Discoveries Among the Ruins of Nineveh and BabylonLayard, Austen Henry
History
Discoveries Among the Ruins of Nineveh and Babylon
Layard, Austen Henry
Babylon (Extinct city); Middle East -- Description and travel; Nineveh (Extinct city); Scientific expeditions
No. 5., diameter, 8-3/4 inches; depth, 1-1/4 inch. The embossings and
ornaments on this plate are of an Egyptian character. The centre consists
of four heads of the cow-eared goddess Athor (?), forming, with lines of
bosses, an eight-rayed star, surrounded by hills, indicated as in plate
No. 3., but filled in with rosettes and other ornaments. Between the hills
are incised animals and trees. A border of figures, almost purely
Egyptian, but unfortunately only in part preserved, encircles the plate;
the first remaining group is that of a man seated on a throne, beneath an
ornamented arch, with the Egyptian Baal, represented as on the coins of
Cossura, standing full face; to the right of this figure is a square
ornament with pendants (resembling a sealed document), and beneath it the
crux ansata or Egyptian symbol of life. The next group is that of a
warrior in Egyptian attire, holding a mace in his right hand, and in his
left a bow and arrow, with the hair of a captive of smaller proportions,
who crouches before him. The next group represents the Egyptian Baal (?),
with a lion's skin round his body, and plumes on his head, having on each
side an Egyptian figure wearing the "_shent_," or short tunic, carrying a
bow, and plucking the plumes from the head of the god, perhaps symbolical
of the victory of Horus over Typhon. The Egyptian god Amon, bearing a bird
in one hand and a falchion in the other, with female figures similar to
that last described, appears to form the next group; but unfortunately
this part of the plate has been nearly destroyed: the whole border,
however, appears to have represented a mixture of religious and historical
scenes.
No. 6., diameter, 6 in.; depth, 1-1/2 in.; a projecting rim, ornamented
with figures of vultures with out-spread wings; an embossed rosette,
encircled by two rows of fan-shaped flowers and guilloche bands, occupies
a raised centre, which is surrounded by a frieze, consisting of groups of
two vultures devouring a hare. A highly finished and very beautiful
specimen. On the back of this plate are five letters, either in the
Phoenician or Assyrian cursive character.
Nos. 7. and 8.; covered with groups of small stags, surrounding an
elaborate star, one plate containing above 600 figures; the animals are
formed by three blows from a blunt instrument or punch. These plates are
ornamented with small bosses of silver and gold let into the copper.
No. 9., diameter, 7-5/8 inches; depth, 1-1/2 inch, of fine workmanship;
the centre formed by an incised star, surrounded by guilloche and tulip
bands. Four groups on the sides representing a lion, lurking amongst
papyri or reeds, and about to spring on a bull.
No. 10., diameter 7-1/2 inches. In the centre a winged scarab raising the
disc of the sun, surrounded by guilloche and tulip bands, and by a double
frieze, the inner consisting of trees, deer, winged uræi, sphinxes, and
papyrus plants; the outer, of winged scarabs, flying serpents, deer, and
trees, all incised.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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