Winged Bull : The Extraordinary Life of Henry Layard, the Adventurer Who Discovered the Lost City of Nineveh

In the summer of 1839, HenryLayard—just twenty-two years old—left England for eastern Europe and distantlands of the Ottoman Empire. He had never set foot in these regions before andwasn’t fluent in their languages. But he would experience one dramatic adventureafter another, narrowly escaping death, combatting murderous thieves, ridingwith Bakhtiari warriors in Persia, and going on secret missions for the Britishembassy in Turkey. Layard made some of the most importantarchaeology discoveries ever, uncovering the ruins of Nineveh in 1845, as wellas the lost Assyrian capital of Ashur. It’s thanks to his secret efforts thatscores of Yezidi refugees were saved from persecution. When he returned toEngland, his personal account of his finds at Nineveh became a bestseller. Hewent on to witness the famous Charge of the Light Brigade, investigated theIndian Mutiny, and as Britain’s diplomat, he played a key role in savingIstanbul from destruction and looting during a war. Real-life Indiana Jones meets Lawrenceof Arabia in Winged Bull, the first biography in half acentury to tell the story of Henry Layard and his daring adventures. While youmay not know his name, you likely have seen his work. The winged bulls, lionsand priceless treasures of art and jewellery that he found make up permanentcollections in institutions such as the British Museum, Britain’s NationalGallery and New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. Layard may have also been the first “archaeologist with a conscience.”While better known figures either stole their discoveries or bribed their wayinto ruins, Layard sought formal permission from local authorities. His booksand letters draw a picture of a man who deeply respected the lands and cultureshe explored. Using Layard’s own letters as well as archival materials andnever-before-published documents, author Jeff Pearce captures the life of a manwho was never at rest, whether galloping off with tribal rulers or standing upfor the poor and downtrodden as a British MP. Discover the life of Henry Layardin this gripping tale of astonishing discoveries, swashbuckling exploits, andpolitical intrigue.