For almost three centuries, until 612 BC, the small kingdom of Assyria dominated the Middle East, its empire at one point extending from Iran to Egypt. The story of those years - the triumphs of the Assyrian kings in war and peace, their exploits in the hunting field, and the gods who watched over them - were recorded in stone on the walls of a succession of royal palaces. These sculptures, offering eye-witness views of a long-lost civilisation, were rediscovered in the 19th century. The finest collection, transported with great difficulty to Europe, is now preserved at the British Museum. This book describes how the sculptures were found and what they meant to those who created them. It is both a richly illustrated history of Assyrian sculptures in general and a guide to the outstanding collections of the British Museum.