Apkallu, and other beings

The British Museum, meticulously truthful and scientific, say that they don't know exactly what this being is, and particularly not why it, or, rather, he, is holding a deer and a branch in this posture. (Room 7-8: Assyria: Nimrud). Below is my own photo, taken last week. The black border helps, but their shot is better lit.



But, they continue, it "may be the supernatural creature known as an apkallu." Its job was to guard an entrance to the throne room of Ashurnasirpal II (reigned 883-859 BC) at his palace in Nimrud. I think that when whoever wrote down Genesis originally wrote it down, he probably imagined that the angel guarding the gateway to Paradise looked a lot more like this (or, quite possibly, like this) than, say, Michelangelo thought angels looked.

Despite their lack of beards, however, Michelangelo's angels are clearly male. Perhaps he found female bodies unpleasing, but I think female angels are generally rare in Western art, until the 19th Century, and never on guard duty. The jobs of warrior and messenger were not for women; Victorian female angels do exist, but they are nameless musicians or mourners, like houris without the fun. Anyway, male or not, I have never ever seen an angel in the art of Western Europe represented with a beard. Counter-examples in Comments, please.

Michelangelo's opinions on women were presumably not shared by the sculptor of this dignified marble relief of Sarasvati, 'Vina-pustak dharini' or bearer of the musical instrument (vina). This also is my own picture, it's a pity about the reflections. Theirs here.



A benign Jain goddess associated with knowledge, music and learning, she is now venerated as patroness of DJs*. From Malwa, central India, early 11th century AD, room 33. Presumably she could fly if she wished, but she is neither guard nor messenger, and requires no wings. Her breasts are perfectly level, her hips sway with impossible freedom and fluidity, her feet are firmly rooted in the earth.

[*I made up the bit about the DJs.]

And with that, let's watch Detlef and Melina, who have been languishing in my drafts file for some time, getting mixed up with all sorts of strange company.