.C. The Biblical account of the event is that the army of King Sennacherib was obliterated by the Angel of death that prompted their retreat that saw Jerusalem spared. On the other hand, the exhibition presents another account to the story. This is shown through the Taylor Prism which is drawn from the British Museum. 

The baked clay cylinder gives accounts of the cities conquered by Sennacherib in cuneiform script. It documents Jerusalem as one of the cities that fell under the wrath of the Assyrian King and King Hezekiah of Judah trapped like a caged bird. The prism, however, does not give any details of the Assyrian casualties. Another carved war scene in the exhibit conveys in grisly detail the Assyrian legions slaughtering their enemies from Elam. Conclusion The Assyria to Iberia art exhibition provides a detailed historical profile of the period. The exhibition gives an objective account that the events for the audience to make up their interpretations of the truth. The exhibition elicits healthy discourse from art historians and scholars about the interpretations of the different artworks.