Head of standing winged genie (apkallu)

This head belongs to one of a pair of genies who flanked a sacred tree. Each genie (guardian spirit or god) carried a pail in one hand and raised a cone-like object to the tree with the other. His divine status is indicated by his horned headdress. The significance of this ritual is uncertain. Perhaps the cone was dipped into a bucket of pollen or magical ointment for the pollination or purification of the tree. (See External Link.)

Sources:
- Eva Miller, “Assyrian Reliefs in Glencairn Museum: Framing the Ancient Past,” _Glencairn Museum News_, Number 9, 2016.
- Glenn Markoe, “Five Assyrian Relief Fragments in the Glencairn Museum,” _Source: Notes in the History of Art 2_ (4), 1983, 1–5.