Amir Harrak from the University of Toronto presented "The Neo-Assyrian Winged Bulls and their Origins." Christopher Woods from the Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago discussed Mesopotamian literature in general and the preservation of the Gilgamesh Epic. Simo Parpola from the University of Helsinki discussed Assyria after the collapse of the Empire and the impact of Assyrian statecraft, religion and visual arts on the ancient and modern world. First of three sessions in a daylong symposium.

Speaker Biography: Amir Harrak is an associate professor in the University of Toronto's department of Near and Middle Eastern civilizations.

Speaker Biography: Christopher Woods is an associate professor of Sumerian at the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago.

Speaker Biography: Simo Parpol is a professor emeritus of Assyriology at the University of Helsinki.

For transcript and more information, visit http://www.loc.gov/today/cyberlc/feature_wdesc.php?rec=7670