VII THE WALL DECORATIONS OF BULLS AND DRAGONS [Illustration: FIG. 24.—The two eastern towers of the Ishtar Gate. ] The decoration of the walls of the Ishtar Gate consisted of alternated figures of bulls and dragons (_sirrush_). They are placed in horizontal rows on the parts of the walls that are open to observation by those entering or passing (Fig. 24), and also on the front of both the northern wings, but not where they would be wholly or partially invisible to the casual observer. The rows are repeated one above another; dragons and bulls are never mixed in the same horizontal row, but a line of bulls is followed by one of sirrush. Each single representation of an animal occupies a height of 13 brick courses, and between them are 11 plain courses, so that the distance from the foot of one to the foot of the next is 24 courses. These 24 courses together measure almost exactly 2 metres, or 4 Babylonian ells, in height. As these bricks change their standard when in use as binders or stretchers at the corners, the reliefs on one side of a corner are invariably either one course higher or lower than on the wall on the adjoining side. [Illustration: FIG. 25.—Enamelled reliefs at the Ishtar Gate, beginning of the excavation, April 1, 1902. ] From top to bottom of the wall there are 9 rows of these animals visible in relief. The two lowest rows are frequently under the water-level, which has risen so considerably in recent years. In 1910, however, it was possible to penetrate as low as some of these reliefs. Above there was a row of bulls in flat enamels, a good portion of which was found _in situ_ on the south-east pier of the north gate (Fig. 25). Above this must have been at least one row of sirrush and one of bulls in flat enamels, and a row of sirrush in enamel reliefs; the whole ruin was bestrewn with an extraordinary number of fragments from these upper rows. Those fragments have recently been brought to Europe, and it now remains to determine from them the actual numbers of the figures, so far as they can be counted. When this is done, we shall be able to decide whether or not there were more of these rows. The succession of the rows in the meantime may be schematized thus:— Row 13. Sirrush in enamelled relief. „ 12. Bulls in enamelled relief. „ 11. Sirrush in flat enamel. Upper level of pavement of shadu and turminabanda stone. „ 10. Bulls in flat enamel, the top row of those found still _in situ_. „ 9. Bulls in brick relief, carefully worked. Older road pavement of burnt brick. „ 8. Sirrush in brick relief. „ 7. Bulls in brick relief. Traces of an older pavement (?). „ 6. Sirrush in brick relief. „ 5. Bulls in brick relief. „ 4. Sirrush in brick relief. „ 3. Bulls in brick relief. „ 2. Sirrush in brick relief, in 1910 only above water-level.