This ancient Assyrian relief shows the god Bel-Merodach (also spelled Marduk), armed with the thunderbolt, doing battle with the tumultuous Tiamat (figure on left). Marduk was all-powerful, a healer, and mediator for humans. Marduk was called upon to save humanity from evil. Tiamat was the symbol of chaos. The struggle between Marduk and Tiamat was a favorite theme for ancient Assyrian artists. It was drawn by Faucher-Gudin to accompany text in a book on ancient Egypt and the Levant by Gaston Maspero. The actual bas-relief is from Nimrud and is preserved in the British Museum.