Base of a statue. Ornated with two lions. In between them: a bird-man (called ‘kuş adam’ by Ekrem Akurgal).
It bore a basalt statue of the Storm god and was located at the King's Gate in Carchemish/Karkamış (on the Euphrates River and on the Turkish-Syrian border, c. 25 km south of Birecik).
Neo-Hittite sculpture, traditional style. It may date to the reign of Katuwa, 10th or early 9th century BC (hittitemonuments.com) or later (750-700 BC: Ekrem Akurgal).

The base and the statue were smashed by looters during the First World War. Fragments of the heavily damaged top section are currently in the museum depot in Ankara. The original head of one of the lions is in the British Museum, and has been duplicated to restore this sculpture.

Correspondent: J.M.Criel, Antwerpen
Sources: ‘Anadolu Uygarlıkları’ (Anatolian Civilisations) – Prof.Dr. Ekrem Akurgal
& Website of ‘hittitemonuments.com’ .