It isn’t hard to see why the Assyrians considered the massive and monumental Bull of Nimrud sculpture to be a guardian deity. Towering at an awe-inspiring 16 feet tall, this stone carving featured an imposing supernatural creature known as the lamassu. Bearing the face of a man, the body of a bull, and the wings of a bird, scholars argue that these features represented intelligence, strength, and freedom. This mythical being, often represented in ancient Mesopotamian reliefs, was a divine protector god, and its statue would frequently be seen standing guard outside the gates of Assyrian cities. This was the case in the city of Nimrud — an ancient city built over 3,000 years ago, which featured in the Book
