Part 10 (1/2)

Hazael utterly routed by Shalmaneser II on the heights of Shenir; camp, chariots, and carriages captured, and siege laid to Damascus, 31.

Helbon noted for its wines; still called Halbn, 127.

Highroads and brickyards placed under commissioners, 131-2.

Human sacrifices an Accadian inst.i.tution; children burnt to death as expiatory offerings by their fathers, 75.

Hymn to the Sun-G.o.d, a mixture of exalted thought and debasing superst.i.tion, 113-5.

Hymns in honour of the different deities collected into a sacred book; Semitic translations made, but the hymns recited long afterwards in the original Accadian language, 67-8.

I.

Inferior deities cla.s.sed among 'the 300 spirits of heaven' and 'the 600 spirits of earth,' 57.

Inscription containing Hezekiah's name transliterated and translated, 101-8.

Israelite officials witnesses of deed of sale, 137.

Istar, the great Accadian G.o.ddess, unlike the Beltis or Bilat, wife of Baal, had independent attributes as strongly marked as those of the G.o.ds, and was known as the evening star, 57; she became the Semitic Ashtoreth, and was the G.o.ddess of love, war, and the chase; she was a.s.sociated with Tammuz; her different attributes, temples, and wors.h.i.+p in different places, 62-4.

J.

Jehu's tribute to Shalmaneser II, gold and silver drinking vessels, a sceptre, and spear handles, 32.

Jewish seals probably earlier than the Babylonish exile found at Diarbekr and other places near the Tigris and Euphrates, 138.

K.

Kandalanu, viceroy of Babylon twenty-two years; the father of Nabopola.s.sar, 53.

Karkar or Aroer, battle of, and defeat of Benhadad and his allies, 31.

Khumbaba the tyrant, slain by Gisdhubar 'in the land of the pine trees,'

111.

King only supreme in military affairs, and a.s.sisted by two commanders-in-chief; lists of officials, their t.i.tles and duties, 144.

L.

Legend of Lubara, the plague demon, smiting the evil-doers of Babylon and Erech, and its partial resemblance to the angel of the Lord standing with a drawn sword over Jerusalem as a punishment of David's sins, 78.

Libraries early established in all the great cities, as a.s.sur, Calah, and Nineveh; the last filled by a.s.sur-bani-pal with copies of the plundered books of Babylonia, 99; lexical and grammatical phrase books, and lists of the names of animals, birds, reptiles, fish, stones, vegetables, and t.i.tles of military and civil officers, were contained in the different books stored up for reference, 100-1; all the branches of learning then known were included; also dispatches of generals, reports of astronomers, royal letters, and lists of eponyms, 102.

Library of Nineveh, rich in poetical literature, comprised epics, hymns to the G.o.ds, psalms, and songs; songs to a.s.sur of a.s.syrian origin, the epics, Babylonian, Accadian, and partly Semitic, by native poets, 109-10.