The guardian of the cedars forest Humbaba being killed by Gilgamesh and Enkidu. Carchemish Heralds Wall, 950-850 BC.


Carchemish commanded a strategic crossing of the Euphrates River for caravans engaged in Syrian, Mesopotamian, and Anatolian trade. It was defended by thick double walls with strong towered gates, and in the centre of town stood a high citadel overlooking the river. Excavators have found the remains of a palace and temple on the citadel, as well as a rich series of orthostates (stone slabs set at the bottom of mud-brick walls) whose reliefs were carved in an eclectic style peculiar to northern Syria.