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This six-sided clay prism was written on behalf of Sennacherib, King of Assyria (705-681 BCE). The prism contains the narratives of eight of Sennacherib's military campaigns. During his third campaign, Sennacherib traveled west, attacked the Israelite King Hezekiah, and laid siege to Jerusalem. On this prism, Sennacherib boasts of complete victory over Hezekiah. However, the story of this siege is also told in the Old Testament, which claims that Sennacherib was forced to retreat from the walls of the city.

Iron Ingot

Name: Prism of King Sennacherib

Material: Baked clay

Size:
Height: 38 cm (1 ft 3 in)
Width: 13.3 cm (5.2 in)

Date: 689 BCE

Place of Origin: Nineveh, Iraq

Location: Oriental Institute Museum, Chicago, Illinois

Source and Registration#:
Oriental Institute Museum A2793

Geoff Emberling

Former Chief Curator, Oriental Institute Museum of the University of Chicago