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
At the upper or southern ends of the two parallel chambers just described,
were entrances opening into a room 82 feet by 24, whose walls were of the
same unsculptured limestone. From it a portal formed by winged lions in
the same material, led into an apartment 76 feet by 26, standing on the
edge of the mound, and consequently one of the last on this side of the
palace. Only six slabs, neither of them entire, remained against its
walls; the rest had been purposely destroyed and the fragments used for
the foundations of a building raised over the Assyrian ruins. They were
covered from top to bottom with small figures, most elaborately carved,
and designed with great 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 same period.
Fortunately several epigraphs still remained over the principal groups,
and enable us to determine to what monarch the sculptures belong, 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
incomplete, and could not be restored; and from the number of figures
introduced, and the complicated nature of the action, it is difficult to
describe these important bas-reliefs intelligibly. Above one of the groups
of figures was an epigraph, unfortunately much mutilated, which recorded
the slaughter of a king, whose name was (? Tiranish), and who, we learn
from other inscriptions on the same sculptures, reigned over Elam, or
Susiana. The lines being incomplete, the meaning 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 human heads, whilst warriors were bringing more of
these bloody trophies to the appointed scribes. Several of the captives
were apparently about to undergo some dreadful torture; with their hands
manacled in iron fetters, they knelt over an object which might be a
chafing-dish with hot coals or a vessel to receive their blood. One of the
torturers held his victim by a collar round his neck; whilst a second,
seizing the unfortunate prisoner by the hair, was about to strike him with
ah iron-headed mace.
The epigraphs declare that the war recorded by these sculptures was
undertaken by an Assyrian king, whose image was represented on a slab not
yet described, against 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.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account