An expedition under the auspices of the British School of Archaeology in Iraq completed its ninth season at Nimrud, ancient Calah, during the first week in May, 1958, after a two months' campaign which began early in March. The season marked a decade of activity on this site by the School, for the first campaign was begun in March, 1949, and the records of that and the following one were first published in 1950. Subsequently expeditions were sent out in the spring of every year with the exception of 1954 which was entirely devoted to publication. The accounts of our most recent operations here recorded in 1959 once again realise an objective which the School has always considered to be of primary importance, namely to give an account in this journal of its activities in the field within a lapse of not more than two years after each campaign. This year we are primarily indebted to Mr. David Oates for carrying this burden, thus fulfilling his obligations as Field Director, an office which he assumed with distinction in 1958. In the article following on this one he has given a detailed account of the field-work at Fort Shalmaneser together with the historical problems involved. Articles with many photographs (including some in colour) of the ivories, describing the discoveries in this building have in the meantime been published in the Illustrated London News of November 23 rd, 27th, and December 7th, 1957 and January 17th, 1959. A very brief account of the initial work in the fortress during 1957 was also included in the general report on the 1957 campaign in Iraq XX, Pt. 2, 1958, pp. 106–108, and the extensions and modifications made to the plan of the building during our 1958 season may be seen by comparing Plate XIV of that issue with Plate XXIII of this one.