Lachish Reliefs

Author: Artisans under King Sennacherib 
Date written: Circa 701 BC
Location created in: Assyria (probably in Nineveh, where they were found.)
Purpose: To show the defeat of Assyria`s enemies at the hands of King Sennacherib 

Other notes:

These reliefs collectively tell a story of the defeat of the Judeans at Lachish (about twenty miles south-west of Jerusalem).

It is of particular interest to those who want to see a visual representation of the Judeans of which this is the first ever found; some 500 years after they were mentioned collectively as ``Israel`` on the Egyptian Merneptah stele.

Before the siege, Lachish was regarded as being second only to Jerusalem in power (within the Kingdom of Judah.)

Table of Contents
I) Images of reliefs
II) Translation of text

Relief 9, from the British Museum

Relief 10, from the British Museum

An inscription on part of relief is above Sennacherib`s throne reads:

"Sennacherib, King of the Universe, king of Assyria, sits on a throne and the spoils of Lachish are paraded before him.``