Five clay dogs were dug up at Nineveh, in Ashurbanipal’s palace.
Small clay beings protecting the threshold – not lamassu, not gryphon, not dragons, not lions. Just dogs, each given a name and a job:
EXPELLER OF EVIL
(mušēṣu lemnūti) with white pigment and red spots
CATCHER OF THE ENEMY
(kāšid ayyāb) with red pigment
DON’T THINK, BITE!
(ē tamtallik epuš pāka) with white pigment
BITER OF HIS FOE!
(munaššiku gārîšu) with turquoise pigment
LOUD IS HIS BARK!
(dan rigiššu) with black pigment
Five creatures built entirely out of the names they were given.
Tiny protectors. Eternal, like all dogs are.
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