Italy presents replica of ‘Bull of Nimrud’ to Iraq’s Basra Museum

A replica of the 2700-year-old Nimrud Bull, which was destroyed by Daesh about 10 years ago, was prepared by Italy on 3D printers

A 16-meter replica of the 9th century B.C. “Bull of Nimrud,” destroyed by Daesh militants in 2015, has been reconstructed by Italy using 3D printing technology and presented to Iraq’s Basra Museum.

A team of experts led by restorer Nicola Salvioli used images and video recordings to create a model of the statue, which was used as the basis for a larger fiberglass replica produced with a 3D printer.

Once all the model reconstruction was complete, it was coated with a mixture of plastic and stone dust to give it the original appearance.

“Italy is at the forefront of the protection of cultural heritage because it is the soul of a nation and represents its history,” Italian Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano said at the museum’s opening ceremony last Tuesday, attended by Italian and Iraqi officials. “It will, therefore, continue to make every effort to promote international cooperation in cultural heritage protection and to work for the development of human heritage.”

The ancient city of Nimrud, located near present-day Mosul, was chosen as the capital by the Assyrian king Ashurnasirpal II (883-859 B.C.).

Ashurbanipal II built a large palace decorated with several statues of lions or winged bulls, each with the head of a bearded man called a “lamassu.”

Source: Newsroom