Archaeology
Lachish Reliefs
- Era
- c. 700 BC
- Location
- Nineveh (palace of Sennacherib)
- Discovered
- 1845
Massive carved wall panels from Sennacherib's palace that depict, in graphic detail, the Assyrian siege and capture of the Judean city of Lachish in 701 BC.
The find
These alabaster reliefs lined Sennacherib's "Palace Without Rival" at Nineveh. They show Assyrian siege ramps, battering rams, Judean defenders, deportees, and the king receiving tribute, with a caption: "Sennacherib, king of the world, king of Assyria, sat upon a throne and the booty of Lachish passed in review before him."
Why it matters
It's about as close as the ancient world comes to a photograph: a near-photographic, contemporary picture of Sennacherib's campaign against Judah (2 Kings 18:14, 18:17; 2 Chronicles 32:9). And archaeology at Tel Lachish itself has since uncovered the very Assyrian siege ramp the reliefs depict.
Cross-linked Scripture
Doctrine check
Sources
- ·Ussishkin, D. (1982). The Conquest of Lachish by Sennacherib. Tel Aviv University
- ·British Museum: Lachish reliefs
See also
Image: British Museum · Photo: Wikimedia Commons (public domain)
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