Nineveh Court in het Crystal Palace in Londen c. 1854 - 1859

This stereoscopic photograph by the London Stereoscopic Company captures the Nineveh Court inside the Crystal Palace in London. It is a scene replete with symbols of ancient power and cultural fascination. Note the statue of a winged bull, a 'lamassu', which originates from ancient Assyria. The lamassu served as a guardian figure, often placed at entrances to palaces and cities to ward off evil. We see similar motifs in ancient Egypt with the Sphinx, and even later in the medieval gargoyles of Gothic cathedrals. Each culture adapts the archetype of the guardian beast, reflecting a primal need for protection and order. Consider how this symbol, originally intended to safeguard ancient Near Eastern cities, is transplanted here, re-emerging within a Victorian context of imperial ambition and archaeological discovery. Its presence evokes a sense of awe and perhaps even a subconscious desire to connect with the mysteries of the past, illustrating the cyclical journey of symbols through time.