The palace of Ashurnasirpal II was excavated by the British political agent Sir Austen Henry Layard in the late 1840s.
More reliefs were coming out of the archaeological site than the art market could absorb. These particular panels were selected for the College by a Dartmouth alumnus and missionary who was stationed in the area.
The reliefs had to be trimmed down to minimize shipping costs, so their original thickness was reduced and they were broken into thirds for easier transport. The reliefs then traveled by mule and camel across the desert and by boat to Beirut and Boston, and finally by rail to Hanover.
The estimated worth and the intellectual and historic value of the reliefs has increased exponentially since their arrival at Dartmouth, as the history and artistic significance has been greatly studied.
Does this story matter to you? Does it change the way you view the panels? What makes sense, and what is surprising?