The lamassu bull depicts the strength of a bull and the intelligence of a human. It also symbolizes the freedom of an eagle. The term Lamassu came from the Sumerian culture and originally it was a celestial being from the ancient Mesopotamian religion. It represents star constellations, zodiacs, or parent-stars but plays a huge role in ancient Mesopotamian culture through stories. Ancient myths and legends turn these beings into protective deities because they enclose all life within them. They became one of the household protective spirits of the common Babylonian people that would ward off evil. Represented as a standing figure, the lamassu would introduce guests to another deity.

The lamassu became associated as royal protectors and it became common for them to guard doorways, placing them at the entrances. They guard as statues or are engraved in clay tablets and buried under the door’s threshold. A symbol of strength and protection, the lamassu continues to appear in other cultures as protectors and symbols of strength. They appear in coins, army logos, and even in modern games like Dungeons and Dragons.