Part 19 (1/2)

Not a fragment of inscription remained to identify the country represented in the bas-reliefs I have just described Fro that of any other seen in the sculptures of Kouyunjik, I am inclined to believe that it ris, non as the Shat-el-Arab

In the south side of the hall a centre portal flanked by winged bulls, and two s chae froments that remained of this series of sculptures, the most skilful artist of the day must have been employed in its execution At both ends of the chaures, led into smaller apartments, in which the bas-reliefs had been alreat hall we found an entrance for narrow chamber, about 70 feet by 12, whose walls had partly escaped the general wreck It appeared to be the remains of an entrance into the palace, like that on the western face, or a gallery leading to the outer terrace, which probably surrounded the building On its alabaster panels were sculptured the conquest of some of those tribes which inhabited, from the remotest period, the vast ris in Chaldaea Babylonia

Although the people represented in these bas-reliefs dwelt in the swampy districts of Chaldaea, unless, indeed, they had only taken refuge in the, they appear to have been as rich, if not richer, than any others conquered by Sennacherib With the exception of three slabs and part of a fourth, containing the battle in the marsh, the entire walls of the chaht by the victorious troops to their king

Unfortunately the ie froment or two found in the rubbish, must have exceeded all others in the palace, both in size and in the finish and richness of the details, had been entirely destroyed

Returning to the great hall, froallery led, I found on its western side three other entrances, corresponding with those on the southern, the centre fored bulls in a fossiliferous limestone They led into a chamber 58 feet by 34, panelled with unsculptured slabs of the same material as the colossi at the principal portal Three sith, though rather narrower Its walls had been ornaments remained

Three doorways on the western side of this chamber, similar to those on the eastern, led into as many distinct rooms, unconnected with each other

There were thus three ed bulls facing the saest colossi, those in front, being above 18 feet high, and the s into the inner chamber, about 12 It would be difficult to conceive any interior architectural arrangeantic forms, as seen in perspective by those who stood in the centre of the hall, dihted from above, and harmoniously colored or overlaid, like the cherubiold

At the upper or southern ends of the two parallel cha into a room 82 feet by 24, whose walls were of the saed lions in the sa on the edge of the mound, and consequently one of the last on this side of the palace Only six slabs, neither of theainst its walls; the rest had been purposely destroyed and the frag raised over the assyrian ruins They were covered froures, reat spirit Although bearing a general resemblance to the bas-reliefs of Kouyunjik, there was sufficient in the style of art and in the details, to show that they were not of exactly the saraphs still reroups, and enable us to deter, and to identify the events and incidents they portray

The three slabs to the right of the winged lions on entering, were occupied by a highly curious representation of a battle The subject was incoures introduced, and the complicated nature of the action, it is difficult to describe these iroups of figures was an epigraph, unfortunately , whose name was (? Tiranish), and e learn froned over Ela of the whole inscription is not quite clear

Behind the cart with the assyrian warriors, was the tent of the registrar, to which had been led a captive chief and his two attendants Within were collected a heap of hu more of these bloody trophies to the appointed scribes Several of the captives were apparently about to undergo some dreadful torture; with their hands ht be a chafing-dish with hot coals or a vessel to receive their blood One of the torturers held his victi the unfortunate prisoner by the hair, was about to strike hiraphs declare that the war recorded by these sculptures was undertaken by an assyrian king, whose iainst the people of Elam or Susiana It is of considerable importance thus to identify the conquered people, and to be able to ascertain the costume, the arms, and the mode of warfare of a nation well known in ancient history

Aed robes and a short under-tunic: these were probably the lords of the land The wo on their shoulders, and bound above the telet on each side of the face Their children were either naked or clothed in simple shi+rts

The assyrian troops were divided into cavalry and foot The horseh greaves, and the pointed helmet, that characteristic part of the assyrian military costume from the earliest period Their horses were covered with clothes, and even, it would see from the head to the tail, to protect them from the arrows of the enemy[181] The costumes of the foot to their arms The archers, probably auxiliaries from different tribes in alliance with the assyrians, were dressed in very short tunics scarcely covering the thigh A broad belt, with the fringed ornament peculiar to the later assyrian period, encircled their waist, and over their shoulders they wore a cross belt, of chequered cloth, rese a Scottish plaid, to support the quiver Their hair, confined by a plain fillet, was rolled up behind in one large curl All the spearmen had the pointed helreaves, and others a sis Their shi+elds protected nearly the whole person, and were rounded at the top and straight at the bottom Some appear to have been faced with small square pieces of leather, others to have been es For the first ti the battle-axe and the mace in battle

On the opposite side of the lion-entrance were also three slabs, but better preserved than those I have just described They formed part of the same subject, which had evidently been carried round the four walls of the cha, and, like the battle scenes, were divided by horizontal lines into several bands or friezes The uard

Unfortunately his face, with those of the charioteer and the eunuch bearing the parasol, had been purposely defaced, like that of Sennacherib on his monuments, probably when the united armies of the Medes and Babylonians destroyed the palace The royal robes were profusely adorned with rosettes and fringes

In front of the chariot were tarriors or guards in e hair was bound by a fillet, whose tasselled ends fell loose behind They were preceded by two reures, both eunuchs, and probably intended for portraits of some well-known officers of the royal household One was old and corpulent; his forehead was high and ample; his nose curved and small, and his chin round and double The wrinkles of the brow, the shaggy eyebrows, and the bloated cheeks, with the stubble beard peculiar to beings of his class, were very faithfully represented His short hair was tied with a fillet His coer, and had not the same marked features He carried before hi a closed box or book, perhaps a clay tablet containing soister, such as were discovered in the ruins

Both wore long plain shi+rts, and round their waists a sin of their office

Above this reht lines fortunately al, whose deeds were thus recorded He was the son of Essarhaddon, and the grandson of Sennacherib, and the conqueror of Susiana He was the assordanes of the chronological tables, and his naram for the assyrian deity, asshur

These bas-reliefs record his conquest of the country of (Nuvaki ?), a name by which Susiana or Elymais was anciently known; as we also find from the inscriptions at Khorsabad, as well as frohly probable that we have, in the bas-relief, a representation of the city of Susa or Shusan Its position between two rivers well agrees with that of existing ruins generally believed to mark its site The ser the Euloeus or river of Dizful The city was surrounded by a wall, with equidistant towers and gateways The houses were flat roofed, and some had one tower or upper chamber, and others two They had no s, and their doors were square

Thus, in general foreyptians, of which a very interesting model is now in the British Museum[182] Nor were they unlike the meaner houses of the modern town of Shushter, the representative of ancient Susa

The adjoining slab was divided into eight bands or friezes, by parallel lines, and the next slab into seven On both were represented the assyrian ar to the king the captives and the spoil The prisoners, ere probably considered rather rebels to his authority than ene cruelly tortured in his presence The principal group was that of the eunuch general, or Tartan, leading a chief or prince of the conquered people

Above him was an inscription unfortunately much mutilated It appears to have declared that he was one of the sons or chiefs of the Susianian monarch, defeated and slain in battle near the district of Madaktu (the na slab), and near the city of Shushan; and that the assyrian king had placed one of his own generals on the conquered throne[183]