The wooden elements of the gates decomposed, leaving only the bronze bands (some of which were badly damaged).

[8] Carvings can still be seen in East Turkey of markings made by Shalamaneser's workers to the south west of Lake Van.

[8] Possibly the most important pictures are the ground plans of nearby buildings as these restored the reputation of Rassam who discovered the gates.

The elderly Rassam was upset by these accusations and when he challenged Budge he received a partial apology and retraction that the High court considered "insincere" and "ungentlemanly".

The inscriptions on this coffer described the foundation of a temple equipped with bronze gates dedicated to Mamu, the Assyrian god of dreams.

[12] Some of the Balawat Bronze Bands at Mosul Museum survived the looting in the wake of the invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Unger was fully aware that the major parts of the gates were in London and Paris and he was able to visit both locations and discuss them with the respective curators.

[5] The surviving pieces of all three sets of gates consist of long bands or strips of bronze, which were mounted on wooden doors.

They were embossed and inlaid with chased decoration showing scenes of warfare, the presentation of tribute and the hunting of lions and bulls.

The gates commissioned by Ashurnasirpal II are decorated in single register with an embossed and engraved figurative scene on the top and the bottom, which are bordered with palmettes.

Careful reconstruction of these gates demonstrates that the doorposts were tapered towards the top and the bands also reduced in size.