Plaque with robed priests leading animals ca. 9th-8th century B.C. Assyrian This large plaque of ivory was probably blackened through exposure to fire when the palace complexes at Nimrud were sacked during the final defeat of Assyria at the end of the seventh century B.C. It depicts a procession to the right, with decorative borders at top and bottom in the form of stepped crenellations, which are projections that lined the tops of defensive walls. The figures lead animals as offerings, presumably to the Assyrian king and court. At the left edge is the head and forelegs of a horse, led by a bearded figure wearing an elaborate robe and rounded cap. Two cattle follow, a large bull and a smaller calf. They are led by another bearded and robed figure who grasps the ropes attached to the large bulls nose and the calfs horn. A third richly dressed figure is partially preserved at the right edge; he wears a fringed shawl that can be clearly seen, overlapped by the other figures extended ha