Excavations in Iraq have unearthed the remains of a massive relief depicting both the last great ruler of the Assyrian empire and two deities.

The remains—missed by archaeologists for more than a century—were found in an earth-filled pit in the throne room of the North Palace of King Ashurbanipal (668-627 BCE) in the ancient city of Nineveh.

The relief, which likely would have weighed some 12 tons, was carved on a massive stone slab 18 feet long by nearly 10 feet tall.

However, the researchers said, the find is remarkable not only for its scale, but also for the scenes that the artwork depicted.

"Among the many relief images of Assyrian palaces we know of, there are no depictions of major deities," said excavation lead and archaeologist Professor Aaron Schmitt of Heidelberg Univers

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