Unfortunately, we have not sufficient of the early literature of the Chaldees and Assyrians to be able to say for certain that it was so. But a very curious sacred poem has been preserved on the terra‐cotta tablets of the library of Assurbani‐Pal, which exhibits a similar belief as prevalent anciently in Assyria. This poem represents the descent of Istar into the Immutable Land, the nether world, divided into seven circles. The heavenly world of the Chaldees was also divided into seven circles, each ruled by a planet. The poem therefore exhibits a descent instead of an ascent. But there is little reason to doubt that the passage in each case would have been analogous. We have no ancient Assyrian account of an ascent; we must therefore content ourselves with what we have. Istar descends into the lower region, and as she traverses each circle is despoiled of one of her coverings worn in the region above, till she stands naked before Belith, the Queen of the Land of Death. i. “At the first gate, as I made her enter, I despoiled her; I took the crown from off her head. “ ‘Hold, gatekeeper! Thou hast taken the crown from off my head.’ “ ‘Enter into the empire of the Lady of the Earth, to this stage of the circles.’ ii. “At the second gate I made her enter; I despoiled her, and took from off her the earrings from her ears. “ ‘Hold, keeper of the gate! Thou hast despoiled me of the earrings from my ears.’ “ ‘Enter into the empire of the Lady of the Earth, to this stage of the circles.’ iii. “At the third gate I made her enter; I despoiled her of the precious jewels on her neck. “ ‘Hold, keeper of the gate! Thou hast despoiled me of the jewels of my neck.’ “ ‘Enter into the empire of the Lady of the Earth, to this stage of the circles.’ iv. “At the fourth gate I made her enter; I despoiled her of the brooch of jewels upon her breast. “ ‘Hold, keeper of the gate! Thou hast despoiled me of the brooch of jewels upon my breast.’ “ ‘Enter into the empire of the Lady of the Earth, to this stage of the circles.’ V. “At the fifth gate I made her enter; I despoiled her of the belt of jewels about her waist. “ ‘Hold, keeper of the gate! Thou hast despoiled me of the belt of jewels about my waist.’ “ ‘Enter into the empire of the Lady of the Earth, to this stage of the circles.’ vi. “At the sixth gate I made her enter; I despoiled her of her armlets and bracelets. “ ‘Hold, keeper of the gate! Thou hast despoiled me of my armlets and bracelets.’ “ ‘Enter into the empire of the Lady of the Earth, to this stage of the circles.’ vii. “At the seventh gate I made her enter; I despoiled her of her skirt. “ ‘Hold, keeper of the gate! Thou hast despoiled me of my skirt.’ “ ‘Enter into the empire of the Lady of the Earth, to this degree of circles.’ ”(500)