The replica was actually manufactured in 2016 using 3D printing technology. After previously being displayed at the Colosseum in Rome and UNESCO headquarters in Paris, the statue now stands at the entrance to the Basra Museum in the Iraqi city of Basra, CNN reported.
Winged lions and bulls
The statue was officially unveiled today in the presence of Italian Minister of Culture Gennaro Sangiuliano. The minister said: “Italy is at the forefront of preserving cultural heritage, because it is the heart and soul of any country and embodies its history.”
Nimrud was an important city in the Assyrian Empire, and was located near the present-day city of Mosul. King Ashurnasirpal II had a large palace built there with large statues of “Lamasu,” which are statues of winged lions and bulls with the head of a bearded human man.
After the Islamic State declared a caliphate in the region, many historical statues, often with a religious background, were destroyed. Among the statues that were destroyed was the statue of “The Bull of Nimrod.”
Reborn from destruction
In Italy, craftsmen began working soon afterwards; Using photos and video images, they created a plastic replica. A fiberglass version was then made using a 3D printer. This copy was then covered with a mixture of plastic and stone dust to give the statue an authentic appearance.
The cloning was part of a project called “Rebirth from Destruction.” Part of the ceiling of the Temple of Bel in Palmyra and a room from the Royal Palace at Ebla were also recreated for this project. According to UNESCO, the project is “a symbol of the commitment to sharing history and transmitting standards and values to future generations.”
