WWFRS/ty) (Hmmll Wlmvmity |f targ THE EISENLOHR COLLECTION IN EGYPTOLOGY AND ASSYRIOLOGY PRESENTED TO CORNEU, UNIVERSITY BY 1902 3 ffjgg&L 3947 3 1924 031 263 274 olin.anx Cornell University Library The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924031263274 BRITISH MUSEUM. ASSYRIAN ANTIQUITIES. GUIDE MMROUD CENTRAL SALOON. FEINTED BY OBDEE OF THE TRUSTEES. 1886. k .U.VW& HUNTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED, STAMFORD STREET ASD CIIARINQ 0110S9. CONTENTS. FAS I V \ii Biblical and Classical Names ix xi 1-45 Monuments of — Rammanu-niraii ii., 913 B.C.. .... 9 Aggur-nasir-apli or Assurnasirpal, 885 B.C. 8, 9-14, 17, 18, 25-26 Shalmaneser n., 859 b.c 17-18, 26-45 Kammanu-nirari m., 812 B.C. .... 8 Tiglath-pileser in., 745 b.c. . . . 1-6,14-16, 18-25 Esarhaddon, 670 b.c 6-8 Babylonian Section < 15-126 Monuments of — Hammurabi, about 2120 b.c. .... 16 Nebuchadnezzar I., about 1150 b.c. 47 Bammanu-sum-nasir, about 1137 b.c. 54 MeH-Sigu, about 1107 b.c 51 55-59 Merodaoh-baladan i., about 960 B.C. 45 Saosduchinos, 667 b.c 55 Nebuchadnezzar, 605 B.C. ..... 16 Baked and unbaked clay tablets .....( iO-126 Miscellaneous texts 60-74 F5-126 127 INTRODUCTION. The Nimroud Central Saloon contains principally sculp- tures excavated by Mr. (now Sir Henry) Layard in 1847 and 1850 in different parts of the great mound of Nim- roud; also some sculptures afterwards obtained by Mr. H, Bassam from the same place; several Babylonian boundary-stones, most of -which were also obtained by Mr. Bassam ; and a number of Babylonian tablets, some of which were obtained by Mr. George Smith, and some by Mr. Bassam, in Babylonia. In the north-east corner of the room, on the right of the entrance to the Kouyunjik Gallery, are sculptures dis- covered in the south-west edifice of the great mound of Nimroud, which is believed to have been constructed by Esarhaddon, son and successor of Sennacherib, towards the beginning of the seventh century B.C., with materials obtained, in great measure, from the spoliation of the palaces erected in other parts of Nimroud by an earlier Assyrian dynasty — most likely that founded by Tiglath- pileser in. (745-727 B.C.), the sculptures referring to the campaigns of that king. The heads of winged man- headed bulls on .the right, however, probably belong to the time of Esarhaddon, the builder of the south-west edifice. On the opposite (western) side of the room, are bas-reliefs found by Mr. Layard in ruins of the central edifice at Nimroud. These, which consist also of slabs represent- ing incidents of the campaigns of Tiglath-pileser in., probably belong to the same series as that with which Esarhaddon had begun to adorn his own palace. The man-headed lion and bull, with the smaller slabs accompanying them, as well as the large lion in the north- west corner of the Gallery, were found by Mr. Layard partly in the ruins of a large building in the north-west quarter of Nimroud, and partly in two small temples (one of which was dedicated to the Assyrian god Ninip) close by. VI INTRODUCTION. These sculptures belong to the reign of Assur-n'asir-apli or Assurnasirpal, the earliest king of whom any large monu- ments have been discovered, and who began his reign about 885 b.c. Close to the large lion is a statue of this king on its original pedestal ; and a monolith sculptured for him, and found at Kurkh, is placed near one of the western pilasters. Other objects of note are the Black Obelisk and the monolith of Shalmaneser n. (b.c. 859). The former, which is sculptured with many interesting bas-reliefs, and inscribed with his annals, was erected by him at Nimroud; and the latter at Kurkh. Both these monu- ments are exceedingly important on account of the light which they throw upon Biblical history. Besides the above objects from Assyria, there is also a large number of Babylonian antiquities. These consist of boundary-stones inscribed with grants of land, and tablets of baked and unbaked clay. Two of the boundary-stones were presented to the British Museum by Sir Arnold Kemball, and one (obtained by Mr. George Smith) by the proprietors of the Daily Telegraph. The rest were ex- cavated in Babylonia by Mr. H. Eassam. The tablets, which are exhibited in the two table-cases in the middle of the room, include some exceedingly interesting lin- guistical, chronological, and miscellaneous texts ; and a large and important series of contract-tablets from the earliest times (about 2100 B.C.) until the first century before Christ. They were excavated principally by Loftus, Eassam, and George Smith, at Tell-sifr, Babylon, and Sippara or Sepharvaim — many of those obtained by the last-named having been presented by the proprietors of the Daily Telegraph. The contract-tablets are of great value in the study of the manners, customs, and laws of the ancient Babylonians; and full translations of the more interesting and important texts have there- fore been given by the writer of this introduction, Mr. Goldridge Pinches. P. le Page Eenouf. May li, 1S36. EOYAL NAMES FOUND ONLY ON THE MONUMENTS. Assyrian. PAGE ASSur-dan or ASsur-danan, " ASSur judges " or " ASsur strengthens " 9 As3ur-danin-apli, " ASsur has strengthened the son '' . . . . 45 Assir-nasir-apli, " ASSur has protected the son " 9, 11-15, 17-19, 2G Bammanu-nirari, " Rimmon is my help " .. 8 (B. in.), 9, 19 Samsi-Rammanu, " My sun is Rimmon " _, . . 45 Tukulti-Ninip, " My help is Ninip " 9, 19, 38 Babylonian. Ammi-satana 81 Ammi-zaduga . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 Dungi 69, 77 Gigtubar (provisional reading), supposed to be same asNimrod . . 61 Gudea, " The speaker " or " prophet " 67 Hammurabi (Gammurabi), in Babylonian Kimta-rapaStu™, " The family is spread abroad " 16,75-80 Kimta-rapagtu™, see Hammurabi. Kuri-galzu, in Babylonian Ri'i-biSi, " Be my shepherd " . . . . 46 Marduk-Sum-iddin, " Merodach has given a name " . . . . 39 Marduk-nadin-ajjg, " Merodach has given brothers " . . 55, 58 Meli-§i£u, in Babylonian Amel-Marduk (Evil-Merodaoh), " Man of Merodach " 51 Nabu-abla-iddin, " Nebo has given a son " 70 Nabu-ukln-abla, " Nebo has established a son " 52 Bammanu-sum-nasir, " Bimmon protects the name " . . . . 54 Rim-Sin 75 Samsu-iluna 80-81 Miscellaneous. Ahunu, son of Adinu, king of Til-Barsip 38 Irjiuleni (also Urhileni), king of the Hamathitcs 39 BOYAL NAMES ON THE MONUMENTS. FAOK . 36 Karparunda, king of the Patiiiian3 Marduk-abla-ftsur, "Merodaoh, protect the son," king of the Shuhites ' .- 34 Marduk-mudummik, " Merodaoh is he who makes happy," king of Namri or Namar . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Sangara, king of Karkemish . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Seduri, king of Ararat . . . . . . . . . . . * . . 43 Sua, king of the Kirzaniaus . . . . . . . . . . 27 -29 Ualka, king of Van . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Ubu, king of the Kirzanians * , . 44 Ynnzu, king of Namar or Namri . . . , . . . . 41, 42 BIBLICAL AND CLASSICAL NAMES MENTIONED IN THIS GUIDE, WITH THE FORMS OF THE SAME AS GIVEN BY THE WEDGE-INSCBIPTIONS. PACK Ahab, king of Israel (Ahalbtt) .. .. .. .. .. 18 Alexander n. (Alilcmndar) .. .. .. .. .. .. 123 Antigonus (Amtignvs, Antignuseu, Antigunusu) .. .. 71, 123 Antiochus (Antinltus, AntVultltusu, abbreviated, An.) . . 70, 73, 124 Arsaoes (ArMlia) 70,125-126 Artaxerxes (Artahiat&u, Artdkiassu) .. .. .. 66,71,122 Bardes (Barzia) .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 107 Belshazzar (BU-sarra-usur, " Bel, protect the king ") . . • • 68 Ben-Hadad (Addu-idri) (Bin-Addu-idri) .. .. .. 18,39,40 Cambyses (Kambuzia) .. .. .. .. .. 102-107 Gyrus (KuraS, Kurrai, Kuraiu) .. .. .. .. 96-102 Darius (DariawuZ, DarVui, Ddruesin, Darawui, DdruwuUu, &c. 71 (Dar. n. and in.), 109-118 Demetrius (Dimitrisa) .. .. .. .. .. .. 125 Esar-baddon (AMur-ahd-iddin, " ASSur has given a brother ") 6-8, 83 Evil-Merodach (Amel-Marduh, " Man of Merodach ") . . . . 88 Gobryas (Gvbaru, Ugbaru) .. .. .. .. .. .. 69 Hazael (Haza'-Uu) .. .. .. .. .. .. . . 41 Jehu (Yaua) .. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. 31 Kineladanos (Kandalanu, Kandal) .. .. .. .. . . 67 Laborosoarchod (LdbaM-Marduk) .. .. .. .. 89-90 Merodach-baladan (Mardult-ahla-iddin, " Merodach has given a son") 45 (Merod, i.), 65 Nabonidus (Nahu-na'id, "Nebo is powerful," or "glorious") 68-69, 90-97 Nabopolassar (Ndbu-apla-u§ur, " Nebo, protect the son") .. 84 Nebuchadnezzar (Nabu-Ttndurru usur) " Nebo, protect the crown " or " landmark " ... . . 46-50 (Nebuch. I.), 16, 85-88 Neriglissar (Nergal-iarra-umr, " Nergal, protect the king ") 88-89 Ochos (JJmasu) .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 71 6 X BIBLICAL AND CLASSICAL NAMES. TAGE Ornri (Humri) .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ■■ 31 Philip {PiUipsu\ 122 Saosduchinos (j$amas-eum-ukin, "The Sun-god has established the name ") .. . . . . . . . . . . 55, 83 Sardanapalos (Aiiur-bani-apli, " ASSur has created a son ") .. 84 Sargon (Sarra-uMn, "He has established a king"; Akkadian, Sar-gina or Lugal-gina) .. . . '.'. .. .. . . 82 Seleuous (Silukku, Siluhu, abbreviated, Si.) .. 70, 71, 73, 12+ Semiramis (supposed equivalent Sammuramat, queen of Ram- manu-nirari m. of Assyria) .. .. .. .. .. 8 Shalmaneser (Salrnanu-dsarid, Sulman-demid, "Shalman is chief") 17-18,26-45 Tiglath-pileser (Tukulti-apil-esara, " My help is the son of ; Esara") 1-16,14-16,18-25 Vm-napiMi'n (" Day of life "), the Babylonian Noah . , . . 61 Xerxes (AJiHareii, AMiwarin, Akiiar) .. .. .. 120-121 GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES MENTIONED IN THIS GUIDE, WITH THKIK EQUIVALENTS AS GIVEN BY THE WEDGE-INSCBIPTIOMS. Akka<] (country aud city), Akkad, mat AkJsadi. Amanus (mount), Hamdnu. Ararat, Urartu. Urtu, mat Urarti. Arbela, Arba'-ilu. Arvad, Aruada. Asshur (country and city), ASSvr. Babylon (country and city), Se- mitic Babylonian : Bab - Hi (" gate of God "), and Bdb-ilani (" gates of the gods ") ; Akka- dian: Ka-dingira ("gate of God ") and E or EH (" house " or "hollow"), also mat Knr- Duniai ("the land of the gar- den of DuniaS "). Balicha, Balihi. Borsippa, Banip or Bui-sip. Calab, Kalhu. Cappadocia, Kv.su. Oassites or Cossaeans, Ka'sii. Chaldea, mat Kaldi. Outhab, Kutu (Bab.), Gudna (Akk.) Damascus, Dimaika. Ecbatana, Agamtanu. Egypt, mat Mupir, Mijir, mat Mifir. Elam, mat Elam, mat Elamti, mat Elamdi. Erooh (Warka), Uruh. Eulaeus (river), Via. Euphrates, Purat. Gebal, Gublu. Hamathites, mat Hamataa, Ama- tda. Hit, mat Haiti. Israel, mat Sir'ilda. Karkemish, Gargamii. Lebanon, Libnana. Media, mat Madda. Niffer, Nippuru, Nipuru, Nipur. Ninevph, Ninua. Opis, UpS. Pekod, Pukudu. Persia, Parsu. Pethor, Pitru. Phoenicia, Aharru, mat Aftarte, (Assyr. & Bab.), Murtu (Akk.). Baphek, Rapiku. Samaria, Sa-Imeriiu. Sepharvaim (Sippara), Sipar. Shuhites, Suhda. Sidonians, Sidunaa. Tell-lo, Lagai. Tigris, Idiglat. Tornadotus (city of the waters of the), dl Me-Turnat, Me-Turni. Tarsus, Tarzi. Tubal, Tabalu. Tyrians, Surrda. Vanites, Mannda (Wannda). GUIDE NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON. The numbering is continued from that of the slabs in the Konyunjik Gallery. Assyrian Section. • No. 64. A bas-relief representing a horseman in flight before the Assyrians. He is dressed in a tunic reaching to the knees, and wears a helmet with a kind of crest above. His hair and beard are short. The horse, which seems to have been struck by a spear, is rearing on its hind-legs. The trappings are somewhat in the Assyrian style, but not so ornamental. The rider, who is without stirrups, looks backwards to the left, and his right hand is stretched outwards and upwards towards his pursuers as a signal to them.. .-The two horses which follow, of which the heads and fore-legs are< almost all that remain, are evidently ridden by Assyrian soldiers, a bare foot — that of the nearer horseman — being visible. These horses, which are galloping abreast, have trappings in the Assyriarl style, their heads being surmounted by a cir- cular ornament in three rows, and a similar ornament^ in the form of a tassel, hangs beneath the head. This slab evidently illustrates the campaigns of Tiglath-pileser in. (b.c. 745^727). Below are tile remains of two lines of inscription, in which the name of Babylon occurs. Size 4 ft. 2£ in. by 3 ft. 5 in. No. 65. Siege of a city or fortification built upon a mound, the greater part lost by the fracture of the slab. It consists of a series of towers, with pointed battlements B 2 GUIDE TO THE NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON. united by a wall or curtain, generally considerably lower than the towers themselves. Two of the towers only are to be seen, that to the left being broken by the mutilation of the slab. In the right-hand tower is a soldier, bare- headed, shooting an arrow to the left. In the left-hand tower is also a soldier, a part of whom only is to be seen in consequence of the fracture of the stone. He also seems to be shooting. Hanging from a pole fixed into the right-hand tower is a pulley with a rope across the wheel, the ends of which seem to hang down within the walls. Below, to the left, outside of the walls, are four Assyrian soldiers. Of the first the right arm only can be seen. He is followed by another soldier (the upper part of whose head is wanting) armed with a sword, in the usual orna- mental sheath. He holds, by a cord, a kind of convex- bottomed bucket, with a handle above, seemingly formed by a piece of wood placed across, and fastened into two loops or handles. His right arm is raised. Behind him is another soldier, similarly clothed, looking to the right. '. His right hand is raised as if he grasped something which was shown on a lost portion of the slab. Behind him are to be seen some curved lines, which represent perhaps the end of a rope, of which he probably held the upper part. The fourth soldier, who stands before him, is represented stooping, holding in his left hand, by a cord, a vessel similar to that already described ; and in his right a knife or dagger, with which he has evidently cut' the cord. These vessels, to which ropes are attached, are evidently in connection with the pulley above, and the scene is intended to show, perhaps, provisions captured by the Assyrians. The three lines of mutilated inscription above refer to the building of a palace by Tiglath-pileser in. (b.c. 745- 727). Size of slab 3 ft. h\ in. by 3 ft. No. 66. Part of a battle-scene belonging to the same series as No. 64. The central group shows two Assyrian horsemen, bearded, and wearing pointed helmets. The nearer is clothed in a tightly-fitting jacket, covered with small square plates of iron, bronze, or leather, and a tunic reaching to the knees, fringed, ' and " ornamented with square compartments, each containing two concentric circles. The clothing of the farther horseman is unorna- GUIDE TO THE NIMROUD CEKTEAL SALOON. 3 merited (evidently it was only considered needful to finish that supposed to he nearest the eye). They are riding side hy side, the horses, which are galloping, having trappings and ornaments in the usual Assyrian style, the tail tied up into a loop at the end. These horsemen are attacking, with spears, a fleeing enemy, whose horse, stumbling, throws him forward. He is clothed in a plain tight-fitting dress, reaching nearly to the knees, and his feet are encased in pointed shoes. He holds up his right hand in entreaty to his pursuers, one of whose spears is against his body. The head of both the man and the horse are lost by the fracture of the stone. To the left on the slab, in an inverted position, intended to show the body in perspective, with the head near the spectator, is the corpse of a dead enemy. He wears a long robe and pointed boots with tip-tilted toes. Above the body is a vulture, represented in a rather conventional style, carrying in its claws the entrails of the dead, a part of which it holds in its beak. Date 745-727 B.C. Size 4 ft. 2£ in. by 6 ft. 1 in. No. 67a. The evacuation of, or bringing forth of tri- bute from, a captured city, represented as a fortress with five tall towers with curtains between and pointed battle- ments, built upon a mound or hill, surrounded by an outer wall also with pointed battlements. Between the second and third tower is a folding door, having two rectangular leaves. To the left, above the first and second tower, is a high watch-tower, having buttresses or smaller towers, be- tween which is a small arch-headed folding door, leading out to a kind of landing. The top of the erection is lost by the fracture of the stone. To the right is to be seen the procession of tribute. The upper row represents the part most distant from the spectator, and shows two rams, or a sheep and a ram (the foremost of which is mutilated by the fracture of the stone) driven by an Assyrian soldier. This last is dressed in the Assyrian style, the garment covering the upper part fitting rather closely. The lower part of the dress, which reaches to the knee, seems to be wound round and. fastened beneath the girdle, the fringe of one of the edges hanging downwards. He carries a sword and quiver, the end of the latter (over which falls some material in three rows, like fringe) appears over his left shoulder. His arms, legs, and feet are bare. His left b 2 4 GUIDE TO THE MMKOUD CENTRAL SALOON. hand hangs down, and in his right he holds a staff or mace, the upper end of which is lost, as is also the whole of the head of the soldier, except the beard and the ends of the hair. The lower or nearer row shows an Assyrian soldier of short stature, guarding four tribute-hearers. His legs are bare, with sandals on his feet. His left hand rests on the handle of his sword, and his right, raised, holds a mace or staff of office. The four men who go before him, and who are, contrary to the usual custom of the Assyrians, repre- sented about a head taller than the soldier who guards them, are clothed in long mantles, over another dress, which reaches almost to their feet, and is open on the right from the shoulder downwards, and fringed at the edge. They are bearded, and wear on their heads a kind of Phrygian cap, and on their feet shoes with turned-up toes. Over their left shoulder is slung a bag containing tribute, the closed mouth of which they hold with both hands. The line of inscription above gives the name of the' city, Azkuttu. No. 67b. Tiglath-pileser in. in his chariot. An ex- cellently-represented group, evidently forming part of a procession. To the right is the hinder part of a chariot, showing the greater part of the body and the large thick wheel, together with one of the occupants. Its. make is very nearly the same as that of the royal chariot behind, except that the pattern on the side differs. The royal chariot, which follows, seems to be of rather small size. The side is nearly square, with a raised projection behind. In front is a receptacle for arrows, the feathered pile of which projects from the top. The chariot is mounted on two wheels, only one of which is seen. The outer part of the wheel is composed of three thicknesses, bolted tightly together in four places. It has eight spokes, fastened into sockets which form one piece with the centre.' The side of the chariot is ornamented with a border of vandyked lines, three rosettes in the raised corner ; and a series of squares, one within the other, covers the. rest. A like ornamentation also covers the quiver. '. The shaft between the horses forms one piece with the bottom of the chariot. It is bent upwards and outwards',' and is ornamented with a row of small circles between two borders. This shaft is supposed to be attached to the broad ornamented pole which is fixed to the top GUIDE TO THE 2U1IKOUD CENTEAL SALOON. 5 part of the front of the chariot. Attached to the part where the two join is the yoke, a crooked piece" of wood, probably padded, which rests on the back of the horses' necks, and is kept in its place by an ornamental band passing round the front part of the neck, and attached to the yoke. To the headstall is attached, under the horse's Up, a bearing-rein, which passes through the curved part of the yoke. The reins are six in number, three being held by the charioteer in each hand. They seem to be attached to the yoke upon the neck, and it was probably by means of this, moving on a pivot, that the horses were guided. Both horses have plumes upon the top of the head, woollen or other bandlets across the forehead, and a band round the upper part of the neck. Hanging from the yoke is a rosette with four triple tassels ; and, on the same level, hanging over the breast, an ornamental band with five double tassels. The upper shaft of the chariot, which is fixed to the top of the front, is broader in the middle than at each end. It has various line-ornaments, small circles, &c, running across, and in the middle is the winged circle emblematic of the god Assur. Of the three personages in the chariot, that shown nearest the spectator is the king. He stands with his right hand raised, and his left hanging down, holding a lotus-flower. Upon his head he wears the conical cap of the Assyrian kings, flat at the top, with a point in the centre; two bands running round the upper part, and another, broader in front than at the back, on the lower edge. The ends of his hair are curled, and his beard also is curled in three rows. He wears a long robe, reaching apparently to the feet, a part of the fringed edge hanging over his right arm and being continued behind. His arms are bare. On the other side of the king is the charioteer, bearded and with his arms bare. He holds the reins with both hands ; and in his right hand he grasps also a short- handled whip of twisted cord, ending in two lashes, which hang over the horses' backs. Behind the king is a eunuch, holding a sunshade over the king's head. He is clothed in a tightly-fitting upper garment, and has a fringed robe over bis left shoulder, extending round his right side. His arms are bare. The sunshade, which was not made to close, is not at right angles with its handle, which is slanted forward to allow the bearer to hold the upper part 6 GUIDE TO THE NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON. more over the king's head, The edge is ornamented with beads or small tassels, and it has at the top a hall with an ornament above. The sunshade extends above the field of the representation, and interrupts the inscription between the two rows of bas-reliefs. The horses are led by two men, the nearer of whom holds the bearing-rein tightly with his right hand. Both have wavy hair, and beards curled like the king's. The nearer carries a covered quiver, ornamented with bands. They are dressed in tunics reaching to the knee, haying the edge bordered and fringed. Their arms and legs are bare. The inscription, between the two bas-reliefs, is as follows : — Hista, Harabisma, Barbas, Tasa, as far as the river AluruS, I captured ; I killed their soldiers, 8650 men. ....... 300 mules, 660 asses, 1350 oxen and 9000 sheep I carried off; I pulled down, dug up, and burned with fire -. their ... I brought within the borders of Assyria. I built these cities anew, and set within* them the people of the lands captured by my hand. .... in the midst I placed, and added to the merchandise brought forth. Daikansa, Sakka, Ippa, Elis-Marduk, ....... Lukadansa, Kuda, Elugia, Dania, Danziun, Ulaa, Lukia, Abrania, Eusa, I killed their soldiers; I carried off 900 men, 100 oxen, 1000 sheep ; horses, mules, asses I pulled down, dug up, and burned with fire. The people 6f M-ukaniakam saw my expedition, and the city Ura which is within the land of Musur ...... their sons, their daughters, [their] families (?)...... _ I decreed (?), and in their land . horses, mules ' I pulled down, dug up, and burned with fire ....... I captured, pulled down, dug up, [and burned] with fire I captured, I killed their soldiers ....... Eeign of Tiglath-pileser in., 745-727 B.C. Height of the whole 6 ft. 3 in., width 6 ft. 5£ in. No. 68. The head of a winged man-headed bull, of a larger size than any yet found. The face is -that of an Assyrian, of a marked Semitic type, such as is still found in the Euphrates valley. The pupils of the eyes, which are very full, are indicated by rings; the nose is aquiline, beginning without any depression from the forehead, GUIDE TO THE NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON. T and the eyebrows are joined above. The lips are firmly closed ; hut the face has, as a whole, a bland expression. The beard is arranged on the .chin in five rows of small curls ; and the whiskers, as well as the ends of the mous- taches, in the same way. Below these small curls the beard is twisted for a short distance downwards, ending in a double row of small curls, followed -by two other twisted portions, the last ending in several rows of curls, continued on to the under part of the beard. On each side of the beard the neck, which is very broad, is shown, bare ; but the edge of a plain robe, beginning frdm the shoulders, and covered, a little way from the beard, on the right with five, and on the left with six, rows of small feathers, is to be seen. The hair, which is arranged: in waves over the forehead, falls to the shoulders, and is curled, like the upper part of the beard, in eight rows of small curls. The left ear is gone, but the right, which is broken, was originally shaped like that of a bull (as in No. 68*), the upper part standing above the lower edge of the hat. Prom the outer edge hangs an earring. The tall head-dress slopes upwards from the rim, but begins to curve outwards a little way from the top. It is orna- mented with three pairs of horns, beginning, on each side, about parallel with the ear, and extending forward to the front, and then bending upwards. The top of the cap is ornamented with a row of rosettes on a band, from which projects, upwards, a row of feathers. This sculp- ture is from the South-west Building, Nimroud, erected ' by Esarhaddon, about 670 B.C. Height 6 ft. 5 in., width 3 ft. 3£ in. No. 68*. Head and hoof of a winged man-hea ded bull This head, smaller than No. 68, is in a style precisely, similar, the execution, however, being hardly so good. The face is Assyrian in type, the eyes being full, the nose short and curved. The eyebrows, which are thick, join and come to a point over the nose. The upper part of the beard and the whiskers are arranged in a number of small curls. Extending downwards, the beard is ar- ranged in two series of small curls, the lower containing ten rows, continued even to the under part. The inter- vals between are wavy and twisted. ' The shoulders are ' covered with small feathers, finishing with a sharp line on the neck, as if the edge of a garment. The cap, which 8 GUIDE TO THE NIMROCD CENTRAL SALOON. is broken, seems to have been originally pointed at the top, and has, on each side, a horn projecting forwards, and turning upwards in front. Size 3 ft. 3£ in. by 2 ft. 2| in. The foot below shows a cloven hoof with part of the fet- lock having a fringe of hair above the horny part. Height 10J in. by 1\ in. Nos. 69 and 70. Two statues of the god Nebo, stand- ing, draped in a plain garment confined at the waist, the arms bare from below the shoulders. The god is repre- sented moustached and bearded, the beard being arranged, as in the case of the bulls' heads above described, in alternate rows of curls and wavy parts. The upper part of the hair is wavy, and it falls to the shoulders in small curls. The cap is rather pointed at the top, and is orna- mented with two horns similar to those on the cap of the bull just described. He wears bracelets, ornamented with a rosette, upon his wrists, and his hands are folded on the breast. The front and sides of his dress are covered, below the waist, with twelve lines of wedge-inscription as follows : — To Nebo, the high protector, son of E-saggil,' the powerful director (?), the honourable prince, son of Nudimmut, whose command comes to the front. The patriarch of clever things, overseer of the multitudes of heaven and earth, knowing all things, opener of the ears, holder of the reed-tablet, possessor of all [things] (?), the gracious one, the exalted, he who establishes [and] settles [those who] are with him, the beloved of B8l, the lord of lords, whose might has no equal, without whom in heaven no counsel is made. The gracious one, who brings back good [to him] who is faithful to him. He who dwells in ^,-zida, which is within Calah ; the great lord, his lord. For the life of Rammanu-nirari, king of Assyria, his lord, and the life of Sammuramat, the wife of the palace, his lady, Bel-tarsi-ili, governor of Calah, Hamedi, Sirgana,. Temeni, and Yaluna, for the saving of his life, the lengthening of his days, the ex- tension (?) of his years, the peace of his house, that there be not evil to him, has caused [this] to be made, and has given. [To] whomsoever [comes] afterwards : Trust [or be trustful] in Nebo, trust not another god. Eammanu-nirari in. reigned from 812-783 B.C. Height 5 ft. \\\ in. No. 71. An altar of alabaster, rectangular and oblong, with a plain cornice at the top and bottom. This altar is made, seemingly, with cylinders fixed at each end (re- presented by the circles shown above the upper cornice), 1 The name of a temple. GUIDE TO THE NIMRO0D CENTRAL SALOON. 9 and a thick sculptured stone fitted ever the whole, low- in the middle, and rising over the cylindrical ends. The whole of the top looks not unlike the volutes of an Ionic capital. The centre shows plainly the marks of fire. In the middle of the upper surface is a hole. The four lines of inscription on the front are as follows : — To Bel the king of heaven, .... of shrines, ruler of the forests, he who dwells in Bit-kadmnri, the great lord, my lord, I Assur-nasir-apli, priest of Assur, son of Tukulti-Ninip, priest of Assur also, hare dedicated [this altar] for the saving of my life, the extension of my days, the lengthening of my years, [and] the peace of my seed. Date about 885 B.C. Height 1 ft. 9J in., width the same, depth 1 ft. 1 in. No. 72. A cylindrical object of a black porous stone, much weather-worn. The base upon which it stands is square. This object is pierced with a hole throughout. Bound the top is a raised band with a border, and below are three lines of inscription, as follows : — Palace of EammSnu-nirari, king of multitudes, king of Assyria, son of Assur-dan, king of multitudes, king of Assyria, grandson of Tiglath- pileser, king of multitudes, king of Assyria. This inscription shows that Rammanu-nirari n. (b.c. 913), son of Assur-dan or Assur-danan ii. (b.c. 930), was grandson of Tiglath-pileser ir. (about b.c. 950), and that therefore the Tiglath-pileser of the Bible (b.c. 745-727) was the third king of that name. Height 1 ft. 4£ in., width of base 10£ in. No. 73. A stone coffer, with lid; from the temple at Ba- lawat (Imgur-Bel). This coffer was made to hold the three inscribed alabaster tablets (two of which are exhibited in the Assyrian room upstairs) found by Mr. H. Eassam in the temple. The upper surface is covered with an inscription in twenty-eight lines, part extending over on the right-hand end, giving the genealogy and outline of the conquests of Assur-nasir-apli, king of Assvria (b.c. 885-860). Height 1 ft. Tin., length 2 ft. 9£"in., depth 1 ft. 8 in. No. 74. An alabaster slab, sculptured with the repre- sentation of a winged figure, looking to the left, offering flowers. The right hand is raised, the left hanging down, holding downwards a branch with four small 10 .GUIDE TO THE NIMR0UD CENTRAL SALOON. stems, three of which have at the ends fruit not unlike small pine-cones, the small scales being represented by lines, and the leaves at the apex by three pointed leaves beneath. The figure is clothed in a long robe reaching to the beels, the edge deeply fringed. On each side above the knee hang two cords, knotted and .tasselled at the ends, which were most likely used to close the garment in front when it was needful to cover the whole figure. The under-dress consists of a tunic, reaching to the knees, also deeply fringed. The arms and legs are bare. Upon the feet are fastened, with thongs bound round the toes and the instep, sandals having at the back a raised edge both to protest ,the heel and to keep the sandal in its place. Thrust* into the breast of the outer garment are to be seen two small ' swords or daggers. The end of the outer robe, which is a large cloak, is thrown over the left shoulder, and seems to be fastened there by a kind of brooch. The wings, two in number, thickly feathered with small feathers and pinions, hang downwards, and look as if they were only hung On. The hair is dressed in a manner exactly like that of the winged bulls already described, and the head is covered with a hemispherical hat from the side of which Come two horns, projecting forwards and upwards. An earring hangs from the lower part of the ear. Below are seven lines of writing, part of the standard inscription of Assur-nasir-aplij 885 B.C. Size 3 ft. 5J in. by 1 ft. 10 in. No. 75. A winged figure, similar to No. 74. The raised right hand holds a pomegranate ; the left, which is hang- ing down, holds -a- plain basket, with a handle fastened to two loops attached to the edge. Above is part of six' lines of writing. Size 3 ft. 7f in. by I. ft. 10 J in. No. 76. Winged man-headed bull, sculptured in high relief, represented, as is usual in Assyrian art, with five legs, so as to look perfect both in front and at the side. The bead is similar to those already described, and is capped by the usual globular but pointed hat, with three horns on each side. The hair, which is curled, falls in a large mass to the shoulders. Prom the ears hang earrings. The front of the bull is feathered on each side from the shoulders to the thighs of the forelegs, but between the GUIDE TO THE NIMR0UD CENTRAL SALOON. 11 two rows of feathers, is what was evidently intended for a continuation of the beard, consisting of a band of short curly hair, reaching to the dewlap. On the knees also are tufts of curly hair. The fore-feet, seen from the front, are even with each other. The muscles of the legs and body are strongly marked. Seen from the side the creature appears to be in the act of walking. The only wing shown curves stiffly upwards. The upper edge : h$s three rows of small feathers, and, below, two rows of pinions, extending down to the thigh of the fore-leg, and getting gradually shorter. The longer hair shown along the back, belly, and rump, is in rows of stiff curls. The near hind-leg, of which the muscles and veins are also strongly marked, is advanced. The inside of the knee has a tuft of curly hair. The tail extends as low as the heel of the off hind-leg, and the hair at the end is trimmed alternately in three and four rows of curls. The sculpture being for the left-hand side of a doorway, the left side of the bull only is shown, the right side being sculptured only as far as seen. The flat part of the stone is inscribed with an abridg- ment of the standard inscription of Assur-nasir-apli, as follows : — [Between the two fore-legs at the side :] The palace of Assur-nasir-apli, priest of Assur ; favourite of Bel and Kinip, beloved of Anu and Dagan, the mighty one of the great gods, the strong king, the king of multitudes, the king of Assyria, son of Tukulti Ninip, the great king, the strong king, the king of multitudes, the king of Assyria, the son of Kammanu-nirari, the king of multitudes, the king of Assyria also. The hero, the warrior, who in the protection of Assur his lord, has walked, and among the kings of the four regions has not had an equal. The shepherd of the faithful, not fearing opposition, the strong flood who has not had an bpposer. The king subduing those unsubmissive to him, who has ruled over whole multitudes of men, the strong servant trampling upon the coasts ' of his foes, treading down all his enemies, crossing [between the fore- and hind-legs :] boundaries, the powerful one, the king who iu the service of the great gods his lords has walked, and whose hand has captured all countries ; he has ruled all their lands, 2 and has received their tribute, taken hostages, extended his might over the countries, the whole of them. When Assur [my] lord,, proclaimed my name, enlarging my kingdom, he then held his unfailing weapon at the side of my majesty, he caused the armies of the wide-reaching land of LullumS to be slain with the sword in the midst of the battle. By the help of Samas and Rammanu, the gods 1 Or, the neck. • * Lit. ,: forests. 12 GUIDE TO THE NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON. my helpers, I thundered like Kimmon the inundator over the armies of the mountains of Na'iri, and the lands of Kirhj, SubarS and Nirib. [I am] the king who, from the fords of the Tigris to Lebanon and the great sea, the whole of Lak§, and Suhi, as far as Eaphek, have made [the people] to submit to his yoke. From the sources of the Supnat as far as Ararat, his hand has captured. From Nirib of the land of Kirruri as far as Kirz&ni : from the fords of the Lower Zab as far as Til-bari, which is above Zaban, and from the cities Tilu-sa-zabdani and Tilu-sa-abtani, Hirimu, Harutu, the land of Birate of Kardunias I added [the districts] to the borders of my country, [between the two hind-legs :] ■ from the land of Nirbi of Babila as far as Kutmar I added [the in- habitants] to the people of my country. . I placed my prefects in those countries which I conquered and I made [them] subject. AlSur-nasir-apli, the glorious prince, worshipper of the great gods, the mighty potentate, conqueror of towns and countries ' throughout their extent, king of lords, burning up the rebellious, covering the slain, not fearing opposition, the unsubdued prince, extinguishing rebellion, the king of glory, the shepherd protector of the regions, the king who, by the word of his mouth, has caused mountains and seas to be overwhelmed, who by the advance of his lordship has placed rebellious unsubdued kings, from east to west, under one command. I have crossed difficult mountains, opened out the impassable pathway ; I have caused dreadful ruin to raiu on all regions. [behind the tail of the bull :] I have put upon the kings of the whole of the cities the obedience to my command [and] they have besought my lordship. I, Assur-nasir-apli, the wise, the learned, the intelligent, opener of the ears, the deep wisdom of Ea, king of the abyss, has established me. The 65,000 great gods of heaven and earth, by their faithful heart have made [it] known to me, and a kingdom of the lordship of multitudes they have set forth 4>y their noble mouth. The countries and the impassible z forests I have caused to be broken at the stone of submission ; like a waterflood they (the gods) have urged me on. I have been, by the command of Assur, the great lord, my lord, and Nergal, lover of my priesthood, to Lebanon ; I have been up to the great sea, and in the great sea have made bright my weapons ; I have taken victims for my gods. In those days I received the tribute of the kings of the sea-coast — the Tyrians, the Sidonians, the Phoenicians, the Gebalites, the Mahallatites, the Eaizites, the Maizites, and of Arvad which is within the sea — silver, gold, lead, copper, vessels of copper, coloured cloth, linen, and dolphins' teeth, the produce of the sea. In those days I received, with their tribute, both grown and young animals. [Continued on the lion, No 77]. Date about 865 B.C. Height 10 ft. 4£ in., length 10 ft. 3£ in., width 2 ft. No. 77. A winged man-headed lion, of the same pro- portions as the hull opposite. The head is precisely simi- lar to those already described, except that the ears are 1 Lit. : forests. * Lit. ; strong. GUIDE TO THE NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON. 13 those of a man, and the earrings of a different pattern. The front of the lion is covered, beneath the beard, with long wavy hair, on each side of which are two rows of small feathers, from which those of the wings begin, as in the case of the winged bull. The fore-legs, seen from the front, are level, the muscles strongly marked, the paws and claws well and boldly modelled. Seen from the side the creature appears in the act of walking, the near fore- and hind-legs being advanced. The hair of the body is not indicated, except on the belly and the rump. The tail, ending in a tuft of hairs, in which the claw is plainly visible, reaches almost to the ground. Eound the body, close to the thighs of the hind-legs, is fastened a kind of girdle, of seven cords, tied in a knot ending in four thin tassels made of the frayed ends of the cords, passing backwards through a loop of the knot, each tassel being kept together by metal ferrules. Being for the right-hand side of a doorway, the right-hand side only of the lion is sculptured, the left side being finished only as far as seen. The fiat part of the stone contains the same inscription as that on the winged bull, but with the following addition at the end : — [Behind the tail of the lion, line 17 :] I brought [them] to my country Assur, and in the city of Calah I let them bring forth offspring in numbers. The people of my country, all of them, I made to guard them before me, and with my own hand I caused them to be established. With my arm (?) I took fifteen strong lions from the mountains and the firm-fixed forests. I brought fifty young lions, and placed them in Calah and the palaces of my land in cages, and I let them bear their young in numbers. I took .... alive with my hands. I collected herds of oxen, elephants, lions, and various other animals ' in my city of Calah. I made all the people of my land to guard them. [Here follows an exhortation to any future ruler, 'ending with an unfinished sentence.] Beign of Alsur-nasir-apli, about 865 B.C. Height 10 ft. 4J in., length 10 ft." 3 in., width 2 ft. 1 in. ' No. 78. The same subject, reversed, as the slab occupying the corresponding position on the left-hand side (No. 74). A priest holding a branch with flowers. The six lines of characters give part of the standard inscription of Assur- nasir-apli or Assur-nasir-pal. Size 3 ft. 5£ in. by 2 ft, 8^ in. f 1 The Assyrian names of these animals are given, but the greater part has not yet been identified. 1-1 GUIDE TQ THE NIMR0UD CENTRAL SALOON. No. 79. The same subject, reversed, as No. 75 (the cor- responding slab on the other side). A winged human figure, either a god or a priest, holding a pine-cone. Above are four lines of writing, part of the standard inscription of Assur-nasir-apli. Size 3 ft. 1\ in. by 2 ft. 9 in. No. 80. Assyrian horseman piirsuing a fleeing enemy. The latter, probably an Arab, is mounted on a camel, represented with rather long hind-legs, but with a neck short in proportion. The rider sits sidewise upon the hump, the right leg hanging down and the left raised to the camel's neck. A halter passes round the nose of the camel, and is held in the left hand of its rider. The man is looking backwards towards his pursuers, and holding ' out his right hand towards them as if in supplication. He is dressed in a tunic reaching almost to the knees, and confined at the waist by a girdle. His beard is trimmed in rows of curls, like those of the Assyrians, but his hair falls free. He seems to wear a kind of cap with a band round : it broader in front than at the back. His pursuers are an Assyrian soldier and a eunuch, each mounted on horseback and riding abreast. The horses are caparisoned in the • Assyrian style, with plumes- upon the head and fringed tassels beneath. The eunuch is represented barefooted, clothed in a tunic reaching to the knee, and confined at the waist by a girdle. He is armed with a sword and spear, and is using the latter, which he holds in his right hand, against the man on the camel. The Assyrian soldier by his side is almost hidden, but he wears, as does also the eunuch, a peaked helmet, and holds a spear, which ' he directs against the fleeing enemy. Beneath the camel lie two men : one headless and stripped naked, the other apparently only wounded. This latter is clothed like the man on the camel. Another man lies beneath the Assyrian horses, face downwards, knees bent, and hair thrown forwards, as if he had fallen violently. He seems to have girded his clothes round his body for greater freedom in running. Eeign of Tiglath-pileser in., 745-727 i.e. Height 4 ft., length 5 ft. 8£ in. No. 81. Head and shoulders of a man-headed bull in low relief, in style similar to those already described. The beard, as well as what is left of the hair, is curled in rows, GUIDE TO THE KIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON. 15 except beneath the beard, where there are, as in the other bulls, rows of small curls ; the front of the body is feathered. The face is of the Assyrian type, the hose curved, and the eye full. The ear is that of a bull, and from the lower part hangs a ring. The hat was, most: likely, when the slab was perfect, of cylindrical shape. It is ornamented with two horns projecting forward and upwards. Size 3 ft. 9£ in. by 2 ft. 4 in. « No. 82. To the left, a eunuch, clothed in a long robe, reaching to the feet, ornamented at the bottom with a row of squares within squares, bordered with two lines, and deeply fringed. A deeply-fringed band also girds the waist, and the fringed edge of an upper robe reaches from the waist to the left shoulder, and has a sword thrust through just above the girdle. The arms and feet are bare. The right foot is advanced, the right arm is hanging down and the left raised, as if introducing a personage, represented on a lost portion. Prisoners follow walking two and two behind him. They are clothed in tunics, with short sleeves, girded at the waist. Their feet are bare, and their hands are handcuffed behind their backs. The last figures on this slab were women, the hands (the only portion which now remains) raised in supplica- tion. Date about 745 b.c. Size 3 ft. 3f in. by 4 ft. No. 83. A herd of sheep and goats, part of a procession of the spoil of a captured district. They are represented in three rows, the first containing three goats followed by two rams ; the second four goats (the hindmost in the act of leaping) and two rams, and the last three goats and a sheep. The drawing and execution of these animals is, on the whole, fairly good. Size 3 ft. 2 in. by 5 ft. 3£ in. No. 84. Capitulation of a fortress. To the left are to be seen the towers and ramparts, the battlements being indicated roughly by points along the tops of the towers and the walls. Between the two right-hand towers is a tall narrow folding door. The lower part consists of seven towers with curtains between, also furnished with pointed battlements and two square folding doors. Out- side of the walls are two of the battering-rams used by the Assyrians in the siege. They consist of a kind of covered cart on wheels, the front part suddenly rising. 16 GUIDE TO THE NIMEOUD CENTRAL SALOON. These machines afforded a shelter to the soldiers who directed the hattering-ram against the walls, the slanting rod being the part of the machine used to loosen the bricks. To the right, within the lower wall, is a palm- tree bearing fruit. To the right of the city are two rows of figures. The upper row shows a eunuch, his left hand resting on the hilt of his sword, and his right holding up a stilus. Before him stand two eunuchs, similarly dressed, but unarmed. The first holds a tablet in his left hand, and a stilus in his right. The second seems to be in the act of writing on a skin or papyrus-scroll. At the top, to the left, a eunuch is driving a herd Of sheep and goats. To the right are the dim outlines of two men dressed in tunics. Below, close to the walls of the city, is a cart drawn by two oxen. The vehicle is small, is mounted on wheels with spokes, and has a single pole carrying a yoke which goes over the necks of the oxen. The cart appears to be laden with merchandise or goods, and upon the top of this sit three persons, holding on to each other. Two are women, one of whom is holding a vase and the other a rod. The third is a child. The arms, legs, and feet of all three are bare. Going before this group is a similar cart, drawn by much larger oxen. This contains also two women and a child, all seated, and holding on to each other. The foremost woman seems to be about to drink from a bottle. Preceding these are four small oxen, the foremost only seen dimly on account of the mutilation of the slab in this place. Behind is a palm-tree in flower. Eeign of Tiglath-pileser in., 745-727 B.C. Height 3 ft. 4^ in., length 9 ft. 6£ in. No. 85. Fragment of a monument of black basalt, having an inscription of six columns, 126 lines in all, containing the name, titles, &c, of Hammurabi, king of Babylonia about 2120 B.C. The inscription says that " He hath made shine forth the greatness of his power for future days; Hammurabi, the warlike, powerful king, annihilating enemies, destroying the rebellious, sweeping off the hostile people, taking away rebellion, satisfying the disaffected," &c, &c. Length 1 ft. 10 in. No. 86. Fragment of black basalt with part of an in- GUIDE TO THE NIMKOUD CESTBAL SALOON. 17 scription of Nebuchadnezzar n., B.C. 605, referring to the restoration of the temples !&-sagil and lij-zida, at Babylon and Borsippa. Height 11 in. No. 87. An arch-headed monolith of Assur-nasir-apli or Assur-nasir-pal from Knrkh. This monument has on the front a bas-relief of the king in the usual attitude, looking towards the left, the right arm, which is bare, is raised, and he holds in the left hand a kind of mace with a knob at the upper end, and a kind of tassel hanging from the lower end. He is clothed in a mantle and a robe reaching to his feet, which are sandalled. The robe is deeply fringed, and confined at the waist by a girdle. The features are so mutilated as to be indistinguishable ; but it can be seen that the hair and beard are curled in the usual Assyrian style, and that he wears the usual royal' cap of the period, with two ends falling over the back. In front and above are the signs of the gods, those above being, however, lost by the mutilation of the monument. The front of the monolith has, on the flat part, and extending partly over the dress of the king, forty-nine lines of inscription, containing the name, titles, and con- quests of Assur-nasir-apli (885-859 B.C.). The inscription is continued on the back, where there are about sixty lines. The workmanship of the whole is exceedingly rough, Height 6 ft. 4^ in., width 3 ft. J in., thickness 9 in. No. 88. An arch-headed monolith, also from Kurkh, of Shalmaneser u., son of Assur-iiasir-apli, b.c. 859. The king is represented, in low relief, looking to the left. He wears long fringed robes, in the same style as those of the figures already described, and sandals consisting of a sole with a heel-piece, fastened on with cords over the instep and between the toes. His left hand grasps, his sword-hilt, and his right arm, which is bare, is raised* His beard and hair are curled in the usual Assyrian style, and he wears the royal head-dress — a cap not unlike the so-called fez — ornamented in front, and having two long ribbons, fringed at the ends, hanging down behind. The necklace which he wears is ornamented with several of the so-called signs of the zodiac (the sun, the moon, the planet Venus, and two forked objects). In the middle is the winged disc emblematic of the god Assur. From his ear c 18 GUIDE TO THE NIMKOTJD CENTRAL SALOON. hangs a large ornamental eardrop. Above the image of the king, to the left, are also some of the signs of the zodiac, consisting of the winged disc, the sun, the horned cap in profile, and the moon ; and a little to the right beneath these are a forked object and something -which seems to be intended for the planet Venus. The whole, especially the upper part, is mutilated. The inscription, with which the front, sides, and back are covered, is most interesting. It contains, in detail, the account of the early campaigns of Shalmaneser n. ( differing from and filling out the details given by the black obelisk and the bull inscriptions. After the invocation, it gives a very full account of his north- western and northern campaigns, in Hupuskia, Nai'ri, and Armenia (Urartu or Ararat), against Ahuni, king of Til- barsip, to the west of Assyria, and Sangara of Karkemish. The former city, Til-barsip, he ultimately annexed to Assyria, and changed its name to Kar-Salmanu-asarid: "the fort of Shalmaneser." Whilst here, the kings of the sea-coast brought him tribute. Kar-Salmanu-asarid, however, did not remain long in the hands of the Assyrians, for Shalmaneser gives accounts of other expe- ditions against the same place. He attacked also Irhuleni of Hamath and the Syrian league, which consisted of Ad- du-'idri (Ben-Hadad-hidri or Ben-Hadad) of Damascus, IrhuMni of Hamath, Ahab of Israel (Ahabbu mat Sir'ilda : "Ahabbu of the land of the Sir'ilians "), with many others. This text differs as to the dates of the campaigns from the text of the black obelisk. Height 7 ft. l£ in., width 2 ft. 9| in., thickness 8J in. No. 89, Statue of the king Assur-nasir-apli or Assur- nasir-pal (b.c. 885-859), on its original pedestal of hewn stone. The king is represented clothed in the usual fringed robes reaching to his feet. He has a girdle of twisted stuff round his waist, and sandals on his feet. He holds in his left hand a mace, with a tassel at the lower end. In his right he grasps an unknown object, probably a Kind of sword, with the lower end curved so as to form almost a circle. The back of the curve has radiating nicks all along to the tip. His left arm is covered by the upper part of the over-garment, but the right is bare, except for a bracelet of plain pattern on the wrist. The GUIDE TO THE NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON. 19 face is of the usual Assyrian type : large full eyes, the pupils of which are indicated, curved nose, andj much hair on the face. He wears neither earrings nor head-dress, has the hair arranged in wavy style upon the top of the head, and the ends, as usual, elaborately curled. The beard is curled in rows, with plain spaces between. On the breast are eight lines of inscription as follows : — 1. AsSur-nasir-apli, the great king, the powerful king, king of multi- tudes, king of Assyria. 2. son of Tukulti-Ninip, the great king, the powerful king, king of multitudes, king of Assyria, 3. son of Kammanu-nirari, the great king, the powerful king, 4. king of multitudes, king of the Assyria aforesaid, has captured from the banks of 5. the Tigris as far as Lebanon, 6. and the great sea. The countries, all of them, 7. from the rising of the sun to the setting of the sun, S. he has made submit to his feet. Height, with pedestal, 5 ft. 11 \ in. No. 90. Part of a bas-relief representing a eunuch. The figure, of which the upper part alone remains, is looking to the right. The face is of the usual type of the Assy- rian eunuch : large eyes, curved nose, prominent lips, and full cheeks. He wears a fringed dress, the edge of which is worked with a border resembling the key-pattern. In front the upper part of his quiver and behind the lower part are to be seen, with the wire loop' and the cord going over his left shoulder. He holds the bow in his left hand. The lower part of the sculpture has part of five lines of inscription, which are continued over the arm of the figure, interrupted only by the fringe of the dress.' These lines, of which the beginnings and ends are wanting, are as follows : — 1. as far as the land of Saue, the land of Edaru™, the land of tlnna- . 2. the land of Ba'li-zarumna as far as the land of Amma- .... 3. to the whole of it, the province of Kar-il .... 4. the province of Nukudina, the land of gasu- .... 5. -da, the whole of it, the city of R4- .... Eeign of Tiglath-pileser hi., 745-727 B.C. Height 3 ft. 6 in., width 3; ft. 10£ in. No. 91. Bas-relief representing Tiglath-pileser in., king of Assyria from 745-727 B.C. The king is represented looking to the right, wearing the usual royal robe with a c 2 20 GUIDE TO THE NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON. fringed edge, the border of the dress being embroidered with a row of squares and rosettes placed alternately. The right arm, which is bare from above the elbow, is raised, and he holds in his hand a staff. Bound the wrist is a bracelet of plain design. As the lower part of the slab is wanting, only a small portion of the left arm can be seen. The face is of the usual Assyrian type, but with a rather long upper lip. He wears the royal fez-like hat, with a point in the centre of the crown. Eound the hat are three bands ornamented with rosettes, the lowest band being deeper in front than behind. Prom the rim behind two ribbons hang over the back. Across the lower part of the slab, except where the fringe of the king's robe is, are three lines of mutilated inscription, seemingly part of that given on the foregoing slab. Height 3 ft. 6^ in., width 3 ft. 6J in. No. 92. Bas-relief representing part of the tribute paid- by one of the kings of rulers conquered by Tiglath- pileser in. about 745 B.C. A woman, dressed in a cos- tume not unlike that of the Assyrians, with a plain upper and under robe, fringed at the edges, is represented rais^ ing the left hand to the forehead as a sign of obeisance. In her right hand she holds a small vase, with a pointed end. The face is like the Assyrian in type, but instead , of having the hair exposed the head is covered by a part of the upper robe. Following the woman are four- camels, the two foremost walking abreast, and represented > fas is usual with the Assyrian sculptors) keeping step, 1 Of the last camel the head and a part of the neck only are l to be seen. The slab is rather defaced, especially on the right-hand side. Height 3 ft. 4 in., width 5 ft. 4 in. No. 93. On this slab also are shown incidents of the campaigns of Tiglath-pileser m. To the left, and partly lost by the fracture of the stone, is represented a fortress with three rows -of walls and turrets. The lowest wall consists of four ' towers and curtains with pointed battle- ments, having a square folding door to the left. To the right, outside of the walls, is a palm-tree bearing fruit. The second stage, which is not so tall as the first, has three turrets with curtains like those already described. To the right, outside, standing on the lowest wall, are two archers, drawing the bow against the Assyrian besiegers. GUIDE TO THE NIMEOUD CENTRAL SALOON. 21 They are armed with swords, and are dressed in tunics reaching to the knees. Their arms and heads are bare. The uppermost series of fortifications consists 'of two turrets, as before described, with a curtain between and a door. Outside, standing on the second wall, are two archers like the first, shooting down. On the ground below the castle are two naked headless bodies of men who, having been shot by Assyrian arrows, have fallen from the battlements. To the right are represented the Assyrian operations. On the other side of a deep ditch is a battering-ram on wheels, which has been pushed up the incline upon which the castle is situated, close to the walls. This ram con- sists of a kind of carriage of a hemispherical shape behind, covered with some strong material, and having along the bottom a simple kind of border. The front is perpen- dicular, and has a kind of small tower with pointed battlements like those of a fortress. Two Assyrian archers stand in this small tower, and shoot arrows against the fortress. Another Assyrian archer, kneeling on the left knee on the top of the ram, is also shooting. In front of the ram are two spear-like instruments, slanting upwards, with the points touching the wall of the fortress. These were probably driven forcibly, by men concealed within the carriage of the ram, against the wall of the fortress, to loosen the masonry, thus, by making a breach, enabling the Assyrian army to gain an entrance. The wheels of the ram-carriage were probably four in number, and were placed at the corners, partly concealed by the skirting- board which went all round. Between the ram and the wall of the fortress is repre- sented a man, one of the defenders, falling headlong to the ground. His arms are stretched out as if to break the force of his fall. Behind the ram lies the naked headless body of one of the defenders, which (as the Assyrians did not understand perspective) is intended, though quite ■unforeshortened, to be represented as on the ground. Above, and supposed to be in the distance, is an Assyrian soldier in the act of checking himself whilst running at full speed. He is clothed in a tunic reaching to the knees, with short sleeves, and has on his feet boots formed of bands of uncertain material. He wears straps reaching cross- wise over his breast and his shoulders, fastened, seemingly, 22 GUIDE TO THE NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON. by a kind of rosette in the middle of his breast. He wears a pointed helmet with a curved ornament above, like the soldiers of Shalmaneser and Sennacherib. His right hand is extended, holding a circular shield, and in his left he carries a long spear, the point of which touches the body of a fallen enemy who lies before him. This foreign soldier holds a bow in his left hand and two arrows in his right. He is bearded, and has his hair rather long; His forehead is against the stem of a palm-tree, which has been seemingly cut down, and has the fruit still attached. Behind the running soldier, and close to his left foot, is to be seen the lower part of the stem of another palm- tree cut down, slanting upwards to the right. Height 3 ft. 3£ in. by 3 ft. 4 in. No. 94. Siege of a city by Tiglath-pileser in. To the eft may be seen part of the fortifications, situated on a rocky uneven mound or slope, represented by wavy lines arranged so as to form a kind of lozenge-shape. Some of the pointed battlements of one of ( the towers of the outer wall are shown to the left, with, above, one of the towers of the upper part of the inner wall. This has, like the other, pointed battlements, and two windows or observa- tion-holes, in the upper part. On this tower is shown a man with a short beard, covered head, and a long robe with short sleeves. He has both hands raised, seemingly in token of submission. Before the fortress is a battering-ram very much like that already described, except that the upper part of the front, instead of having a tower, has a dome-shaped projection only. The horizontal lines on this part are, perhaps, intended to represent the boarding over. The body of the carriage of the ram seems to be covered with some kind of cloth, ornamented with double concentric rings arranged at regular intervals. At the bottom is a border with a fringe. Two spears, rather heavier in propor- tion than in the other ram, have penetrated rather deep into the masonry of the upper tower. They are supported in their position by a large loop, seemingly made of rope. Behind the ram is represented a pavoise or wicker shield in profile, the lower end on the ground, the upper end turned over as an additional protection. The height of this shield is rather greater than that of a man, and it is GUIDE TO THE NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON. 23 held in position by one of the men standing behind it. The nearer of the two men standing behind the shieid'is an archer, barefooted, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, with fringe round the bottom edge and round the waist, the body being covered with squares formed by lines crossing at right angles, each of the squares thus formed having a small square piece also in the middle. These are evidently intended to represent small, pieces of leather sewn on, forming an almost impenetrable corset. He draws the bow with the left hand. His com- panion is slightly differently dressed, and wears a tunic reaching only as far as the knees. One of the two men, probably the archer, is armed with a short sword. Both wear pointed helmets, and have features of the usual Assyrian type. The hair and beard are dressed in rows of curls, as in the case of the figures already described. The shooting of the arrow is rather badly rendered. To the right, behind the archer and shield-holder, are two figures partly lost, however, by the fracture of the slab. "What remains of the group is precisely similar to that just described, with the addition that the soldier who holds the shield grasps also a short dagger .- To the left, just below the castle, are two naked dead bodies, one headless. At the top of the slab, intended to show the background, are three men impaled on stakes. These last are tapering pieces of wood with broad bases, rather taller than a man. The impaled men are naked, and the points of the stakes seem to have been forcibly driven into their breasts, the bodies being inclined for- wards. The legs and arms hang down straight, and the palms of the hands are turned outwards. The men have short beards. Their eyes are open, and their hair, brought from behind, hangs down over their foreheads. The seven lines of inscription below the bas-relief read as follows : — 1. ... of their woollen stuffs coloured purple-red ; the soaring birds of heaven, whose wings . . . 2. . . . rams and sheep, male camels and female camels, with drome- daries . . . 3. ... to the lands of Btt-kapsi, Bit-sangi, Bit-tazzakki, the Medes, Bit-zu-alza§, Bit-mad- . . . 4. . . . Kangi, the city Kindi-giasu, the city Kingi-alkasiS, the city Kubushan . , . 24 GUIDE TO THE NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON. 5 t . . . [and] the city Kimbashati, with the cities around them I captured and spoiled . . . 6. . . . weapon of Ninip made slaughter (?), the glory of Assur my lord over . . . 7. . . . his [troops] he gathered, and to AvbitauS a high mountain after him I went . . , Height 3 ft. 7 in. by 3 ft. 8f in. No. 95. Bas-relief representing part of the siege of a city. To the left is to be seen the upper part of a tower ■with a parapet projected rather far out. From this tower is an archer shooting towards the right, but only the left hand, holding the bow, and the right hand, drawing the arrow, is to be seen, the rest having been represented on a lost portion of the series. Below is some water, perhaps the bend of a river, represented by curling and wavy lines. On the farther bank are two palm-trees, that to the left being the smaller. It has twelve spreading branches, and, below, just where the branches spring out, two clusters of fruit. The other palm has larger branches, and is sculp- tured with less regularity. The tips of the branches have the leaves arranged so as to come to a point, instead of rounding off, as in the case of the smaller palm. The marks of the leaves of former years on the stems are re- presented by lines crossing each other, making a lozenge- shaped pattern. Nearer to the spectator is another kind of tree with an irregular wavy stem, having waving branches covered with small leaves. To the right of the trees is a large shield or screen with an overhanging top- piece like those already described, but with no indication of wicker-work. Behind this tall shield are three persons, two archers and a shield-holder. The first is a eunuch, wearing a long robe with a fringed girdle, through which is thrust slantwise a small sword with an ornamental handle. He is beardless, and wears a close-fitting helmet not unlike a skull-cap. He holds in his left hand the smaller of the two bows represented, and is shooting an arrow against the city. This eunuch seems also to carry something on his back, rather too narrow to represent the quiver, but which seems to be a kind of rod slanting forward from the bottom to the top. The second figure is an archer, bearded and dressed like the eunuch. He holds the larger of the two bows, but his arm, from the wrist, as well as the rest of his body, is represented as hidden by GUIDE TO THE NIMUOUD CENTRAL SALOON. 25 the person of the eunuch. The third figure is the shield- bearer, dressed in a tunic reaching only to his knees, and confined by a girdle at the waist. He holds in his left hand the curved handle of the shield. In his right hand he grasps a dagger. His arms are bare from just below the shoulder. He is bearded, and wears, like the others, the close-fitting helmet. No inscription accompanies this representation. Height 3 ft. 7 in. by 3 ft. 6 in. No. 96. Colossal lion in high relief, represented, as is usual with figures of this kind, with five legs, so as to make it look perfect both in front and at the side. Seen from the front, the two fore-legs are forward, and in a line, as if the animal had just stopped short in walking. Seen from the side the left fore-leg only is forward ; the left hind-leg is forward and the right backward, so that the animal appears in the act of walking, though the lion does not move the two legs on the same side when doing so. The head, which is rather raised, seems small in propor- tion to the rest of the body. The mouth is open, and the teeth bared, and the plates of the palate are clearly marked. The muscles of the cheeks are very prominent, and the brows are contracted, giving the animal a fierce appear- ance. The eyes are full, and the nose is rather pointed. The ears, which are short, are drawn back. From beneath the under,-jaw a growth of longer hair is represented extending upwards over the forehead, and behind this begins the mane, the hair of which is represented very short and. lying close to the body. The paws are well formed, and each toe has a tuft of hair on the upper part". The tail bears, as usual, a hairy tuft which is not very well preserved, the stone being rather decayed, so that the small claw usually represented among the hair of the tail cannot be seen. The slab bears an inscription, which, beginning on the flat part above the sculpture, extends over the body of the lion (except where the hair is represented), and is continued over the legs and the plain part of the slab between them. This inscription, which is mutilated in parts, in consequence of the decay of the material, consists of forty-one lines of text, and begins as follows : — To the lady of the land, the great lady, head of heaven and earth, producer of all the gods, who in the borders of the lands has spread abroad 26 GUIDE TO THE NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON. her honourable renown among the goddesses. Her offspring, her glorious image, who are like the sun her brother, make the -circuit of heaven and earth altogether to rejoice. The mighty one of the Anunaki, the first- born of Anu, princess of the gods, counsellor of her brothers, she who goes before [them]. [The goddess] who troubles the sea, who overthrows forests, princess of the great princes, lady of war and battle, without whom in E-sara [=the house of the multitude], the herd would not obey, extender of glory, finder of the desire of [her] loving (?) heart. The faithful one, she who hears prayers, receives lamentation, and supplication. Istar, renowned, glorious, she who spreads abroad [benefits], who makes heaven and earth to rejoice. In all the regions of the earth her name is proclaimed. The giver of divine life, the merciful one whose will is good. She who dwells in Calah, my lady. Here follows the standard inscription of Assur-nasir- apli. 1 Height 8 ft. 11£ in., length 12 ft. 1\ in., width 2 ft. No. 97. Lintel of a doorway, from the great court of Sennacherib's palace, Kouyunjik. This interesting object, which is sculptured in bold relief, has, beneath a deep moulding formed of the usual honeysuckle ornament of the Assyrians, a representation of two dragons, face to face, with a cup, ornamented with wavy lines, between. It has a rim, and is provided with an ornamental handle on each side. The dragons have elongated bodies, the fore-parts close to the ground, the hind-parts raised. The fore : legs also are raised as if in the act of creeping along towards the vase. Their necks are very long, and curved back- wards and -forwards. The heads, which are like those of ■ eagles, or the griffins of modern heraldic painters, are raised, with the tongues stretched out, as if to drink what might be in the cup. Their shoulders have short feathered wings with curved ends. The tails curve upwards. The length is 6 feet, and the height 10 inches. The work is bold and deep, but somewhat rough and weathered. No. 98. An obelisk of black marble sculptured with bas- reliefs and inscriptions referring to the conquests of Skalma- neser n., son of Assur-nasir-apli, and king of Assyria about 859 B.C. The bas-reliefs on this important monument are in five rows, and refer to the different occasions upon which Shal- 1 See pp. 11-13. GUIDE TO THE WMKOUD CENTRAL SALOON. 27 maneser received tribute from surrounding nations and tribes. These bas-reliefs begin on the east side and are continued round to the right. The^ first represents the payment of tribute by Sua of the Kirzanaa. The Assyrian king is represented standing, looking to the right, his left hand resting on the end of his bow, his right hand raised and holding two arrows. He wears the usual royal fez-like cap, with the point at the top, and fringed ends hanging down behind. On his right side, thrust through his belt, is his dagger, and on the left his sword, the end of the sheath ornamented with wrestling lions. The border of his dress is fringed, and from the edge of the upper garment fall two cords with tassels. Immediately behind him stands a eunuch, holding in the left hand a curved bow, and in the right a kind of mace. The top and bottom of his quiver, and the end of the sheath of his sword, whieh he carries on his left side, can be seen. Behind the eunuch is a soldier, wearing a fringed dress reaching to the knee, with very short sleeves. In his right hand, which is hanging down, he holds a long-handled mace. In his left hand he holds a circular shield. He is armed, like the king, with a sword and dagger. Before the king, kneeling and bowed down to the earth, lies the ambassador of the tributary nation mentioned in the epigraph above. He wears a short beard, and his hair reaches to his shoulders. His dress, which is plain, reaches to his feet, and is confined at the waist with a double cord, the ends of which, however, have no tassels: His head is covered with a kind of Phrygian cap. His hands and fore-arms rest on the ground,, and his face is directed towards the king. Behind the ambassador stands an Assyrian officer of high rank and a eunuch or young man. The former wears a diadem, and a fringed robe like that worn by the king. He is armed with a sword only, with an ornamental hilt and sheath. The upper robe is provided with four fringed tassels on the left side. The eunuch or young man who follows the officer is dressed in exactly the same style, and has also a diadem on his head. He is unarmed, but carries a stick or wand under his left arm. Both the officer and his attendant have the hands folded in token of respect to the king. Above, and in front of the king, is a star 28 GUIDE TO THE NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON. within a circle, probably emblematic of Istar or Venus, and the winged dise emblematic of Assur. •The first figure of the continuation of the scene (north side), is an Assyrian officer of a lower grade, dressed like the former, but not so richly. He is followed by a eunuch, who advances with his right hand raised, as if he were introducing the tribute-bearers which follow. The first is a man, small of stature, leading a richly-caparisoned horse. The man is dressed in a tunic, fringed, reaching to the knee, with an upper garment, also fringed, hanging down behind, and confined round the waist by a girdle. His hair and beard are curled, and the latter is much shorter than was worn with the Assyrians. He wears on his head a kind of Phrygian cap, with a fringed end hanging down behind, as worn also by the Assyrians. His arms are bare from above the elbows. He is walking back- wards, carefully leading the horse by a short halter. The animal's headgear is richly ornamented with plumes, the mane seems to be plaited, and in front hangs down a kind of apron adorned with tassels. The edge of the cloth, which served as a saddle, and the back part of the harness are also ornamented with tassels. The tail also is tied with bands. The Assyrian sculptor has, as usual, made the muscles of the legs very prominent. The next scene shows a continuation of the procession, consisting of two two-humped camels and their drivers. The first is dressed very much like the one leading the horsfe, just described, the only difference being that he wears a kind of boot made of some soft material; and having pointed toes. The camels are very fairly drawn, though the work is rough. The muscles of the legs and body are, as usual, very strongly indicated. The right legs of each animal are advanced. The two camels are followed by a driver, dressed also exactly like the first with the exception of the boots, the tips of which are tilted right over the toe. This man is represented much taller than the other two. He holds in his hand a stick with which to drive the camel in his charge. The last division shows the end of the procession of tri- bute-bearers. The first two are clad in long robes reach- ing to the feet, the skirts higher in front than behind. The upper garment is open at the side, and is confined at the waist with a simple unornamented girdle. Their arms are GUIDE TO THE NIMEOUD CENTRAL SALOON. 29 tare from above the elbows. They wear, like the others, Phrygian caps, and have short beards. Each is carrying, on the left shoulder, three rods, probably staves made of some precious wood. The two men which follow are dressed like the first two, except that their robes are rather shorter. Each carries a large copper hemispherical vessel, which he holds up with both hands. The last man of the procession carries on his head a tray with four lumps of some material, probably intended for rough nuggets of gold, silver, and lead. The following epigraph is written above these scenes, beginning on the eastern side : — The tribute of Sua of the land of the Kirzanaa : silver, gold, lead, vessels of copper, staves for the hand of the king, horses, and camels whose backs are double, I received. It will be noticed that in this tribute-list the objects depicted last are mentioned first. The animals, however, are taken in order. In the representation above described, the Assyrians wear sandals, and the others boots of some soft material, except the man leading the horse, who is barefooted. The second row of sculptures shows the tribute of Jehu, king of Israel. The first scene is similar to that of the first row of sculptures. The group to the left shows the Assyrian king and two eunuchs. The king wears a large fringed cloak over his upper robe, a part of which, passing under his right arm, is thrown over his left shoulder. He is armed with a sword, on the hilt of which his left hand rests, and in his right hand, -which is raised, he holds a cup. The eunuchs behind him are dressed in robes reach- ing to their feet, fringed at the edges. The first, who is armed with a sword, holds a sunshade over the king's head. The other is armed with sword and bow. Before the king is the Jewish ambassador, kneeling down, with his 'body bent forwards, supported on his hands, and his face also bowed down. He is clad in a, long simple robe, the bottom edge fringed. He wears on his head a cap like those worn by the Kirzanians in the sculpture above. His beard is short, and his hair comes down as far as his shoulders. Behind the Jewish ambassador stand two Assyrian 30 GUIDE TO THE NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON. ounuchs, the first holding in his right hand a fly-brush, and in his left seemingly a strip of papyrus, which probably contained a list of the objects sent. Over his shoulder hangs a long towel. The other eunuch carries under his left arm a staff or wand, and holds his hands folded before him in token of respect. He wears a plain band, probably of metal, round his head. The continuation of the scene shows, first, an Assyrian officer and a eunuch introducing the tribute-bearers, in the same attitudes, and dressed in almost precisely the same way, as those occupying the same position in the basrrelief above. Behind the Assyrians are three Jews, dressed in long fringed robes, reaching to the ankles, the upper garment being open at the side. They have Phrygian bonnets, with fringed ends behind, on tbeir heads, and wear boots, the toes of which are rather turned up. Their costume is altogether very much the same as that of the Kirzanians, represented in the last bas-relief of the row above. The first of the tribute-bearers holds his two hands up with the thumbs uppermost, seeming indeed, to be carrying nothing at all, unless the sculptor wishes to imply that he was the bearer of some small objects, such as finger-rings, which he held up on his thumbs. The next carries, holding it up with both hands, an oblong object ornamented on the side with three small rosettes. The third has an irregularly shaped object, probably a bag, which he holds with his left hand beneath the object to support it. The next division has five figures, like the three just described, but taller, with the toes of their boots turning up more decidedly. The sculptor has left a space on the left-hand side, to keep clear of the flaw in the stone, which runs almost all the way down this side. The first figure holds in his right hand a vase of globular shape, and in his left hand the end of some object, most likely an article of dress, which he carries hanging over his left shoulder. The next carries in his right hand a staff, which he holds upright, and in his left a vase like that carried by the man before him. The third carries, raised in his right hand, a tall cup, tapering from the rim downwards, and having a circular foot. He holds in his left hand, which is hanging down, a wine-bottle made of the skin of some animal, probably that of a goat. The fourth and fifth have each GUIDE TO THE NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON. 31 three rods, which they carry on the left shoulder, holding the lower end with both hands. The last scene shows the end of the procession — two men, each carrying, on their left shoulder, and support- ing with both hands, a cylindrical copper vessel with a flat bottom. These are followed by two others, each holding in their right hands objects not unlike the baskets in the hands of the winged figures represented on the walls of Assur-nasir r apli's palaces. In their left hands, and hanging over their shoulders, they carry objects not unlike bags, but which may be leathern bottles. The last of the procession carries on his head a tray of ingots, which he supports with both hands. AH the figures above described wear pointed boots, except the Assyrians, who have sandals only. The inscription above these representations is as follows : — The tribute of Yaua [Jehu] son of IJumri [Omri] : silver, gold, a golden cup, golden rases, golden vessels, 1 golden buckets, lead, a staff for the hand of the king, and sceptres I received. The opening scene of the third row, showing the tribute of the Musri, differs from the two former bas-reliefs, as it does not show the king receiving the tribute-bearers in person. The first scene represents two men, one leading, and the other driving, a camel. The first, who is repre- sented rather short, is dressed in a costume like that of the Assyrians — a tunic reaching to the knees, with short sleeves, and girded at the waist, and is barefooted. In his right hand he grasps a wand, and he holds with his left the cord fastened to the camel's neck. The camels, two in number, are, like those in the first series of bas-reliefs, two-humped. The last figure is that of a man who holds a Btick, with which to drive the. camel- in his charge. The continuation of the scene shows three animals. The first is a bull with horns in the shape of a crescent. His back, cheeks', belly and rump have rows of short curly hair, and there is also a large tuft, similarly represented, at the end of the tail. The muscles of the body and legs are very prominently shown, as are also the folds in the skin of the neck. The next is a similar animal, having a single horn rising from the middle of the forehead. Like 1 Evidently the basket-like objects. 32 GUIDE TO THE NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON. the first, the muscles of the legs and body are strongly marked, as are also the folds in the skin of the neck. It has short hair on the cheek, on the back of the neck, along •the back and belly, upon the loin, and just above the fore- legs. The tail also has a tuft of curly hair. Of the third animal the tail is very short, and turned up, the body has no long hair, and the horns, which rise rather perpendicularly, and then bend down, have ring-like marks across them. This animal is evidently intended for a kind of lyrate-horned antelope. The next division shows an Indian elephant, very fairly drawn ; the ears, however, are rather too erect, and the tusk not very well formed, but this is probably on account of the defect in the stone. The elephant is followed by two men with apes. The first man is dressed like an Assyrian, with short fringed tunic, bare feet, short beard, and diademed head. The ape, which he holds by a cord, walks on its hind legs, the body bent forward, and the arms hanging down and. slanting forward. The head is much too human in appearance, being like that of a child, and bald on the top. No tail is shown. The man holds the cord attached to its neck by both hands to prevent the animal's escape. The other man, who is dressed like the former, has two monkeys. One, the smaller, sits on his shoulder, and a cord hangs from its neck in front of the man, who grasps it in his left hand. The other monkey is walking, in the same way as the first described, but is looking backwards. This also has a cord round its neck, which the keeper holds in his right hand. Both these monkeys have tails of medium length, and the head of the smaller one is rather flat. The last representation of the third row of bas-reliefs shows two more keepers, dressed like those already described, with monkeys of different species. The first is- a large thick-bodied animal, which walks in front of its keeper, the left fore-hand on the ground, the right fore- hand raised to the mouth. It is held by a strong chain which passes beneath the belly. No long hair is indi- cated on the body. The tail is long and. curved. An ornamented band encircles its neck, and a strap goes also over its head and passes under its chin, the lower part having pendants beginning about where the GUIDE TO THE NIMEOUD CENTRAL SALOON. 33 ear is. The other ape is not so clumsily formed as the former. It is walking with the body bent forward, the right fore-hand raised, the left a little lowered. Long curly hair, almost like ringlets, covers its head ; the upper part of the body, just below the neck, has long hair, and fringes of long hair are shown on the under-side of the arms and the back part of the legs. The tail is long. The faces of all the monkeys here represented seem to be much too human in appearance. The inscription accompanying this bas-relief is as follows ; — The tribute of the Musri : camels whose' backs are double, an ox of the river Saksia, an antelope, elephants, monkeys, and apes I received. [The animals represented in the above bas-relief are camels ; a kind of bull, not mentioned in the list of the tribute; a rhinoceros (the ox of the river Sakeia), evi- dently sculptured by the Assyrian artist from a descrip- tion of the animal, and an antelope (in Assyrian sum). One elephant only is given in the bas-relief, although the plural, elephants (pirate), is used in the inscription. The word baziate in the tribute-list probably refers to the one tailless and the two short-tailed monkeys, and the word udumi (supposed to be connected with the word adam: " man ") refers perhaps to' the two last.] In the fourth row also, which shows the tribute of the Suhaa, the king is not represented receiving it in person. The first scene is a bas-relief representing a forest. Five palm-trees, at rather irregular intervals, fill up the back- ground. On the left, looking to the left, is a lion of the short-maned species, in the act of walking. The teeth are bared, and the ears are pointed forward as if the animal were listening for its prey. The muscles of the body and legs are fairly and strongly marked. The tail is repre- sented without a tuft at the end, and with longish hair throughout its length. Behind the lion, where stony ground is indicated, is a deer, with wide-spreading horns, in the act of springing, the hind-legs resting on the ground, and both fore-legs (which are out of proportion, being rather short and thick) raised. A similar lion has, how- ever, sprung upon the deer, and fastened his teeth in its back, stretching out his claws at the same time to rend the flesh of his prey. The tail of this lion also is like the D 34 GUIDE TO THE NIMEOOD CENTEAL SALOON. former^ The whole scene is, notwithstanding the defects 1 of drawing and detail, executed in a very spirited manner. Next comes the procession of the tribute-bearers proper.- First are represented four men, with their hair and beards carefully trimmed, the latter shorter than worn by the : Assyrians, and with diadems 1 round their heads. They are clothed in robes reaching -' to their feet, which are bare. They have girdles, which are, like their dress, bordered and fringed. A part of their dress comes over the left shoulder, and the fringed edge is seen, passing beneath the girdle, and reaching down almost as far as the border of. the skirt. The first .two carry, across their right shoulders, objects which, from their irregular shape, may possibly be leathern bottles. The other two carry, slung across a pole resting on their left shoulders, two> rolls of fringed stuff. The next division shows five men, dressed as the four just described. The first three carry, in their right hands, baskets or other receptacles with a bent handle over the top. The first two also carry bags filled with some material hanging over their shoulders. The third carries, instead of the bag, r jin elephant's- tusk. The fourth has also an elephant's tusk, and carries in his right hand an object of peculiar shape. The fifth has irt his arms a bundle of four rods. Thelast division of this row shows four men, dressed as- the others. The first two have baskets, like those already described, in their right hands, and carry upon their left shoulders elephants' tusks. The third carries in his arms a bundle of four rods, and the fourth has a basket and a bag. The inscription referring to this bas-relief is as follows : — The tribute of Marduk-abla-usur, of the land of the Snhaa : silver, gold, vessels of gold, tusks of elephants, sceptres, a luiaku [carpet?], coloured stuffs, and linen, I received. The Suhaa were a Babylonian tribej speaking the same language as the Assyrians. The special industry of the country seems to have been its woven stuffs. The next and last series of bas-reliefs shows the tribute received by Shalmaneser n, from the Patinians, supposed to be a people near Hamath, west of Assyria. Like the two foregoing, it has no representation of the king, surrounded by his eunuchs, as in the first two series of GUIDE TO THE NIMEOUD CENTRAL SALOON. 35 bas-reliefs. The first division shows five of the tribute- bearers, four of whom are dressed, like the Israelites represented in the second row, in long garments reaching to the feet, the tipper robe being open on the left-hand side. The dress of the second differs from the others in being open in front, a portion being thrown over the left shoulder. The edges of the dresses of all, however, seem to be ornamented with little balls or tassels instead of fringe. All wear, in addition, Phrygian caps. The first is walking with his hands raised before him, the fingers closed, and the thumbs pointing upwards, in the same position as the first Israelitish tribute-bearer, described above. He probably carries jewelry {rings) as part of the .tribute. The next carries on his head a tray containing four objects, the first and largest marked with irregular lines crossing, as if consisting of small pieces arranged in two piles. This tray is most likely intended to represent the amount of gold and silver given as tribute, the gold being brought in small pieces in piles, and the silver in large ingots. The third has in his right hand a basket, and carries a bag over his left shoulder. The fourth has a basket and an elephant's tusk. The fifth and last of this division carries a bundle of four staves. The next division, which seems as if it ought to have preceded the foregoing, contains five figures. The first two are Assyrians — an officer and an eunuch. The former, who stands as if before the king, his hands respectfully folded, is dressed in the same fashion as those already described, except that he has a double row of tassels to- the lower edge of his dress. The eunuch who follows him is also dressed as those above described. A sword, with ornamental hilt and sheath-end, is thrust through the fringed part of the outer robe. His left hand is raised, motioning towards the tribute-bearers, as if introducing them to the king. Both the officer and the eunuch have a band or diadem round the head. The others, three in number, are Patinians, and are dressed like those already described, except that the two foremost have a part of their upper robe thrown over the left shoulder. The first of these foreigners walks with his hands raised and the fingers bent, and the thumbs pointing upwards, like the first of the former division, already described, and probably for the same reason. - The second has in the d 2 36 GUIDE TO THE NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON. right hand a kind of basket, and carries a large elephant's tusk on his left shoulder. The last carries a vessel, and has a bag hanging over his shoulder, holding the closed mouth in his left hand. The next division shows five men, barefooted and dressed in almost the same style as those of the corresponding division above, their robes being fringed and reaching to the feet, their girdles also fringed, and a part of the fringed edge of their robes extending apparently below the girdle, but not, except in the case of the foremost man, passing over the left shoulder. Their hair and beard are, as in the case of the others, carefully arranged and curled in the Assyrian style, but are much shorter. Their hair is also confined by a band passing over the forehead and round the head, broader in front than behind, and having a point at the top over the forehead. The first holds a kind of basket, and what is apparently a drinking cup. After him comes one carrying some heavy object, which he holds with both hands — probably a lump of metal. The third and fourth each carry a basket in the right hand and a bag, held in the left hand, over the left shoulder. The fifth carries some heavy oblong object, having a handle at each end, one end resting on his left shoulder, and the other raised in his right hand. In this division the sculptor seems to have copied the costumes of ihe Musri in the division above. The last division, which is somewhat defaced by fractures in the stone, shows four men, dressed like those of the first division of the row, wearing also boots turned up at the •toes. The first carries a basket and a bag ; the second a bag only, which, as he bends slightly forward, and holds the upper part of it with both hands, evidently con- tains something very heavy. The third has also a bag, •and a staff which he holds up in his right hand. The last ■of the procession carries an oblong object, which he holds on his shoulders, with both hands. - . The following is the inscription, accompanying this last series : — ,;■;-.' '■."■■;-' The tribute of Karparunda i>f the Eatinians: . silver, gold, lead; copper, an drhu [wayfarer's staff?], ressfelsof copper, tusks of elephants,'and esu- wood, I received. ..,-,.!..•.<' In the bas-reliefs above, described it will be noticed that some of the figures in the .first and third rows are repre- GUIDE TO THE NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON. 37 sented with short skirts, indicating an occupation requir- ing much bodily action and out-door life; whilst the others are dressed in robes reaching to the feet, and look more like merchants. This is in accordance with the nature of the tribute brought, the Eirzanians bringing their horses and camels, but comparatively few manu- factured things ; and the Musri their camels, their strange- looking oxen, their gazelles, elephants, and monkeys. It is very likely that the Eirzanians, who dwelt to the north- west of Assyria, were a nation renowned for their horses, for in ancient times this district was oelebrated for horse- breeding, and the Assyrians imported horses thence. The Israelites, as merchants, bring staves, gold and silver ves- sel s and other manufactured articles. The Suhites, though not an unwarlike people, seem to have been fonder of the arts of peace, and hence made presents of various stuffs. As a Babylonian tribe, they illustrate the statement of the Bible (Josh. vii. 21) as to the " Babylonish garment." The Patinians also — seemingly a mercantile people — seem to have lived west of Assyria, and, being probably near neigh- bours of the Jews, their wearing a costume almost the same, even to the boots with tip-tilted toes, is most likely thus to be accounted for. Beside3 the bas-reliefs here described, the obelisk is covered on the three steps at the top, and on all four sides of the upper and the lower surfaces, with 190 lines of wedge-inscription, containing the annals of Shalmane- ser ii., from his accession to the thirty-first year of his reign (859 B.C. to 828 B.C.). This inscription begins with an invocation to the principal deities of the Assyrian pantheon — Assur, the great lord, king of all the gods ; Anu, king of the Igigi, or spirits of heaven, and the Anundki, or spirits of the earth ; Hea, king of the abyss, determiner of fate ; Sin, lord of the halo, or disc of the moon ; Samai (the sun-god), judge of heaven and earth, urger-on of all ; Marduk or Merodaeb, the prince of the gods, &c, &c. Then follow the names, titles, and genealogy of Shalmaneser, who calls himself "the king of multitudes of men, the prince, priest of Assur, the strong king, king of the whole of the four regions, sun of multitudes of men, he who has completely incorporated the lands ; the son of Assur-nasir-apli, the supreme priest, whose priesthood was pleasant to the gods, and the lands, -38 GUJPE TO • THE NIMROUD • CENTBAL SALOON. the whole of them, they, made- to submit to his yoke ; l the noble offspring of Tukulti-Ninip, who subjugated the whole land of his enemy, ancl^ destroyed like storm- winds." Shalmaneser then goes on to give an account of his vaiious expeditions. In the beginning of his reign (that is, in his accession year), he: gathered his chariots and forces, and went. against a chief named Ninnu, in Simesu, and took Arjdn, his capital. Thiswas in the year 859 B.C. The next year Shalmaneser crossed the Euphrates, and went to the "sea of the setting of the sun" (the Me- diterranean), on whcjse shore he performed the cere- mony of " washing his weapons," and offerejL sacrifices to his gods. Shalmaneser then went to Hamanu (Mount Amanus 2 ) to cut down trees, probably for building. Thence he proceeded to a district called Lallar, in the same neighbourhood, and set up an image, of himself, probably a. bas-relief or monolith, like that from Kurkh. The next year (857 b.c.) Shalmaneser went against Ah,unu, son, of Adinu, king of the district of Til-barsip, and besieged him in his capital. Crossing the Euphrates, the Assyrian king captured Dabigu, a fortress of the land of Hatti, together, with the towns around it. In his third year also Shalmaneser went again against Ahunu, who fled from his capital, Til-barsip; and Shalmaneser, having taken possession of this city, incorporated it in his own dominions. He took also a city on the other side -of the Euphrates, upon the river Sagurri, which city, ■Shalmaneser says, was called Pitru or Pethor by the people of the" Hattaa. On his way back Shalmaneser went to Alzi, Daiaeni, and Nimme, as well as to the city of Arsa-alkunu, capital of Arame, king of Ararat, to Kirzan, and; to gupuskia. Next year, which was the eponymy of Daan-Assur, Shalmaneser left Nineveh, and, crossing the Euphrates, again, marched against Ahunu of Til-barsip, who estab- lished himself in the heights on the banks of the Euphra- tes. King Shalmaneser attacked Ahunu in his refuge, and succeeded in capturing the stronghold, and Ahunu, with his gods, his chariots, his horses, his sons, and his daughters, was carried away to the city of Assur by the Assyrian king. In that same year the land of Kullar, 1 Or, "to. his feet." 2 Now called Gaur Dogh, north of the Orontes. GUIDE TO THE I.OMR0UD CENTRAL SALOON. 39 which was probably subject to the king of -Assyria, revolted. Shalmaneser now marched to i'JSamua of Bit- ani," and captured the cities of Nigdiara, and Idaa, a city of a chief named Nigdima. In his fifth year (b.c. 854) Shalmaneser went up to the land of Biaru, and took eleven strong cities. He also besieged Ilu-hitte of the Burians in his capital, and compelled him to give a large amount of tribute. The next year the Assyrian king attacked the cities on the banks of the river Balihi (Balioha, Biiecha or Belias cf the classical writers), and killed Giammu, their chief. Shalmaneser then marched to the cities of Til-Apil-ahi, but does not appear to have made any conquests there. Crossing to the west of the Euphrates * he took tribute from the kings of the Hatti, supposed to be the Hittites. But at that time, says Shalmaneser, Addu-idri (Ben- Hadad) of Sa-lmerisu (Samaria), and Ijhuleni of the Amataa (Hamathites), with [twenty kings of Hatti and the sea-coast, who trusted to each other's strength, came ' down %) do battle with him. By the command of Aisur, his lord, he fought with and overthrew them, capturing their chariots, horses, and munitions of' war, and slaying with the sword 20,500 of their soldiers. In his seventh year Shalmaneser went against the cities of Hamnu 1 of the Til-abnaa, 2 and captured the city Til- abne, 3 the capital, with the cities which were around it. , Shalmaneser then went to the sources of the Tigris, and "washed his weapons" in the water which there comes .forth.. At the same time also he made sacrifices to his gods, held joyful festival, and had a large image of himself carved and set up, inscribed with the glories of Assur, his lord, and all the warlike deeds which he himself had done. In the eighth year of Shalmaneser (b.c. 851), Marduk- belvQsate rebelled against Marduk-sum-iddin, the king of KarduniaH (Babylonia), his brother, and made himself very powerful. Shalmaneser, taking the part of Marduk- sum-iddin, marched to Babylonia, and captured the city of Me"-turnat. 4 1 The name is slightly doubtful. - : 2 " The people of the city of the mound of stones." * "The city of the mound of stones." ■ 4 " The waters of the Tornadotus," also called M8-turni. The present name of this river is Diyald, and it. runs into the Tigris a little below Baghdad. 40 GUIDE TO THE NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON. In his ninth year the Assyrian king marched again to the land of Akkad (Babylonia), and besieged the city Gannanati. 1 Marduk-bel-fisati, " struck by the fear of the glory of Assur and Marduk," fled, and took to the hills to save his life. Shalmaneser pursued him, and, having overtaken him, slew him with his followers. The' Assy- rian king took advantage of this expedition to visit the chief places of interest in Babylonia, to offer sacrifices in Babylon, Borsippa, and Cuthah, and to " give gifts to the great gods." Shalmaneser then went and took several of the cities of the kings of Chaldea, from whom he also received tribute ; and the fame of his arms reached as far as the sea. 2 In. his tenth year (b.c. 849) Shalmaneser crossed the Euphrates for the eighth time, and took several cities of Sangara, chief or king of the country of which Karkemish was the capital. Approaching then the cities of a chief named Arame, he captured Arne and a hundred other towns of his dominions; In his eleventh year Shalmaneser crossed the Euphrates for the ninth time, and captured " cities untold." He went down to the cities of the land Hatti of the Amataa (Hamathites), capturing eighty-nine of them. Addu-idri 3 of Samaria and twelve kings of Hatti made alliance to- gether, and joined their forces to resist the invader, who, however, claims to have overthrown them. The next year (847 b.c.) Shalmaneser again, for the tenth time, crossed the Euphrates, and plundered the land of Pakar- hubuna. In his thirteenth year he went up and plun- dered the land of Yaeti. In the year 845 b.c. Shalmaneser gathered the people-, and went to meet twelve kings who had come against him, and over these also he claims to have gained the victory. In his fifteenth year (844 B.C.) Shalmaneser went to the fountain-heads of the Tigris and Euphrates, and had carved there an image of himself on the rocks from which the stream issues. The next year Shalmaneser crossed the Zab, and marched to the land of Namri, east of Assyria. The king, Marduk- 1 Near where the Diyala runs into the Tigris. ": * The Persian Gulf, here indicated by the word Marrati. ' His full name seems to have been Bin-Addu-idri (Ben-Hadad-fdri), the Ben-Hadad of the Bible. GUIDE TO THE NIMEOUD CENTRAL SALOON, 41 mudammik (or Marduk-ium-udanimik), to save his life, ■went up to the mountains. Shalmaneser plundered his country, and set on the throne Yanzu, son of Hanban, instead of Marduk-mudammik. In his seventeenth year (842 B.C.) Shalmaneser again crossed the Euphrates, and went up to Hamani (Amanus) to cut beams of cedar. Next year, for the sixteenth time, he crossed the Euphrates, and on this occasion Haza'-ilu (Hazael) of Sa-Imerisu (Samaria) came to do battle with the Assyrian king, who claims to have taken 1121 chariots, 470 horses, and the whole camp of the hostile army. Next year, for the eighteenth time, Shalmaneser again crossed the Euphrates to go and cut beams of cedar in Hamanu or Amanus. In his twentieth year Shalmaneser descended to Kaue, capturing and plundering the cities of the district. Next year he went again against Hazael of Samaria, and captured four of bis strongholds. On this expedition he received tribute from the Tyrians, Sidonians, and Gebalites. The next year (837 B.C.) Shalmaneser again crossed the Euphrates, and descended to the land of Tabalu, 1 and received the gifts of twenty-four kings of that district. He then went to Tuni, z the land of silver, and to Mull, the land of Samullu-stone. Next year, - again crossing the Euphrates, Shalmaneser marched against and captured TJetas, a stronghold belonging to Lalla, chief or king of the Milidians, and, whilst here, the kings of Tabalu again came and gave tribute. In his twenty-fourth year (835 B.C.) the land of Hasi- mur having revolted, Shalmaneser crossed the lower Zab to march to the land of Namri, of which Hasimur seems to have formed part. Yanzu, whom Shalmaneser had set on the throne of Namri, fled at his approach, and, to save his life, ascended the mountains. Shalmaneser took Sihilalah, Bit-tamul, Bit-sakki^ and Bit-sMi, four of his strong cities, slew all who had resisted him, and spoiled these places, the houses being afterwards, according to Assyrian custom, " pulled down, destroyed, and burnt with fire." Those who had escaped from the destroyed cities fled to the- mountains, but Shalmaneser surrounded the peaks, and, having captured the refugees, slew them also, 1 Tubal or Tibareni. 2 Another " land of silver " was called Sarsu or Zirsu. 42 QUIDS TO THE NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON. and brought away all the "spoil and goods which the unfor- tunate defenders had taken with them. Leaving Namri, Shalmaneser went to Parsua, and received the tribute of the twenty-seven kings of that country. Afterwards he proceeded to Mes'si, Amadaa, Arazial, and garhar, where he captured and destroyed Kuakinda, gazzanabi, Kin- ablila, and many other towns, slaying the inhabitants. In Harhar the Assyrian king had an image of himself carved and set up, and whilst there, as it would seem, he captured Yanzii, king of Namrj, with all his goods, his gods, his sons, daughters, :and ; followers, and brought them to Assyria. The next year (b.c. 834) Shalmaneser went westwards, and, having crossed the Euphrates, received tribute from all the kings of gatti. Afterwards, crossing Mount Hamanu, 1 the Assyrian king marched against Kati, one of the kings of the Kauaa, and captured the city Timur. Having put the inhabitants to the sword and spoiled the city, he proceeded to. ravage the. country, capturing and destroying all the small towns around. On his return, Shalmaneser took one of the strong cities of Aramu, called Miiru, and annexed it to Assyria, building there a palace for himself. Again, the next year, being the twenty-sixth year of his reign, Shalmaneser crossed mount Hamanu for the seventh time, and marched for the fourth time against the cities of Kati, king of the Kauaa. Afterwards he besieged Tanakun , a, fortified city of a ruler named Tulka, who, to save blood- shed, came forth and submitted to the Assyrian king, who received from him tribute consisting of silver, gold, iron, oxen, and sheep. Leaving Tanakun, Shalmaneser went to Lamena, whose' inhabitants occupied an inaccessible mountain to resist the invaders. Shalmaneser proceeded to besiege this fastness, and, haviDg captured it, killed the defenders, and took possession of their property, consisting principally of oxen and sheep. He then destroyed several towns in the neighbourhood, and marched to Tarzi, 2 whose inhabitants submitted and gave tribute of gold and silver. KirrI, brother of Kati, was placed over them as king. On his return, the Assyrian king went up to mount Hamanu, 3 and cut beams of cypress and cedar, which' he brought home: to his city Assur. This was the last expedition which Shalmaneser led in person. ' Amanus. * Tarsus. 3 Amanus. GUIDE TO THE NIMKOUD CENTRAL SALOON. 43 Iii his twenty-seventh- year (b.C. 832) Shajmaneser gathered his army, and despatched it, under the leader- ship of Daan-Assur, whom he calls lurtanu rabu timmandti rapsati — " the great Tartan (commander-in-chief) of the vast army " — to Urartu. 1 He went first to Bit-mat-Zamani (" the house of the land of Zamani "), and, entering the pass of the city Ammas, crossed the river Arzania. 2 Se- duri, king of Urartu, trusting to the number of his forces, ■came out to do battle with the Assyrian general. Shal- maneser claims to have defeated Seduri, whose fallen warriors filled the wide battlefield. The next year, whilst Shalmaneser was staying at Calah, news was brought to him that the Patinians, in the neighbourhood of Hamath, had slain Lubarnu, their lord, and made Surri, who was not of royal race, king over them. Shalmaneser at once sent Daan-Assur, $he Tartan, -with the army, to put down the rebellion. The Assyrian general crossed the Euphrates, and took . possession of Kinalua, capital of the Patinians. According to the text Surri was overwhelmed with fear at the Assyrian invasion, and died. After the death of the king they had set up, the Patinians, fearing the vengeance of the Assyrians, delivered up to them the children of Surri, and the soldiers who had been more especially con- nected with that " lord of sin," who were impaled on stakes by the Assyrian' general. Sasi, of the land of Uzza, who submitted to the Assyrians, was made king of the district in the stead of Surri, and gave a large tribute of silver, gold, lead, bronze, iron, and ivory. After having an image of the Assyrian king carved, Daan-Assur set it up in the temple at Kinalua, the capital city of Sasi. Next year also Shalmaneser sent forth his hosts northwards to Kirhi, and destroyed and burned the cities of that district, sweeping the country, as he says, like a flood, and pouring oiit his fearful terrors over them. In his thirtieth year he sent Daan-Alsur as com- mander-in-chief with the army. Crossing the Zab, the Assyrian general went against the cities of the land of Hupu&kia, and took tribute from Datana. Leaving Hu- puSkia, Daan-Assur marched to Malhisa, whose chief or king, Makdubi, gave tribute. Marching hence, the Assy- rian general overran the land of the Mannaa (Van), 1 Ararat or Armenia. ;' * Armenian : Aradzani, now the Kara-su. 44 GUIDE TO THE NIMEOUD CENTRAL SALOON. whose king, TJalku, abandoned his royal city Zirtu, and fled for his life. The Assyrians pursued, hut could not capture him, and satisfied themselves therefore with spoiling his dominions. The turn of Sulusunu of Harm came next, and the Assyrian army captured his capital city, Masasuru, and the towns around it ; but Shalmaneser afterwards had mercy on him, and restored him to his dominions, exacting only a tribute of horses trained to the yoke. The Assyrian general then marched against Artasari, king of Surdira, who saved himself by giving tribute. The next country -attacked by the Assyrian army was Parsua, then divided into several small king- doms. Twenty of these petty kings gave tribute, but the territories of those who would not submit were rav- aged and plundered. In his thirty-first year (828 b.c.) Shalmaneser made festival at Calah in honour of Assur and Bimmon, and, whilst there, he again sent forth his army under the command of Daan-Assur, the commander-in-chief. March- ing first to HupuSkia, he received tribute from Data, king of that district. Leaving Hupuskia, the Assyrian army marched to Musasir, in or near Armenia, and captured the city Sapparia, with forty-six smaller towns. Marching still farther northwards, the Assyrian general captured and destroyed fifty towns of Ararat or Armenia, and afterwards received tribute from TJbfi, king of Kirzan, and from the countries of Van, Teburisa, Harrana, Sas- gana, and Andia. This tribute consisted of oxen, sheep, and horses trained to the yoke. Proceeding thence to another district, Daan-Assur marched against and des- troyed the cities of Perria and Sitiuarsi, with twelve small towns. The Assyrian general now took his army southwards, and attacked the people of Parsua, taking the cities Bustu, Sa-la-Hamanu, and Kini-Hamanu, with thirteen small towns. He then passed through Namri or Namar, a district in which the Assyrian language was spoken. The inhabitants of this country fled from the Assyrian army and took refuge in the rugged mountains. After capturing and destroying 250 towns in this district, Daan-Assur went through the countries of Simesi and Halman, and then returned, probably, to Assyria. Such is the account given by this most important GUIDE TO THE NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON. 45 monument — important from the historical, philological, ethnographical, antiquarian, and artistic, as well as from the natural history point of view, and the descrip- tion above given has therefore been made as detailed as possible. Shalmaneser reigned from 859 to 825 B.C., and his long and vigorous reign was, on the whole, very prosperous and successful. The last four years of his life, however, must have been embittered by the rebellion of his eldest son, Assur-danin-apli, who drew a large portion of the country over to his side. The revolt was finally put down by Samsi-Eammanu, another son of Shalmaneser, who mounted the throne, on the death of his father, in 825 b.c. The height of this monument is 6 ft. 6£ in"., width 1 ft. 11£ in., thickness 1 ft. A\ in. Babylonian Section. The remainder of the objects in this Saloon, consisting principally of boundary stones and terra-cotta or unbaked clay tablets, come from Babylonia, and are unavoidably placed here owing to the want of room to form a special section for them. Two of the objects from Babylon have been already described (Nos. 85 and 86). No. 99. A large, but rather roughly shaped-up lime- stone boundary-mark, of rectangular shape, containing an inscription, in three columns, recording a grant of land by Merodach-baladan i., about 960 b.c, to Marduk-zakir- sumi. The inscription begins by givjng the size and position of the land, stating that it belonged to the town of Dur-zizi, beside, the river Tigris, and was situated in the district of the city of Saml-Nana, the upper and western side being towards the river Tigris, and its lower and eastern side towards the house of Nazi-Marduk, Its upper (northern) end was towards the city Al-za-gar- mes and the house of Tunamissah, the chief or captain, and its lower (southern) end towards the district of the city Same-Nana, and the city Diir-zizi. This field Marduk- abla-iddin (Merodach-baladan), " king of v the universe, king of Sumer and Akkad, son of Meli-Sigti, king of 46 GUIDE TO THE NIMROTJD CENTRAL SALOON. Babylon, grandson of Kuri-galzu, the unequalled king," granted to Marduk-zakir-sumi (lord of a province in Babylonia, the name of which is lost), " son of Natm-nadin- ahi, -whose-grandfather was Remeni-Marduk, great grand- son of Uballit-su-Marduk, descendant of Arad-ifea." This, man seems to nave rendered some service to the crown, was connected with the temples, and was also a very high official. Merodach-baladan therefore gives him the field upon which the stone was " for continued days, months following, yearly, unbroken, as a possession, for a reward, like a gift of heaven." Then follow the names of the witnesses : " Ninip-abla-iddina, son of Eammanu-nasir, governor of Same-Nan a, Nabu-nasir, son of Nazi-Marduk^ the messenger, and Nabu-sakin-sumi, son of Arad-Eu.'* At the end are the usual curses on any one, whatever his degree or station, who should remove or injure this monument. The other side is sculptured with some very rude figures in low relief, supposed to represent the signs of the zodiac. These are in three rows, divided by an irregular line. First are shown what were the three principal heavenly bodies with the Babylonians — the crescent moon, emblem of the god Sin, the sun's disc, emblem of Samas, the planet Venus, emblem of Istar, and a lamp. Below these are two snake-like creatures with dragons' heads, a dog, a scorpion, a bird, and part of an altar. The second row shows a bird on a kind, of perch, a humped calf kneeling down, with a horn-like object in the background, a kind of ibex with what may be a fire- altar behind, and a representation which may be intended for a tower in stages, with another horned animal, also kneeling down, and having some object on its back, in the foreground. The third and last rOw shows a long, homed snake, a tortoise, a goat-fish (a monster with a goat's head and fore-legs, and the body and tail of a fish), a creature with a ram's head, and a winged dragon, which seems to be walking along the body of the snake. Height 3ft., width 1 ft. 7| in., thickness 1 foot. No. 100. This monument, which is of a hard white limestone, is one of the most important of the recent discoveries in Babylonia, and was found by Mr. H. Bassam at AM-habbah in 1882. It has the usual signs of the GUIDE TO THE NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON. 47 Zodiac, and has, in addition, two of its sides covered with a beautifully executed inscription, containing in all 120 lines. The text begins with the name, titles, and a summary of the conquests of Nebuchadnezzar i. (about b.c. 1150), in which he is said to be the chief of kings, the warlike ruler, governor of Eridu, the sun of his country, making his people rejoice ; bearer of the mighty bow, fearless in battle, who struck down with his weapons the power of the land of Lullubi, subdued the land of Aharri (the west-' land, Phoenicia), and spoiled KaisI (the Cassites, to the east of Assyria); the prince beloved of Marduk, whom Marduk, king 01 the gods, urged on, and he sent forth his weapons to avenge the land of Akkad (Babylonia). The inscription then goes on to say that in the month Du'uzu (Tammuz) Nebuchadnezzar took the road from Der, the fortress of Anu, and ravaged the country (eastwards, apparently) for a distance of thirty kasbu (210 miles). Setting out in the month Tammuz (June-July), he found the journey extremely difficult — undergrowth covered the roads, and there was no water. Eitti-Marduk, of Bit- Karziabku, seemingly a vassal of the king against whom Nebuchadnezzar was marching, seems to have refused to go against the Babylonian invader, and burnt his fortress, Bit-lmitti, so that it should not fall into the hands of his suzerain. When, by rapid marches, Nebuchad- nezzar had captured the country as far as the river Ulfi. (Eulaeus), a battle took place among the many petty kings, and raged with great fury, the face of the sun being darkened by the clouds of dust which were raised ; and in the storm of the battle a charioteer could not recognise the companion by his side. Bitti-Marduk came down to join in the battle, but was unfortunate, and his country became subject to the king of Elam. Nebuchadnezzar, however, seems to have taken his part, and overran and plundered Elam. When the Babylonian king returned, " with pomp and joy of heart," to Akkad, he looked favourably upon Eitti-Marduk, and granted freedom to the cities of Bit- Karziabku of the land of Namar, which had been freed by a former king, but wrongfully brought again under the dominion of Namar ; and a kind of charter of privileges was also given as follows : — Messengers of the king and governor of Namar should not enter the 48 GUIDE TO THE NIMEOUD CENTRAL SALOON. city ; no " master of the horse " should take foals or mares into the cities (of Bit-Karziabku) ; taxes of oxen and sheep should not be taken by the king or governor of Namar ; fodder should not be given ; an ass should not be given to the makisu : a stallion-keeper should not enter the city ; stallions should not be taken among the mares ; the fruit of the plantations and the saha ?-trees should not be cut ; the castle of Bit-Samas and the city of Ilu-ikisa should not be built; a bridge should not be made, a road should not be opened ; and no Nifferite or Babylonian in Bit-Karziabku should be liable to conscription. Then follows a list of thirteen witnesses, ending with the name of the scribe Bel-tabni-bullit, who drew Tip the document ; and after this a curse upon any one who should re-establish the old boundary, and who should destroy the written name of god or king, whoever he might be. Might Ninip and Gula destroy his seed ; might Eimmon, lord of water-courses and rain, fill up his rivers with slime, and prepare for him hunger, want, oppression, degradation and evil ; might Sumalia, lady of the shining mountains, who dwells in the heights, and walks upon the hill-tops, Einynon, Nergal, and Nana, gods of Namar, and Utuki ( = Samas) and Supil of the city of DSr, and Sin and the lady of Akkad, the gods of the house of Kirban — these great gods — in strength of heart destine him for evil ; and might another become master of the house which he should build, becoming to him a sharp goad in his side and a running in his eye. Might he bow down his face to his conqueror, who, not accepting his tears, should speedily cut off his life. Might his hands, by the destruc- tion of- his house, enter the mud, and affliction be sent upon him as long as his life lasted, and his seed be expelled as long as heaven and earth exists. This monument has also the so-called signs of the zodiac, arranged differently, however, from those on the stone of Merodach-baladan i., already described. The sculptured face has six unequal divisions, in which the emblems are grouped, and on the left-hand edge is shown the snake, the body wavy, and the head towards the upper part of the stone, turned over the topmost row of emblems. The head, which is rather roughly formed, is seen from above, and the tongue is protruded. In the middle part of the topmost row is the crescent moon ; on the left is a disc with a double four-pointed star, intended to represent the planet Venus ; and on the right is also a disc with a single four-pointed star, with wavy lines, probably repre- .GUIDE TO THE NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON. - 49 senting rays of light between each point. This disc represents the sun.. The second row has three rectangular objects, on the top of each of which is a pointed object with wavy lines, looking not unlike a beehive, but -which is really intended for a cap or head-dress with several horns, springing from the side and meeting in the middle (compare the horned caps of the various man-headed lions and bulls in this Saloon). The third row of emblems has three similarly-shaped objects, out of the right-hand side of two of which is seen the fore-part of an animal. ■ That to the left has on it an upright, pointed-topped- object. The animal looking forth from it is couchant, and has the fore-legs stretched out ; the body is scaled, and the head is intended for that of a gryphon, with spiral horns and upright ears. The next of the rectangular, altar-like objects has on it a long wedge-shaped object' with the thick end to the right. The animal looking forth' from it is the fish-goat, the scaled body being partly hidden by the side of the object. The left fore-leg is bent under it, and the right leg is raised arid bent at the knee, so that the hoof rests upon the ground. The third altar-like object has no animal looking out from it, and only a kind of scroll on the top. '■ The fourth row begins with a creature which looks like- the upper part of a snake, with a bird's head, looking right. The next figure, a similar object, has two animals* heads, intended, perhaps, for those of a lion, placed back to back, and looking each way, with open mouth. The next is a kind of shrine with round top, outlined with a double bead of radiating lines. "Within, upon an altar which is mutilated by a break in the stone, is the head of a horse. The last object is a bird — apparently a vulture — perched upon a kind of stake, larger at the upper than at the lower end. The fifth row shows two emblems. The first is a god, seated on a low stool shaped and ornamented not unlike the three altars in the second row. .He wears a cylindrical hat, with a double band round the lower edge, and a single band about the middle, from whieh spring upright points not unlike the petals of a flower, The face is damaged. The upper part of the dress is represented as of cloth, ornamented with lines and rosettes, and the lower part of goatskin, with the long hair outside. This robe, which reaches to the feet, is fringed at the bottom edge. E 50 GUIDE TO THE NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON. The hands are raised. ■ On the farther side, beside the god, sits an animal not unlike a dog. The other figure repre- sents what was called by the Assyrians and Babylonians a scorpion-man ; the upper part being the body and head of a man, as far as the waist, a scorpion's body and tail, and the legs of a bird. This creature is bearded, wears a cylindrical hat and plain tunic with short sleeves, confined by a belt at the waist. The left hand is stretched out, and holds a bow, and with the left hand he draws an arrow to the shoulder. The scorpion body has wavy lines, and the tail, which curves over the back, is divided into sections, imitating those of a scorpion. The legs are far apart, the right foot being advanced. The lowest row shows a sitting calf, the fore-legs bent beneath it, and on its back or behind it a curious object with two double wavy prongs. In front of the calf is a scorpion, a tortoise occupies the field above, and to the right is a Babylonian lamp upon a kind of pedestal or holder -with an ornamental top. There have been a great many speculations as to the meaning of these strange signs, and most scholars regard them, probably rightly, as the originals of the signs of the zodiac. The Babylonians themselves call them " the signs of the gods," whose aid is invoked in the curses upon those who should injure the inscription. The bird on a kind, of perch, at the end of the fourth row, seems to have been called " the image of the southwind of KSs" (a city now represented by the moundB of Hymer) ; the dragon's head 1 on a kind of pole was "the image of the god Tugj 2 of Kes, with the face of [a dragon]" ; the bird's head on a kind of pole was "the image of the god Dun-asaga of Kei, with the face of an eagle." The other signs are of doubtful meaning. Height 2 ft. J in., width 8£ in., thick- ness 6i in. No. 101. A boundarynstone in the form of a fortress, with towers at each of the four comers and curtains between, surmounted by pointed battlements. The top is cone- shaped, and is sculptured with bas-reliefs similar to those already described. The stone has, on all four sides, begin- 1 Or two lions' heads. * This god is mentioned in the inscription On this stone, in connection w.ith the freeing of the land of Namar. GUIDE TO THE NIMROTO CENTRAL SALOOET. 51 ning above, and continuing on "the " curtain," an inscrip- tion recording a grant of land in the town of Nar-sarri, 1 beside the river of the same name. v The boundaries are then given, and it is stated that " Meli-Sigu, king of multitudes," had takeu away from Hasardu and others the above-named field, but had afterwards confirmed these same people in the possession, of the property. The inscription contains the usual exhortation to those who should come after to respect this deed, invokes the various gods of the Babylo- nian pantheon, and finishes with the usual curses on all who should change or destroy the stone. Beginning in front is first the " scorpion-man" ; very different, however, from that shown on the edict of the freeing of Namar. He is represented as a horse, with the body and head of a man, wings rising from the shoulders, and two tails — one like that of a horse, hanging down, and the other like that of a scorpion, bent upwards and backwards over the back. He is bearded, and on his head he wears the homed cap. His left arm is stretched out, holding the bow and arrow, which, with his right, he draws to the shoulder. The fore-legs are raised, as if in the act of galloping. Beneath the fore-part of this monster is a scorpion, the tail not bent, but slanting upwards, Continuing to the right, the next figure shown is a dog, jumping up towards the bird seated on a perch before him. The next figure is a kind of satyr, the upper part of the body, from the waist, being that of a man, and the lower part that of a bull, or, rattier, a horse, the tail being short and having long hair. He is bearded, and wears the horned cap. He holds with both hands a long thick staff, with a very broad wedge-shaped head ; both staff and head having a kind of " herring-bone" ornament. Farther to the right is a very short staff, with a conical top, and tassels hanging down on each side. In front of this is a strange object. It consists of a thick central piece with a broad- ening top, out of each side of which come lions' heads, upside down. "Above this object is the sun's disc — a four- pointed star, with wavy lines coming out between each point, and a smaller disc in ; the middle. Then follows another short object with a conical top, larger than the former, and without tassels. To the right of this is a female figure, perhaps the goddess Istar, clothed in a 1 King's river : Nahr-malka. E 2 52 GUIDE TO THE NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON. garment made of strips of goatskin arranged spirally, and having on the head a pointed cap. She is looking, as are also all the other figures, to the right, with one foot ad- vanced. In her right hand, close to her breast, she holds a cup, and in her left an object with a thin handle — perhaps a fan or fly-flap. Before this figure is another short sta$ ending in a dragon's head, rather mutilated — evidently " the image of the god Tug." The next is the strange object having two wavy prongs, with an incised line up the middle of each. Above is the moon, represented in the usual way, as if to show the full and new moon at once. To the right of the forked object is a lamp of the .usual form shown on these boundary-stones. Then is shown a strange object, evidently a figure of the goddess Istar. The front of the body is shown, but the head is looking to the right. From the shoulders come two wings, feathered, and slanting outwards and downwards; they seem to be attached to the arms of the figure, as these form the central part of each wing. The thighs are twisted together, and the feet are far apart. The next Object is a small staff with . the head of some creature at "the end ■ (perhaps a serpent's), bent at the neck and looking towards the right; In front of this object is a low table, the corners of the top of which are ornamented with lion's' heads, and the legs end in the lower part of the hind legs and the cloven hoofs of a bull, strengthened by a rail which goes across the knees. On the table is a cylindrical hat, smaller at the top than at the bottom, ornamented with small circles. Above and a little to the left is the planet Venus, emblem of the goddess Istar, whose figure is shown to the left. The planet is represented as a disc on which is a four-pointed star. On the top of the stone is the serpent, coiled in a spiral form, of which the head forms the Centre. Height 1 ft. 8 \ in., about 9 J in. square. No. 102. A stone recording a grant of land by Nabfi- ukin-abli, king of Babylon, to Arad-Iminabi and his daughter. This document, which is dated in the fifth year of the above-named king, is of very similar nature to those just described, and gives the details at very great length. This object also is sculptured with the so-called signs of the zodiac, and bears in addition an image of the GUIDE TO THE NIMEOUD CENTRAL SALOON, . 53. king of. Babylon, Nabu-ukin-itbli, and of Arad-Iminabi and his daughter. This interesting group is sculptured at the top right- hand corner of the side on which the contract -begins, and , extends round on the right to the side next following. - Arad-Iminabi ia standing, looking to the right. He is bearded, and wears a plain robe (like those generally worn by Babylonians in late times) reaching to the feet. He is girded, and wears a strap crossing from the right shoulder to the left side. His left hand is raised, and he holds with, it the end of his bow, the other end of the weapon resting on the ground. In his right hand he holds two arrows. On his feet he wears only sandals. Behind him stands his daughter, dressed also in a very plain robe, girded at the waist. She wears on her head a cap, which covers all her hair, and is ornamented at the edge. In both her hands, , which are raised, she holds a cup. On the other side of the stone the king is shown, lpoking to the left. He is represented much taller than the, other two .figures. He wears a high hat in the Babylonian style, with a band round the lower part ornamented with rosettes. His robe, which reaches to his feet, is richly ornamented, . and confined at the waist by a girdle ornamented with rosettes. His feet are also covered with boots of some woven material finely worked. In his right hand he holds a long staff, and his left hand hangs down by his side. The, back of the stone bears the usual so-called signs of thezodiac arranged in rows. At the top are to be seen the sun, the moon, and Venus; below, which are four altars with the sides carved in the form of panels, the first two having on them the horned caps, the third, above it, a tortoise, and the fourth a two-branched object. The next row has two altars similar to those above. The first has on it, the point upwards, a thing like an arrowhead, and the other a wedge-shaped object. Out of the right-hand side of each looks a dragon, horned, and with forked tongue outstretched. The third ro.w shows a goddess, dressed in a long robe, and wearing a high hat, seated on an object like the altars already described. She is in the act of raising both hands. By her side is a dog sitting on his haunches. Farther to the right is a bird on a kind of double perch, and an arrow standing with the point downwards. Above, a 54' GUIDE TO THE NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON. little to the left, is the lamp always found among these signs. The last row shows an upright ohject ending in a. dragon's head, open-mouthed, and a similar ohject ending is a hird's head, crested. To the right is a forked object, a ■ cock, and a scorpion. Down the right side of these groups of signs comes the wavy body of the snake, the head, which is at the top, turned to the left, with the forked tongue stretched forth. Height 1 ft. 7 in.; thickness 10£ in. by 8^- in. No. 103. A large boundary-stone of white limestone, . according a gift- of land by Eammanu-sum-nasir, king of Babylon, to TJr-Nin-tin-badaga. This document is rather important for Babylonian chronology, but is unfortunately somewhat defaced, so that the full conditions of the grant are exceedingly difficult to determine. The top of this monument contains also the so-called signs of the zodiac, sculptured on the various uneven surfaces of the top. On the back of the top part are shown the sun, moon,- Venus, snake, and scorpion. The summit is sculptured with a curious ' curved object. On the inclined side are a fox ; a winged dragon with upturned tail; a scorpion-man— a monster with, a man's head, the wings of a bird, a lion's legs, and a scorpion's body and tail ; -two altars with horned' caps, in front of the first of which is an animal lying down, and in front of the second a winged bull in the same position; and the lamp, in this case differing from the forms generally sculptured on boundary-stones in being mounted on what is intended for a tripod, table, and having at the point what is intended for flame. On the side facing the spectator is a tortoise, and on the side on the right the remainder of the representation. The principal is a figure, bearded, standing, and wearing a high hat similar to those worn by the Babylonian kings. He wears a goatskin robe, like most Qf the Babylonian divinities. In his left hand, he holds, against his breast, a mace ; and in his right, which is hanging down by his side, an instrument like a boomerang. On the other side of the figure sits an animal like a dog, but having two straight, horns, two carved horns or ears, and a forked tongue. This creature is probably -the same as the dragon GUIDE TO THEi NiMROUD CESTRAL 8JLL00N.' &&> shown on the other boundary-stones. : To the right is the object with two wavy prongs like, horns, and above an object like a spearhead. Size 2 ft. 1^ in. by 11^ in. by7£in. No. 104. An arch-headed stone, sculptured with a i re- presentation, in a raised border, of a Babylonian, king. He is clothed in, a long robe reaching to the feetj 'bordered and fringed; and he wears also an under-robe, seemingly embroidered, the whole being confined' by a, girdle i rounU his waist. His beard isirimmed in the. Assyrian style, and he wears a pointed hat like a helmet, witih a band hanging down behind. His arms are bare, and his right hand is raised.. He holds in, his left hand, a tall staff with nineteen rings like those of a reed. Above are the moon, the winged disc emblematic of Assur, and the sun. ; ■ On 1 the right side of the monument are sixteen lines of mutilated writing. - , • v ■ . ■ The figure is i supposed- to represent Samal-sumi-iikin or SaosducMnos, brother of Assur«bani-apli, who reigned at Babylon from 668 B.C. to 647 B.C., though it is possible that it represents some other king of Babylon of the Assyrian .dynasty* Height 2 ft. 4 in., width 1 ft* '6 in., thickness 9^ in. . No.. 105. A boundary-stone of black basalfy containing an account of the granting of a field by Mardwk-n&din-jahe, the king of Babylon, to Bammanu-zer-iklsa. The ^stone has engiaved upon it 139 lines of writing;* and the usual so-called signs of the zodiac; v The field, which was a large one, took twenty measures of corn to seed. It was situated in the district called Irrea, beside the river Zirzirri, by the house of Ada, and was granted by Marduk-nadin-ahe", the king, to Eamnuinu- zer-ikisa, his servant. The boundaries, which were " according to the word of the king," are then stated,' the owners of all the surrounding property being mentioned by name. The date " city of Dindusa,. month Iyyar, twentyreighth day, tenth year of Marduk-nadin*ahe, the king," follows, and after this- 1 come the names 'of sixteen witnesses, many being of great influence, and including a son of the king.. "With the third column- begin, the-, usual curses, in which 56 GUIDE TO THE NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON. the wish.' is expressed that whoever at any time, among the brothers, the sons, or the families or family of the house of Ada should pronounce, or cause to be pronounced, a claim upon this field ; who should say, " the field was not given," or who should say "the seal has not been impressed " — whether it be the future lord of the house of Ada, or the governor of the house of Ada, or the prefect of the house of Ada, &c, &c, who shall be appointed ; who shall say " the field was not measured," and " the seal was not impressed," and shall take possession of the field for himself— may the gods, as many as whose names are recorded on this stone, curse him with an irrevocable 1 curse. A great many invocations of the gods follow this, and additional clauses of the contract are written in the various vacant spaces. The 'top of the stone bears, as usual, the so-called signs of the zodiac in low relief. On the top are the.three discs representing the sun, the moon, and Venus (Samal, Sin, and Istar). To the left of the side on which the inscrip- tion begins is a square object, the side arranged in a series of panels, the slab at the top overhanging. Out of the left-hand side of this, with more than half the. body showing, looks the goat-fish. The knee of the right fore-leg is raised and bent, so that the hoof .rests upon the ' ground, whilst the left fore-leg is bent under the body. On the ' top of the altar, standing upright, is a staff, bent at the top, and terminating in a ram's. head, and in front of this is ;the forked object with wavy prongs. In front of the goat's head is an object with a large globular end, but rather thin handle, probably intended for a mace. Going to the left is again an altar or kennel-like house similar to that just described, and from the left-hand side of this : looks a scaly dragon, the head raised, and having two long, straight, upright horns. It seems to be pro- vided with hair, twisted and curled. The fore-legs are those of a lion, and are stretched straight out before it. Upon the altar or house is an upright object like a large arrowhead, and above the head of the dragon is a roughly' sculptured lamp. Going still to the left, we see an arrow standing on its point, and a tall object ending in a fork, upon which a bird is perched, one foot on the end of each fork. In front of this object is a dog sitting, and above - 1 Lit. : " unwithdrawable.' GUIDE TO THE NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON; 57 the dog a cook walking. Coming again to the lower part, we see the two altars, similar in pattern to those already described, one hearing a cap with twelve, the other one with fourteen horns. Above is the figure of a scorpion, the claws advanced, the legs spread out, and the tail bent upwards and forwards. To the left of the altars inter- venes the head and part pf the body of the snake, which is continued under the rest of the signs, ending under the altar from which the dragon looks. The scales of the back and the belly are well indicated. To the left again is an altar like those already described, upon which lies an object in the shape of a wedge, and out of the side of which looks a dragon, scaled, haired, and horned like the other, and with forked tongue protruding. Above is a horseshoe-like object with curved ends ; and a two-pronged instrument, the prongs ending in lions' heads. Most of these signs are accompanied by short inscriptions, all haying some bearing upon the contract. Thus, close to the mace, are the words, " Not to be taken away [by] the governor of Irrea, or the head-man of the country, or the lord of the province of the governor of Irrea ; " beside the catlike animal are the words, " the appointment of Bit- afla is not to be appointed to the city of Kesu." The rest of the sentences are similar to these. Height 1 ft. 10 in., width 7 j in. No. 106. This- important monument is, like that already described, of black basalt,, and refers to a sale of land. It bears eighty lines of writing, including the three lines beside the figure. The contract begins with the statement that the land consisted of five measures, and was situated on the banks of the river Baddar (?) of Bit-Hankas, a Babylonian tribe. The boundaries are then given — the upper northern side bordering Bit-Hankas, the lower southern side bordering Bit-Inbiate ; the upper western end bordering Bit-Hankas, the lower eastern end bordering the river Baddar (?). This land was sold to Amel-Bel, son of Hankas, by Marduk-nasir the officer of the king for certain animals, farm-produce, &c, &c, the whole valued at 616 pieces of silver. The usual warnings to, and curses, upon any one who should seek to reverse this agreement, are given, and fill up the whole of the second column. 58o GUIDE TO THE NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON. No royal name appears on this, document, tut, judging from the style of the -writing, &c., and the shape of the stone,' it is of the time of Marduk-nadin-ahi, and it is apparently this king whose figure appears in low relief on the front. The figure is squat, and is dressed in a rather early style,' the robe, which reaches to the feet, being richly ornamented with what is apparently inten- ded for embroidery, consisting principally of lozenge- shaped ornaments with borders representing the sacred tree, and a very elaborate pattern on the breast. The sleeves of the Outer-garment reach as far as the elbows, but those, apparently, of the under-garment come as far as the wrists, arid are also embroidered with lozenge- shaped ornaments'.' "Straps cross from each shoulder across the breast j he is girded at the waist with an embroidered belt, into which are thrust, on the right-hand side, two daggers. He wears a high brimless hat with an embroi- dered band round the lower edge, and feathers at the top. His beard is 'short, arid is, like his hair, carefully trimmed in the Assyrian' style. His feet are covered with plaited shoes, probably of a kind of cloth. In his left hand, which is raisedy ' he carries a bow, and in his right, which is hanging down, 'two arrows. The three lines of inscrip- tion- beside the figure are as follows : As for this stone, its name is " the establisher of the boundary for ever." The top is carved with the usual signs. On the summit are the sun, the moon, and Venus. The front part of the summit has two double-panelled altars, upon each of which is a horned cap, and a third, also double- panelled, with, the' tortoise above. To the right is a cock walking, and above is the mace. The representations are interrupted by the snake, whose_ scaly body comes more than half-way down the stone, his head being beyond the middle of the top. To the right of the snake is a double-panelled altar like the others, with, little circles, along the edge of the top, and a spear-like object above. Out of the right-hand 'side looks a dragon similar to those on the other boundary-stones ; his body is scaled, and he has two straight horns, hair, and forked tongue out- stretched: The next is a similar altar, with a wedge on the top. Out of this comes also a dragon as before. Above is an object with two branches, terminating in GUIDE TO THE NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON. 59- lions' heads* ©pen-mouthed ; and a scorpion. Farther on is to be seen a dog sitting -upon its haunches. Above are a horseshoe-like object and a lamp. Still continuing to the right, we see the arrow standing on its point, the bird on its double perch, and the two-pronged wavy object. Height 2 ft. J in., by 9£ by 7^ in. In the middle of the room, on each side of the black obelisk, are two table-cases containing tablets from Baby- lonia. In the literary products of this country a marked difference is seen from those obtained from Assyria ; and we have the phenomenon of a comparatively unwarlike nation being less literary than one renowned- for love of strife and -regarded as exceedingly cruel ; for the Assyrians, though they were copyists and imitators, and had got their literature to a great extent from Babylonia, yet were to a much greater extent original producers than the Babylonians. Another difference between the two • nations - also is this^ that whilst, in later years, the • Assyrian king was the- patron of learning, in Babylonia, on the contrary; the formation- and enriching of the libraries were left to , private enterprise. 1 The only original compositions known are the, annals (compositions possessing little or no literary merit), a few private letters, and the accounts given by. the various kings of restora- tions of temples, in which the same "stereotyped " phrases occur again and again. The principal difference that will strike the student isj that the clay tablets are mostly unbaked ; the reason of this probably being that the clay, of which they are composed would not bake well, tablets that have been baked by the present inhabitants of the country on finding them being often rendered more illegible, in consequence. Nevertheless, the tablets were often baked by the Baby- lonians, especially when the clay of which they were formed came from the neighbourhood of Babylon or the Birs-Nimroud ; but the tablets which are baked are mostly of a better class, or regarded as of greater importance by the- Babylonians. Many of- the baked tablets are gifts by private citizens to the. temple-libraries. The different classes of tablets correspond in every case 1 See the ' Guide to the Kouyunjik Gallery,' p. 41 ; and compare pp. 62, 65; 66,-and 69, of this guide; 60 ' G^IDE TO THE NTMROUD CENTRAL SALOON. • to those found in Assyria, and of each of these classes, specimens will be found, here. Table-case A is devoted. to miscellaneous texts, and comprises the following : legends, '■'_ bilingual hymns, bilingual lists and syllabaries, histo- rical and chronological texts, calculations of various kinds, and omens. The'legends are often simply translations from the Akkadian or Sumerian, as are necessarily the bilingual hymns and incantations and the lists and syllabaries. The chronological tablets were also originally written in Akka- dian, at -least as long as it remained a spoken language. The genuine Babylonian literature consists of hymns, a few legends (including perhaps the series to which the account of the Flood belongs), directions as to ceremonies (which may also, however, be translations), some allitera- tive hymns, and the various classes of historical texts. The omen-texts are also, perhaps, native productions. The other table-case contains contracts of various kinds, and includes the case-tablets of the earliest period, contracts and legal documents extending from the reign of Esar- haddon to the very latest times, and bearing the names of Antigonus, Philip, and Alexander, " son of Alexander." Table-case A. MISCELLANEOUS TEXTS. Legends, hymns, syllabaries, canons of Babylonian kings, . copies of ancient inscriptions, astrological calculations, tables of square and cube roots, calendar, tables of omens. No. 1. An unbaked clay tablet from Babylon, bearing an inscription in the late Babylonian character, referring to a god who " descended like Nergal and spoke with the sons of men," and who " made obedience to come upon all his warriors." The mutilated state of the obverse, how- ever, makes the subject very disconnected and doubtful. The reverse, which is divided into sections, seems to refer to ceremonies in E-anna, E-sara, E-zida, &c. The date of this copy is about 500 B.C. Length 6£ in., width 4£ in. No. 2. Fragment of an unbaked clay tablet with parts of the Chaldean account of the Flood. The portions pre- served on the obverse are part of the introductory para- GUIDE TO THE NIMROUD CENTRA! SALOON. 61 graph and the second paragraph, in the former of which Gistubar tells tJm-napistim that, on looking at him, he finds that he is not changed, hut is like himself ; and in the later tJm-napistim answers with the hope that the mystery might he revealed to him, and begins to tell him the story of the Flood, mentioning the city Surippak, situated on the Euphrates — an ancient city, within which the gods brought their hearts to make a flood. All the great gods were there— their father Anu, their counsellor, the warrior Bel, their throne-bearer Ninip, their leader Ennugi. The lord of deep wisdom, Hea, spoke with them, and communicated their command to the earth, saying "Earth, earth!. Field, field 1 O -earth,, hear, and field, understand! " He then spoke to Uin-napistiua, whom he calls " the Surippakite, son of Umbara-Tutu," telling him ' to destroy his house and build a ship. The reverse has also parts of two paragraphs, probably the last and the last but one. The latter is very mutilated, but it seems to refer to the piling-up of great stones for a memorial. The last paragraph refers to the journeyings and deeds of Gistubar and Ur-Sanabi, the boatman, after the former had been cured by tJm-napistim of the disease with which he was afilicted. Size 2\ in. by 3f in,' No. 3. Part of a large tablet, written in four or more columns, of which the first and last are fairly well preserved, but the others either wholly lost or broken and mutilated. This text refers to the ritual of the temple of Bel or Merodach at Babylon, and begins with a paragraph similar . to that with which the tablet num- bered 6, which is better preserved in this place, begins. The remainder of the text consists to a great extent of sentences addressed to the god Bel of Merodach. The first part of each verse seems to be written in Sumerian, and the last part in Semitic Babylonian or Assyrian — something like those curious mediaeval verses in which the lines are alternately Latin and English. The follow- ing will serve as specimens : — ' t Sumerian: Umu bara sega, umu kurkura ; Babylonian ; Be), sairu damka, bel matfiti. Lord of the happy sanctuarr, lord of the world ; . J>rd, fortunate king, lord c'f the world. 62 GUIDE TO THE NIMBOUD CENTRAL SALOON. Sumerian : Dimmer bara mulu-mulu, dimmer bara mulu nu-dua : Babylonian: Bel sarrani, nttr amelut, muza'iz isketu. | God of men's sanctuary, god of the sanctuary which man has not : Lord of kings, light of mankind, bestower of gifts. The second part of each verse is often either a transla- tion of the first part, or an expression of the same ideas as are found in it, in different words. There seem also to be a great many plays upon words. No. 6 is a tablet belonging to the same series, as is also, perhaps, No. 5. The date of these copies is about 450 B.C. The size of the tablet here described is 8^ in. by 4 in. Nos. 4 and 4a. A baked clay tablet inscribed with a hymn to the sun^god in the Akkadian and Semitic Baby- lonian or Assyrian languages. The following is a trans- lation of this text : — Sun-god in the midst of heaven, in thy setting may the bolts of the glorious heavens speak peace to thee, may the door of the heavens be gracious to thee, may^Misaru, thy beloved messenger, guide thee, At E-bara, the seat of thy lordship, thy greatness shines forth. May Aa, thy beloved wife, gladly receive thee, may thy heart take rest,. may the glory of thy godhead be established to thee. Warrior, hero, sun-god, may they glorify thee, Lord of E-bara, may the course of thy path be true. Sun-god, make straight thy path, go the everlasting road to thy rest. Sun-god, of the country the judge, of her decisions the director art thou. According to the colophon attached to this document, it was an inoantation or hymn addressed to the setting sun, and the second copy (No. 4a) has the following para- graph at the end : — Nabu-balatsu-ikhi, son of Esagilaa, has got Nabu-bant-ahi, son of Esag- ilaa to write [this tabletlfor the god Nebo, his lord, for the. saving of his life, and has placed it in E-zida. The temple-tower fi-zida, now called the Birs-Nimroud, was situated in the city of Borsippa, close to Babylon, and in it was a shrine of the god Nebo, and also a library for the priests; and it was probably to this library that the above-named tablet was given— indeed, both tablets seem to have come from the same spot, so that they are prob- GUIDE TO THE NIMROTJD CENTRAL SALOON. 63 ably the copies which, the priests themselves used when, coming forth from the temple, they said or chanted, this hymn to the sun-god at sunset. One of .the copies gives the first line of the next tablet : " Sun-god, from tlje glorious heaven rising!" — the, first line of the priests' morning-hymn. The Assyrians and Babylonians,, like the Hebrews, regarded the day as beginning in the evening at sunset, so that the evening hymn announced the beginning of a new day, and -the morning hymn therefore came after that of the evening. A translation, with a transcription into Eoman characters , of the Akka- dian and Babylonian texts, will be found, in the Transac- tion? of the Society of Biblical Archaeology, vol. viii., pt. 2. The size of No. 4a is 3§- in. by 2^ in. No. 5. A fragment of a mythological tex;t, bping part- of a large tablet of baked clay, originally written in six columns, three on each side — the end of the .first, part of the second, and beginning of the sixth being all that is left. The first column contains hymns to Merodach and his consort Zir-panitum. The following extract will give some idea of the nature of this text : — he who crosses the heavens, weighs out the earth, • measures the waters of the sea, fertilises the furrows ; he who dwells in E-bar-ul, lord of Babylon, Merodach supreme. He who determines the fate of all the gods, [and who] gives a glorious sceptre to the King his "worshipper. I am the " great brother " of E-kiia ; gracious words collect A together for thy city Babylon ; upon E-saggil, thy house, have mercy. ; By thy supreme command, lord of the great gods, may there be happiness (?) unto the sons of Babylon. The hymn to Zir-panitum, which follows this, is of a similar nature. She is called "The wise one, supreme goddess of goddesses," "she who crosses heaven, weighs out the earth — Zir-panitum, she whose station is high;" the same terms being- applied to her as to Merodach, her consort. The reverse of this text refers- to a slightly different subject, but, as the inscription is; mutilated here, its precise nature is difficult to determine. Length b\- in, , width 3f in. No. 6. A fragment of a baked clay, tablet, similar in 64 GUIDE TO THE NIMEOUD CENTRAL SALOON. appearance to the last, and probably therefore originally uniform in size, &c, the nature of the text being however more like that of No. 3 above described. This text begins with the following paragraph : — Superscription : By command of my lord and lady let him bring [this]. In the month Nisan, day fourth, the " great brother " shall come for two- thirds of an hour of the night, and shall sprinkle the curtain (?) with the waters of the river, fand] fall down before my lord and lady. . Raising the hands, he shall bring this to the lord : to the lord he shall pronounce this incantation. Here follows a number of verses or sentences, altern- ately Sumerian and Semitic Babylonian, similar to those translated above (No. 3). The god addressed under the title of "lord " is apparently Merodach, the principal god of the Babylonians, the "lady" being his consort, Zir- panitum. The colophon at the end of this text is as follows : The worship of Merodach and Zir-panitum. [This tablet] shall not be given away into the hands [of another}; may the gods, as many as are within Babylon, curse [him] who shall give [it] away into the hands [of another]. Length 3\ in., width 4f in. No. 7." Part of a roughly-written 'tablet,' having on each side the names of the months in Akkadian and Babylonian, together with verbal paradigms, &c. This text, which is a Babylonian duplicate of the Assyrian tablet exhibited in the Kouyunjik Gallery, Table-case B, No. 4, is evidently a " practice-tablet " of a Babylonian student who intended to make literature, or the writing of trade T documents, his means of living. The writing, though fair, is rather rough, and each side of the tablet contains the same words and the same explana- tion, showing that the whole was only written for the sake of practice. Length 6^ in., width 3f in. No. 8. A small fragment of a syllabary in Babylonian characters, presented by the proprietors of the Daily Telegraph. This text informs us that one of the words for " a tract of country " was edin and edinu in Akkadian and Semitic Babylonian respectively — a root which has been compared by Prof. Fried. Deltizsch with the Biblical " Eden." Size %\ in. each way. GUIDE TO THE NIMKOUD CENTRAL SALOON. 65 No. 9.- A small terra-cotta tablet from Babylon, in- scribed in four columns, two on each side, with a list of plants and other vegetables. The colophon at the end is as follows : — The gardens of the Marduk-abla-iddin [Merodach-baladan], the king, written 'and arrarig'ed like the old [copy]. Tablet of Marduk-5uin-iddin, worshipper of Merodach. Not to be destroyed. This document therefore probably refers to the royal gardens of the Merodach-baladan of the Bible, though the tablet itself must have been written much later than his time, being only a copy of the original tablet, as stated iii the colophon, and as is implied also by the word " laQkjfrg/,** which is to be found in some places, and which undoubtedly' refers to the state of the original. . The. writing is, divided into sixteen sections, in which the plants, &c, a're* n prpbaf;ly grouped according to their species, as understood , a it¥' We ancient Babylonians. Every line of fourteen of .thp 1 Sec- tions (with the exception of those marked as ;being de^cdd in the original) has the determinative suffix' me&nf &£ "garden" or "plantation" at the r end. r , The .number, of words (including those marked as defaced in the i. Origi- nal) provided with this determinative suffix is; sixty-sewn^ all probably being names of edible; fruits or veg^tab^H Length 2£ in., width 2 in. ! • ' ' • -■'-'■ No. 10. A small tablet, 1 'i^h^lij^pi^^ but^'p^ia- rently baked by the Arabs" after' 1 being 1 , found,; &|cijbed with explanations of words and phrased ocburrihgaii' a series of omen-tahlets designated, by the first w;6rd£of in a first tablet, AM irtd •_, or') GUIDE TO THE NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON. 69 c The .next paragraph, "referring to the last year of Nabo- nidus (b.c. 538), begins by mentioning certain religious ceremonies, and a revolt which took place, implying dis- content in' certain, probably religious, circles. - Beligious processions were now performed everywhere to try to appease the gods, who were supposed to be offended at Nabbhidus' inattention, to the ceremonies generally made in their honour. In the month Tammuz (June-July) Cyrus fought a battle in Opis with the army of Akkad^ who immediately- afterwards, for some reason, revolted, the result being that the army of Cyrus took Sippara on the fourteenth of Tammuz without fighting. Nabpnidus fled, and two days afterwards Ugbaru or Gubarii (Gobryas); governor of. Gutiu™, with the army of Cyrus, entered Babylon without, fighjing ; Nabonidns was captured in Babylon. On the third of Marcheswan Cyrus entered, the city, and promised peace to the city and the whole country of Babylon, and Gobryas appointed governors in the city! Jn the 'night: of the eleventh of Marcheswan the king (Naboriidns): died, and," sixteen days after, seven days' mourning for him was kepj. . The day after the period of mourning (4th of Nisan) Cambyses, son of Cyrus, took part In the various New "Year's "ceremonies. -'"- ' -Here, comes the , third column '> of this most important text to an end, and of -the fourth the remains of nine lines only are to be found, from which no certain historical fact «ah be gleaned. The size of the -fragment is 5£ in. by £f in. .-, r -..' : No. 23. A small tablet of baked clay, inscribed with a copy.of an inscription. set up by Dungi, king of Babylonia •about 2500 B.C. in the temple of the god Mei-lam-ta-da at Cuthah. The following is a translation (tk& text itself is in. Akkadian, and the colophon in Semitic Babylonian):-^ . Du.ngj, .u8, agga,- iugal. Urimaj lugal liingi Uri, E-mesTam, S Mes- lamtaia Gudua, mudua. Sa 6li nara labiri sa E-meslam iiribRuta. Dungi, the powerful manjTyng of Ur, king of gamer and Akkad, has built £-meslam, the temple of MeslamtaSa of Cuthah." ;Thft above is what was upon th$ ancient stone of E-meslam within •Cuthah; , . ' ' - ■ - . Tablet of Bel-uballit, the scribe." Imgidda BSl-uballit, dnpsarrn. . The above text was probably written at the- time of the 70 GUIDE TO THE WMEOUD CENTRAL SALOON. antiquarian revival in Babylonia under Nabonidus. Size 2} in. by 2 in. No. 24. A fragment of an unbaked clay tablet, inscribed on the obverse with a list of the material used for the rebuilding or restoration of the temple called E-saggil (or. ife-sagil), probably in Babylon. Some of the objects mentioned are cedar, cypress, and other trees ; a material called " good cane," and some objects called " nail of the sea" — probably shells. The reverse states that the text is " a popy of the tablet of crystal of Marduk-esses, son of KitinrMarduk, the satam of Sabban," who, it would seem, lived in the days of Nabu-abla-iddin, king of Babylon about 900 B.G., and during whose reign the restoration probably took place. Size 3f in. by 1| in. No. 25. A tablet of unbaked clay^ inscribed with cal- culations (probably astrological). The date, which is re- peated on the edge five times, is as follows : " 201st year, Arsaces, king." This document was therefore written in the year 111 b.c. Size 4£ in. by 3£ in. No. 26. A tablet of a similar nature to the last, dated " 125th year, which is the 189th year, Arsaces, king" — that is, 187 B.C. Size 3f in. by 5£ in. No. 27. A mutilated tablet inscribed with calculations of a somewhat different class from the two foregoing. Part of the text is arranged in columns, and refers to the 175th and 176th year of the Seleucian era, the months Tisri, Marcheswan, Kislev, Tebet, Sebat, and Adar of the 175th year being mentioned. These calculations seem to refer to eclipses. The date is " 194th year, Arsaces^ king," corre- sponding to 118 b.c. The size of the tablet is 5 in. by 4 in. No. 28. A fragment of a tablet containing, apparently, astrological calculations for the 34th and 35th years, probably of the Seleucian era (278 and 277 b.c), the 23rd year (289 b.c), Seleucus and Antiochus being then kings, and the 98th year (214 b.c), being during the reign of Antiochus Theos. Size 2£ in. by 3j in. , No. 29, A roughly- written tablet inscribed with astro- GUIDE TO THE NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON. 71 logical calculations referring-, apparently, to the months Kislev, Tebet, Tisri, &c. Size 3J in. by 5£ in. No. 30. A fragment of an unbaked clay tablet, in- scribed, and bearing a drawing of a geometrical figure of which the dimensions are stated. Size 3£ in. by 4f in. No. 31. A small broken tablet with a series of dates at intervals of eighteen years, being apparently the calcula- tions of some lunar cycle. The years mentioned are the nineteenth of Darius n. (405 B.C.), the eighth and twenty- sixth of Artaxerxes n. (387 and 369 b.c.), the eighth year of Umasu (Ochos) (351 b.c), the third year of Darius in. (333 b.c), the third year of Antigonos (315 b.c), and the fifteenth and following years of the Seleucian era, also at intervals of eighteen years, until the 213th year of that era (199 B.C.). The period embraced by this little tablet amounts to 322 years. For the text and notes, see the Proceedings of the Society of Biblical Archseology for May, 1884, pp. 202-204. The size of the tablet is 2$ in. by If in. No. 32. Fragment of a tablet bearing an inscription referring, apparently, to the topography of Babylon, the name of which, as well as of the great temple E-sagila, occurs in the first column of the obverse, which is very mutilated. The second column of the obverse contains references to the three watches of the day, the closing of the gates, and mentions the upper and lower east and west strongholds. The reverse bears part of a map, showing a moat, a part of the city named Tuma, and the great eastern or western gate. The text seems to have contained principally instructions for guarding the city. The size is 4£ in. by 3| in. The portion of the map of Babylon has been published in the Transactions of the Society of Biblical Archseology, vol. vii. p. 152. No. 33. Tablet of unbaked clay, inscribed on the obverse with characters within lozenge-shapes, referring, appa- rently, to certain stars, and inscribed on the reverse with omens from the flight of birds: the summatu, or swallow, and the ugaga, or raven, being mentioned. The text bears the name of Siluku or Seleucus, and was therefore written during the Seleucsean era. Size, 4 in. by 3| in. 72 GUIDE TO THE NIMEOUD CENTRAL SALOON. No. 34. Baked clay tablet inscribed with a calendar of lucky and unlucky days for each month, of the Babylonian year, leaving out the intercalary months (the second Nisan, Elul, and Ye-adar). Each side is devoted to six months, arranged in columns, the obverse containing Nisan (almost wholly broken away), Iyyar, Sivan, Tammuz, Ab, and Elul ; and the reverse Tisri (the upper half lost), March- eswan, Kislev, Tebet, Sebat, and Adar (also almost wholly lost). The following translation of the part referring to the month Elul will show the nature of the text : — • In the month Elul, day 1st 2. It is lucky. 3. It is lucky. 4. It is unlucky. 5. It is lucky. 6. It is unlucky. 7. It is lucky. 8. A man shall not tend [his] camel. 9. He may take a field. 10. It is unlucky. 11. It is lucky. f 12/ It is unlucky." 13. Injury. 14. Heart-joy. 15. It is lucky. 16. It is unlucky 17 A possession of heart-joy. 18. Backbiting. 19. Secrecy. 20. Rush of weapons. 21. It is unlucky. 22. It is lucky. 23. It is unlucky. " 24. A man may take an cath [or, make an incantation]. 25. He shall not trade with another. 26. Unlucky. 27. It is lucky. 28. One hears the crying of . . 29 30. Gift to .... The text is very carefully written, and the tablet was evidently regarded by the Babylonians as important, for it has been carefully baked. The greater part of the entries are in the Akkadian language, though several are Semitic Babylonian. The size is 5J in. by 4J- in. A copy of the text will be found in vol. v. of the Cuneiform Inscriptions of Western Asia, pi. 48 and 49. GUIDE TO THE NIMROTJD CENTRAL SALOON. 7? Nos. 35, 35a, 35b, 35c. Texts inscribed with lists of square and cube roots, calculated and -expressed by the sexagesimal and decimal system used by the. Assyrians and Babylonians. The size of the large tablet is 5| in. by 7£ in. The -text is published in vol. iy. of the Cmeiform Inscriptions of Western Asia, pi. 40. No. 36. ' An unbaked clay tablet bearing an inscription, referring seemingly to the calculation of eclipses and other astrological matters. The years -mentioned are, "the 11th year, Si. (Seleucus) being king" (301 b.c.), " the 59th year, An. (Antiochus) being king "(253 B.a), and "the 134th year, Si. (Seleucus) beingking" (178 B.C.). Size, 3f in. square. No. 37. Fart of a tablet of unbaked clay inscribed with lists of months and numbers, perhaps records of dates of eclipses. Size 4j in. by 5 in. No. 38. Part of a very finely-written tablet of terra- cotta inscribed with omens. Size 2\ in. by 3J in. No. 39.* Part of a tablet of unbaked clay inscribed with omens from astrological phenomena, &c. Size b\ in. by 4f in. No. 40. Part of a tablet of unbaked clay inscribed with omens from eclipses- of the sun and moon, a Babylonian copy of the large tablet" exhibited in Table-case B (No. 35) in the Kouynnjik Gallery. Size 5f in. by 4£ in. No. 41. A large tablet of baked clay, inscribed with a series of directions for the treatment of children when very young, indicating, from the symptoms the ailment from which they may be suffering. According to the state- ment of the colophon, it is the fortieth tablet of the series, and originally contained 112 omens. The copy belonged to Borsippa, and was written by Marduk-nasir, son of Bteiut- ilani, and placed within " the everlasting house, fl-zida " (the great temple of Borsippa,, now the ruins known as the Birs-Nimroud), " for the saving of his life and the lengthening of his days. " Length 7 in., width 3^| in. The lower part of the tablet is broken. 74 GUIDE TO THE NIMR0UD CENTRAL SALOON. No. 42. A tablet of baked clay, inscribed with, a series of omens, apparently from certain deformities either of men or animals. It contains sixty-nine omens, as stated by the colophon, and is the seventh of the series (incomplete) to which it belongs. This copy belonged to Borsippa, and was written " like its old copy " by TJkmu m -zeriu m (Chinzeros} son of f!a-simmanni, for the temple of Nebo (f]-zida). Size 4f in. by 3J in. No. 43. Part of a baked clay tablet, apparently inscribed either with omens calculated from the positions of the heavenly bodies or else the explanations of a system of cipher-writing. This tablet is one of a series of five, and it seems to be a copy of certain documents written for a son of Assur-bani-apli, king of Assyria. The end of the document, though mutilated, is interesting, and reads as follows : — He shall be taken away (i.e. die) at seventy-one years . . . , It shall He waste sixty years if ... . : It shall be firm fifty-nine years if ... . He shall direct eight years to ... . He shall grow old and fifteen years [his] head ..... **£' He shall rejoice and twelve years the king .... These sentences are probably fragments of predictions refer- ring to Assur-bani-apli's son or to the country of Assyria over which he was to rule. Size 6£ in. by 4f in. Presented by the proprietors of the Daily Telegraph. No. 44. Part of a tablet of baked clay belonging to ther same series as the last. The lines of this text are more perfect than those of the foregoing, and the following will therefore give some idea of the contents of the greater part' of this text as well as of No. 43 : — 12 5 8 63 4 31 — his country is destroyed ; there is a strong enemy in the country and the strong enemy 12 5 9 71 30 4 31 — the king of Akkad accomplishes the overthrow of his enemy. [His] hand encloses the whole 12 5 8 64 4 31 — there is a severe battle for the king. He accomplishes the putting to flight of his enemy. All the people Size 4£ in.- by ,6£ in. Presented by the proprietors of the Daily Telegraph. GUIDE TO THE NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON. 75 Table-case B. TRADE DOCUMENTS. Case-tablets of the time of Rim-Sin, gammurabi, and Samsu-iluna ; tablets of the time of the Assyrian Supremacy, of the time of the native kings, and of the time of the Persian supremacy ; tablets of the times of the Seleucidas and the Arsacidse. No. 1. Tablet and case inscribed with the record of a sale t)f prpperty by Ibnl-Eammanu to Sini-Innanna and Apil-ili his brother, for 2§ mana of silver. The names of five witnesses,, with the impressions of the cylinder-seals of some, are given. The transaction is dated in the month Sebat of the year when Eim-Sin the king (destroyed) the "wicked enemy." Date about 2130 B.C. Length 3 in., width 2 in., length of case 4 in., width 2£ in. No. 2. Small tablet and mutilated case recording the sale of some property by Ana-Sin-emid and Ikfin-ka-Innanna, two brothers, to Pirhu" 1 , for ten manas of silver. The names of nine witnesses are given. The document is dated in the month Adar in the reign of Eim-Sin, in the year when the eight fortresses (?) of Isin were taken, Length 2f in., width 1^ in., length of case 3 in., width 2 in. No. 3. Tablet and outer case inscribed with a deed of partnership or brotherhood between Sini-Innanna and Iriba m -Sin. As this document is rather important, free renderings of both texts are here given in full : — TABLET. Sini-Innanna and Iriba m -Sin made brotherhood ; they . took a judge for the ratification, and went down to the temple of the son-god, and he answered the people thus in the temple of the sun-god: "They must give Arda-lustamar - Samas and Antu-lislimam, ^he property of Iriba n, -Iin, and Ardu - iblinan and Antu - am - anna - lamazi, the ' property of Sini-Innanna." He CASE. Sini-Innanna, son of Ili-lag, and Iriba°-Sin, son of Ubar-Sin, made brotherhood; they came together for ratification, and took a judge ; and the judge took them down to the temple of the sun-god, and the judge caused them to receive the decision in the' temple of the sun-god, and he answered the people thus : "Their brothership is confirmed, and they must give Arda-lustamar 76 GUIDE TO THE NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON. Tablet. — cont. Case. — cant. proclaimed [also] in the temple of the sun-god and the moon-god : " Brother shall be kind to brother, brother shall not be evil towards, shall not injure, brother; and brother shall not harbour any angry thought as to anything about which a brother has dis- puted." They have invoked the name of Innannaki, Utu, Marduk, Lugal-ki- usuna, and the name of Hammurabi {Kimta-rapastu] the king. [Here follow the names of eight witnesses.] SamaS from the establishment, and Antu-lislimS, the property of Iriba™- Sin,.and Ardu-ibSinan and Antu- am-anna-lamazi, the property of Sini-Innanna. . Brother shall not be evil towards, shall not injure, brother." He proclaimed also in the temple of the moon-god and the temple of the sun-god: "Brother shall be kind to, shall. not injure, brother ; and brother shall be forgiving to brother.'' ■ - They- have invoked, &c. [Here follow the names of nine witnesses.] From the above it would seem that it was the custom, at the ratification of an agreement of partnership (in which the relations of the parties were almost the same as those ■of brothers), to bring the matter before a kind of council or jury, who determined- what the gift to the temple in which the affair took place should be. Wholesome advice was given by the people assembled — probably . the judge and jury ; the name of the king, together with that of certain gods, was invoked, and the assembled people had their names inscribed on the document as witnesses, some of them impressing, it also with their seals. .The whole of thefirst paragraph ^except a few ideographs) is in Semitic Babylon nian. . The invocation is in Akkadian- The list of witnesses, again, is in Semitic Babylonian, and the date in Akkadian. The gods invoked are the moon-god, the sun-god, Merodach, and a god called "the king. of the world is one" — the moon-god and sun-god, however, were the principal deities worshipped in this part of Babylonia. The tablet ,is dated in the same way as the other documents of this class : " Month Adar of the year when, IJammurabi the king made [images of] Innanna and Nana." Date about 2120 b.c. Size of inner tablet 3J in. by 2\ in., size of the -case 4£ in. by 2f in. Unbaked clay. No. 4. Tablet and outer case recording the; sale of some property by Sin-mubanit to Sini-Innanna and others. As this document is connected with the deed of partnership -(No. 3), a full translation of the text is here given : — \ Anent the one sar, a built house; and the two *ar, a- large enclosure, which Sini-Innanna aud-Apilrili, his brotheT, sons of Ili-lag, have bought GUIDE TO THE NIMR0UD CENTRAL " SALOON. 77 from Sin-mubar.ut and his brothers, sons of Pirhu™, Sini-Innanna has declared thus in the temple of the sun-god : " I hare indeed paid for it with my mother's money— with the money between us I hare not paid for it — Iriba m -Sin has J no claim upon the house and field," * He has sworn by the name of the king. 3 * Before Utiki-semi, son of Apfatu™ ; Before Apil-Sin, son of Uru-mansura ; . Before Sin^greS, the prefect ; Before Sin-uzelli ; Before Ipus-Ea ; Before Nabi-Sin, son of Idin-Sin ; Before Ubar-Sin, his father. ' The tablet of the contracting parties [is done]. Month Adar, year [when the king made images] of Innanna and Nana. 'From the above it will be seen that, in the "brother- hood"- of the Babylonians* the community of goods probably extended no farther than related to the needs of trade. * Both tablet and case are impressed on the edges with the seals of some of the witnesses. The date of the docu- ment is about 2120 B.C. (reign of Kfmta-rapastum or gammurabi). Size of the tablet 2| in. by If in., size of the case 3£ in. by 2^ in. No. 5. Tablet and outer case,- each bearing an inscrip- tion recording, apparently, a gift or sale of a large tjact of landed property belonging to six people, named Idin-Samas, Iriba m -Sin, - Ibi-Nin-subur, §amsi-ia (or Samas-musSzib), llu-nasir, and Mari-ersiti m . Among the many details given in this long statement it is to be noted that all the properties here mentioned lay in or near "the field of the enclosure of Dungi, called TJfa," this Dungi being prob- ably the well-known king of that name, who reigned about 2500 b.c. 4 " The names of fifteen witaeses are given. The date is as follows : — Month Adar, 4th day, year of Hammurabi the king [when] the temple of Mite-ursag was burned, and he raised and built the tower of Kgs, [the dwelling of] Zagaga and Nana. On the edges are several seal-impressions of witnesses, giving their names, &c. One gives also part of the subject > The case has : " and his brothers have no claim." ! The case adds : " at another time, in future days, they shall not make a claim." * » The" case has : '" Hammurabi the king.'.! < , ,,' « See p. 89;. 78 GUIDE TO THE NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON. engraved, representing a standing male figure^ and a lion, raised on its hind-legs, about to devour another animal. The size of the tablet is 5f in. by 2£ in., and of the case 6 J in. by 3 in. No. 6. Tablet and outer case inscribed with the record of a sale of land, probably situated in Sippara of the sun- god (Abu-habbah). The following is a free translation of the contents of this document ; — . A garden of ten measures (?) with a house huilt [upon it], beside the house of Aht-napiru m , and beside the house of Ararru" 1 , 1 its upper'fend 2 the roadway, its rear the temple of Kasa (the Urite house * of Etel-ka- Marduk and Gimil-Marduk, sons of Ararru™, 1 the Urite land- * of Etelrka- Marduk and Gimillu" 1 , the rabshakeh (?)). Gimillu 1 ", son of Ikar-flu, has estimated them at the full price, and has paid tw.Otthirds of a'mana 4J shekels of silver. For future days man cannot make claim against man [with regard tp this transaction]. They hare sworn by the name of Merodach. and gam. murabi the king. Before llu-libba-su, sou of Sin-gamil ; • Before IlMubatti, son of Ahuni ; Before Marduk-nasir, son of Sin-ikiSam ; Before Rammanu-na'id, son of Abia-ubuh ; Before Huzalu™, son of Marduk-nasir ; Before Sutesuranni, son of Etel-ka-Nabiu m ; Before Ubarru™, son of Sa-ili ; Before Illulu™, son of Ilu-ik5sa ; Before Ibik-Innanna, son of Batatu™ j Before Nabi-ili-su, the scribe. Month Kislev, at sunrise of the [first day], in the year of the throne of Zir-panitu™. 5 Impressed on the surface of the case are portions of the seals of some of the witnesses. The inscriptions on them read as follows :— 1. Huzalu™, son of Marduk-nasir, servant to Nebo. [The impression shows also part of a standing male figure, wearing a horned cap, and holding a mace in his right hand]. 2. Ubarru™, son of §a-ili, servant of Nin-si-anna. 3. §utlSuranni, Son of Etel-ka-Nabiu" 1 , servant of Nebo. [This im- pression also shows part of a roughly-engraved standing figure]. This document, which came from Sippara of the sun-god 1 Variant: Araru" 1 . 2 Lit. : head. 3 Probably a house attached to the temple of the moon-god Ur. * Probably land belonging to the temple of Ur. s The year when the throne for the figure of the goddess Zir-panitu™, consort of Merodach, was made, j GUIDE TO THE NIMR0UD CENTRAL SALOON- 79 (Abu-habba), is one of the best-preserved of its kind. The case measures 4£ in. by 2f in., and the inner tablet 3f in. by 2£ in. The date of the document is about 2120 B.C., Hammurabi or Kimta-rapastu™ being king. No. 7. A small tablet and case inscribed with a record of a sale of land. The following is a free translation of the document : — Ten enclosures, a plantation planted with date-palms, and one enclosure of young date-palms, beside the plantation of Ibni-sin, and beside the grass-field of Apil-ura, [at one] end the plantation of Utuki-semi, [and at the other] end the grass-field of Utuki-semi, the property of Utuki- idinna™.' For all time to -come Utiki-idinna™ shall not have any [claim] upon the field, house, and plantation of the town of MizaTami*', which Utuki- semi has bought, and the plantation of the town of Kutala, [they are] the property of Utuki-Semi. He has sworn by the name of the moon-god, the sun-god, and gam- murabi the king. Before Sin-uzeli; Before Nini-idiuna™ ; Before Ablu" ; \ Before Samas-mubanit, his brother ; Before Apil-nini. ; The tablet of the contracting parties is ended. ' Month Elul, day 21st, of the year when the prayer was made to the goddess Tasmetu™. As will be seen from the above description, the property acquired by Utuki-semi lay between two plots of land already possessed by him; and therefore, as no price is named, he probably considered that it was his by right, and the above may therefore be regarded as a judicial decision. "Whether the two plantations mentioned in the second paragraph, one near the town of. Mizaranu m , and the other near the town of Kutala, adjoined each other, and were identical with the property mentioned in the first, is not stated, though it is very probable that they were. The goddess Tasmetu m was the consort of Nebo. The meaning of the name is " she who hears," and it is likely that the year named was one of great need, prayer being made to her on that account. On the edge are impressed the inscriptions on the cylinder-seals of Sin-uzeli and of Mni-idinna m ; the latter, however, is inscribed with a short dedication, and does not give the name of the owner. 80 GUIDE TO THE NIMUOUD CENTRAL SALOON. The size of the tablet is %\ in, by If in., and of the case 3| in. by 2f in. No. 8. Tablet and case inscribed with a record of a sale of property by. Amel-Ur and Aplu m his brother to Sini- Innanna and his brother Apil-ili, for five shekels and two J thirds of silver. The names of ten witnesses are given^ with impressions of the cylinder-seals of some on the edges of the tablet and case. The transaction is dated the 13th of Marcheswan, in the year of gammurabi the king when prayer was made to the goddess Tasm6tu m (compare No. 7). The size of the tablet is 3£ in. by 2\ in., and of the case 4J in. by 2f in. No. 9. Tablet and outer case inscribed with a transac- tion in which Ibku-Sin buys two plots of ground, and afterwards sells them as one plot to Sini-Innanna and Apil-ili, two brothers, for five mana of silver. The names of ten witnesses are given on the tablet, and eleven on the case. Dated in the reign of Kimta-rapastu™ or Ham- murabi, in the month Marcheswan of the year when a great flood destroyed the land of Abnunna or Umlias (a district on the borders of Elam). The edges of the tablet, and the edges and blank spaces of the case, are covered with impressions of the seals of the witnesses. The size' of the tablet is 4f in. by 2\ in., and of the case 5| in. by 2| in. No. 10. Tablet and outer case recording a transaction connected with the holding of a plantation, by a man named Idin-Sin, situated near the town of Ur (Mukeyyir). After describing its position in similar terms to those of which full translations are given above, the document goes on to say that Idin-Sin has met the judge of Ur, the rdbianu or princes of Dikutala and the elders of the city. Certain objects of copper or bronze were presented before the god of the city, and the claimant was then allowed to keep the property which he held. Fee-land of this kind was probably common in Babylonia. The names of eight witnesses are given, followed by the date, 2nd Elul, 15th ; day, in the year of Samsu-iluna the king, when the throne of the god Innannaki or Ur was made. Size of the tablet, GUIDE TO THE NIMROUD CEXTEAL SALOON. 81 4^ in. by 2£ in., of tlie case 4| in. by 2-J- in. Date about 2075 b.c. No. 11. Tablet and outer case recording' the sale of some property by Ahi-kilim to Sini-Innanna or Sini-Nana and Apil-ili, his brother, for two manas of silver. The tab- let gives the names of eleven witnesses, and the case nine. .The date is " 10th of Tisri, in the year of Samsu-iluna the king, when the image of a colossus overlaid with gold was made." Size of the tablet 3J in. by 2\ in., of the case A\ in. by 2J in. Date about 2075 B.C. No. 12. Small clay tablet recording a loan of four measures of corn to Ibni-Mutsura. The document bears the names of two witnesses. Size 1 T S T in. by 1^- in. Seal-impression very indistinct. Tell-ibrahim. No. 13. Small clay tablet recording a loan of four measures of com to a woman named Itti-sanin-nadiru m . Attested by two witnesses. Dated the 30th day of the month Ab, in the year when Ammi-satana the king built the fortress of Ammi-satana (about 2015 B.C.). Size \\ in. by If in. Seal-impression exceedingly indistinct. Tell-ibrahim. No. 14. Small clay tablet recording that Apil-Eamman had taken ( = borrowed) four great measures of corn from (the temple of) the god lb, and stating that it was to be paid back to Niu m -duku. Attested by two witnesses, Ahia- amsi and Ibni-Eammanu. Dated in the month Ab of the year when Ammi-satana the king built the fortress of Ammi-satana beside the river of Bel. Impressed with a part of the inscribed cylinder of Ibni-Eammanu. Size 1^ in. each way. Tell-ibrahim. No. 15. Small clay tablet recording that Eammanu- sar-fli and Sin-alja nl -idinna m had each borrowed one great measure of corn from (the temple of) the god lb, and that these amounts were to be paid back to Niu"°-duku. Attested by two witnesses, Ibni-Eammanu and Na'id- Samas. Dated the 6th of Adar of the year when Ammi- satana the king built the fortress of Ammi-satana beside the river of Bel. Impressed with part of the inscribed 82 GUIDE TO THE NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON. cylinder-seal of Ibni-Kammanu. Size 1^ in. each way. Tell-ibrahim. No. 16. A small clay tablet inscribed with a^ list of amounts of produce arid names of people, by whomit was given or sold, and a sumniation.at the end. Dated the 18th of" Sivanof the year when Ammi-zaduga the king- made a great image. Date about 1990 B.C. Size If in. each way. Tell-ibrahim. No. 17. A small clay tablet of a similar nature to the above. Dated the 11th of Sivan, apparently in the same year of the reign of Ammi-zaduga (about 1990 B.C.). Size If in. each way. Tell-ibrahim. No. 18. A small clay tablet, also inscribed with a list of amounts of produce and the names of the persons by whom it was given or sold. No date. Size If in. each way. Tell-ibrahim. No., 19. Part of a clay tablet recording the renunciation by Sum&, and the adoption by Ekal-zeri, of Bel-ah^-iriba, son of the former. .In accordance with the stipulation of Ekal-zeri, Sumfi, assigns to his son a large amount of property. The names of six witnesses, including the scribe, are given. Dated at Babylon, l2ih of the month Ab, in the /third year of Sargon " king of the universe " (=•707 b.c). Size, 2£ in. by 2 in, , r No. 20. A i baked clay tablet recording a transaction between Bel-iddina and Marduk on the one hand, and Sum-iddina on the other. The following is a translation of this interesting document: — t Bel-iddina and Marduk hare declared judgment [against] Sum-iddina, son of the priest of Samas, as follows,: "We will receive the. income of the house of thy father in Sippara, which is the house of the shrine of the sun-god, from thy hands, to the extent of 2 mana 11 shekels of silver." ;$um-iddi;na,ithus said to, them: "I have not received the money from the liands of Muranu and Bel-iddina, for they have promised 1 mana 9 shekels in the assembly of the Babylonians." So Sum-iddina brought and gave to them 1 mana 9 shekels of silver ; and as, for the 1 mana 2 shekels of silver which remained, they, decided the matter unto Sum-iddina in the temple of Zagaga. ■ The names of the witnesses, seven in number, which GUIDE TO THE NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON. 83 follow, are mutilated'. The document is dated on the 25th of Ve-adar,in the third year of Esarhaddon, king of Assyria (677.B.C.). The text of the document is not very clear, because all the circumstances of the case v are not stated, hut the ex- planation seems to he this : ; Sum-iddina, a priest of the temple' of the sun-god at Sippara, owed Bel-iddina and Marduk the sum of 2 mana 11 shekels of silver, and appli- cation, was . formally made to him for the amount. Sxjin T iddiha,-- however, reminds Bel-iddina that he and another named Muranu had ■ not fulfilled a promise mado "before the Babylonians" to pay hint a sum of 1 mana and 9 shekels of silver, with which- he would have been able to discharge part of the debt. Sum-iddina therefore paid 1 mana 9 shekels of silver, leaving a balance of 1 mana 2 shekels, about which an arrangement was made between the parties. The size of the document- is 2-^f in. by 1$ in. No. 21; Part of- a-baked clay tablet referring to the sale of a field in Alu-essu ("Newtown ") within Babylon. The dimensions and the names of the owners of,. the,, adjoining property are- given. Dated at Babylon, .the 22nd of-Iyyar, in the fourth year of Esarhaddon (676 B.C.).. At the end are the words : " The nail-mark of Marduk, son of Egibi, as his seal," referring to the marks on the edge of .the tablet. Total length and width,. 2 in. each way... . ; -'-:,'-;. No. 22. A baked claytabjet recording the sale of a plot of land " in the territory of Aha which is within Babylon." The measurements, in three different parts are given, with the boundaries- : iB- every fiase, and 'the" summation -of -the whole. This fend, the contract "goes- on to«ay, was bought by ! tlbaru of Kuha- for half- a-mana of white silver. The transaction was witnessed by eleven persons, including the scribe, and is dated the 29th of Iyyar,in the tenth year of Samas-sum-ukin (Saosduchinos), that is, 657 b.o. Size 3ft in. by 2ft m\ • ' >■■ ' No. 23. A baked clay tablet recording the sale of a house with its doors, bolts, ,&c., in the ;territory of E-gili- an-ki ("the temple of the-splendour of heaven and earth ") within Erech, by Ina-esi-edir to Erisi. The boundaries g 2 84 GUIDE TO THE KIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON. only, in this case, are stated, without the measurements. The contract ends with a statement of the penalty enforced in case either of the contracting parties, or their descend- ants, repudiated the contract. The names of five witnesses are given, followed by the date : " Erech, 20th day of Nisan, 20th year of Assur-J>ani-apli " (most likely 667 B.C., the date of his brother Sarnas-sum-ukin's death). Size 3J in. by 2£ in. No. 24. A small baked clay tablet recording a loan of silver by Ikisa-Marduk to Nabu-edir at interest, Ikisa- Marduk's security being a field belonging to Nabu-edir situated by the great gate of Bel. Dated at Babylon, the 27th day of Tammuz in the 14th year of Nabopolassar (611 B.C.). Size 2 in. by If in. No. 25. A small baked clay tablet, inscribed with an extract from a large document (perhaps a record of a sale of land), giving the names of the witnesses to the transac- tion and the date. The following is a translation of this document : — By 'the sealing of this tablet Before Sadnni, son of BSl-iddin, son of the shepherd of Saggil. Before Bel-iklsa, son of Kudur, son of Li'u-lSa. UbS, son of Kudur, son of Li'u-lSa. ; i-jamas-uballit, son of Bei-Sum-iSkun, son of Bel-6deru. Ederu, son of BSl-DA, son of Epes-ili. Na'id-Marduk, son of Sula, son of the „ and the scribe Suzubu, son of BS1-DA, son of EpeS-tli. Babylon, month Iyyar, 12th day, 10th year of Nabopolassar, king of Babylon. Nail-mark of SamaS-nasir as his seal. Nergal-e'dir', son of Ub£a, son of Li'u-lS. The above is the usual ending of the more important contract-tablets, marked with the seller's nail instead of his seal. The text appears -to be only a rough copy, made probably several yeats /after the contract to which it refers, and required only for the sake of the witnesses' names and the date. In the last line, which most likely contains the name of an additional witness, the scribe seems to have attached the vowel a to the wrong word, writing Ubea instead of simply Tlbe 4 , and Li'u-lS instead of Li'u-lea, the correct forms apparently being those given in the name of the father of Nabu-edir (the third witness). Date 615 B.C. Size 1 fin. by 2| in. GUIDE TO THE XIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON*. 85 No. 26. A small tablet of unbaked clay recording the payment of tithes to the temple of Istar at Sippara. The text is as follows : — Seven measures of the tithe of sesame, the tithe of Istar of Sipar, and kiskanu [currants ?] of the month Tammuz, [the holder of this tablet] has paid B8l-§dir the epissanu [agent ?]. Fourteenth day of the month Tammuz, accession-year of Nebuchad- nezzar, king of Babylon. [6C3 B.C. or, if the Pseudo-Nebuchadnezzar, 521 B.C.] Size If in. by If in. No. 27. Baked clay tablet recording a loan of silver from a master to his servant. The document runs as follows : — Fourteen manas and two-thirds and nine shekels of silver from Marduk-nasir-ablu, sen of Itti-Marduk-balatu, son of Egibi, to Nabft-aalu, servant of Marduk-nasir-ablu. It increases unto him one shekel of silver [upon each] mana every month. Witnesses : Nergal-gdir, son of Nabu-ah6-iddin, son of Egibi ; Nergal- usallim, son of Musezib-Maiduk, son of the blacksmith. Itti-Nabi-balatu, scribe, son of Marduk-sum-usur, son of the black- smith. Babylon, month Tisri, 16th day, 1st year of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon [604 B.C.]. It is, naturally, rare to find a man lending money at interest to his own servant. The size of the document is If in. by 2j in. Nos. 28 and 28a. Two small baked clay tablets, dupli- cates, recording a loan of silver. The following is a trans- lation of this text : — Three mana of Akkadian silver, two-thirds and a skekel and a half of pure silver from Kudurru son of I kisa to Sula, son of Nabu- kusu-ilani. From the first day of the month Adar the pure [silver] increases [=the interest is to be reckoned], and from the first day of the month Nisan the Akkadian silver. It increases unto him [at the rate of] one shekel upon [every] mana monthly. Witnesses : Sa-Nabt-Su, son of Kurgal-iddina ; Sapik-zeri, son of Zirtu ; and the scribe, Nabu-zera-uSe&ir, son of Sadunu. Pahirtu, second day of Adar, 4th year of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon [600 B.C.]. Size of the larger tablet, If in. by If in. No. 29. A small tablet of baked clay recording a loan of silver upon security. The following is a translation of this document : — 86 GUIDE TO THE MMItOUD CENTKAL SALOON. One mana of silver from Nabu-bani-ahg, son f T6 within Babylon. The measurements of the property are-giveh in two sections, and the boundaries are stated in each case, the total of the " first measurement " being 14 canes, and the "second measurement " 3 canes, 4 cubits, 17J fingers, making altogether 17 canes, 4 cubits, 17^ fingers. : Then is given a calculation of the price which the seller, Mar- duk-sapik-zeri, son of Marduk-zera-ibnt, son of the priest of Ninip, was to receive from the buyer, NaM-ahi-iddina,. son of Sula, son of Aku-ba-tila, namely 6§ mana and 2f shekels. The end of the document declares that if, in future time, any of the brothers, sons, and family of the priest of Ninip say that the house has not been sold, or the money not received, he shall pay a penalty of, apparently; twelve times the amount. It ends with the words-: " They have invoked at the same time the spirit of Nebo .and, Merodach, -their gods, and the spirit of Nebuchadnezzar, the king, their lord." The 'document is witnessed by nine people, and bears also the names of two Scribes. It is dated at Babylon, the 2nd day- of the month Ab, in the 26th year of Nebuchad- nezzar, king of Babylon (578 B.C.). On the upper and the lower edges are impressed the nail-marks of " Marduk-sapik-zeri; the' giver of the field, as his seal." On the left-hand edge is thrice impressed-a bearded and draped figure from the cylinder-seal- of Bel- edir, the scribe; and on the right-hand 'edge is twice impressed almost the whole of the subject on the cylinder of ;Itti-Marduk-balatu, representing a bearded and draped figure standing before a kind of .altar, on which are a dog and a two-pronged object like the representations on the GUIDE TO THK NIMEOUD CENTRAL SALOON*. 87 boundary-stones, auppoBed to represent the- -signs of the zodiac ; and seven lines of inscription. An original document. Size, 5^ in. by 3.£ in. ; thickness, If in. . No. 31. Baked clay tablet recording a loan from Iddin- Marduk to Musdzib-Marduk, to be paid bapk in the month. Sebat, the security being all the property, both in town and country, of Musezib-Marduk, it being stipulated that " no other owner should have power over it until Iddin- Marduk had received the money ; " and Mus&ib-Marduk swears by Bel and Nebo that he will not exceed the time agreed* The names of two witnesses and ;the scribe are given, followed by the date:, " Marcheswan, 16th day, 33rd year of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon" (571 B.C.), After the date' is the following additional, clause : " Bel- Mir-anni, his- wife . and his sons, are the security of Iddin- Marduk " — probably in addition to the, other property mentioned. Size 1|- in. by 2£ in. No. 32. A baked clay tablet recording an accusation against a freeman for causing the death of a , slave or servant belonging to another. The following is a free translation of this interesting document :— On the 5th day of Kislev, Sargina [Sargon], son of Ammanu, sent his representative to Pekod ancTaccused Idihi-ilu, son of Dina. Idihi-ilu sent to Sargina as follows : " Decide about thy servant who was killed — do not speak against me ; I will make up to thee the life of thy servant." If they prove it, one mana of silver, the price of his servant, Idihi-ilani * shall pay unto Sargina. If they do not prove it [he' is free]. Witnesses: Nazia, the' king's captain; Kurgal-iddin, son of ESmiit- lli ; Segu-su, son of Tala, governor of Opis ; and the scribe Nabu-ahfi-iddip, son of -Stila, son of Egibi. Opis, 7th day of the month Marehesw-an, 40th year pf Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon [564 B.C.]. The above seems to be simply a plea of guilty on the part of Idihi-ilu, and a request that, as he was willing to pay the value of the. man killed, the case might not be taken into court. Notwithstanding the plea of "guilty," it seems to have been needful with the Babylonians to. have independent evidence proving the case. A fracture in the tablet' has, broken away one word, 1 I'nus in the original, the scribe having written the plural Hani instead of the singular ilu. 88 GUIDE TO THE NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON. •which however may be easily restored as meaning "he is free, guiltless," or " there is no penalty." The size of the tablet is If in. by 2| in. No. 33. Baked clay tablet recording a loan of four mana of silver by Nadin-ahi to Sapik-zeri, upon condition that the latter allow the former to occupy his house. The conditions of this arrangement are that the house is given up for occupation to Nadin-ahi for three years rentless, the four mana of silver being lent without interest. Certain repairs are required and the house is to be given up to Sapik-zerl at the end of the time stipulated, he also returning to Nadin-ahi his four mana of silver. Nadin- ahj is allowed to take away some part — probably the fastenings — of the doors placed by him. The names of four witnesses are given, including the scribe ; followed by the date : " Babylon, month Ab, 4th day, 2nd year of Amil-Marduk(Evil-Merodach),king of Babylon" (560 b.c). Size 2 in. by 2£ in. No. 34. An unbaked clay tablet from Sippara, being a receipt for a sum of money paid by Busasa to Kunnubatu" 1 . The following is a translation of the document : — .... shekels of silver, oneowof corn, Kunnubatu™, daughter of Ikisa, has reeieved from the hands of Busasa the nurse. Month Sivan, 26th day, 2nd year of Aniil-Marduk [Evil-Merodach], king of Babylon. The date of the document corresponds with 560 B.C. Size 2 in. by If in. No. 35. A small tablet of baked clay recording the transfer of a mortgage granted by Ikisa to Nabu-abla- iddin in the first place, to a man named Nabu-ah<3-iddin. The following is a free translation of the document : — 42J shekels of silver from Ikisa, son of Gilfla, son of Sin-sadunu, which [was given] to Nabu-abla-iddin, son of Balatu, son of the Sabinasisa, as the price of the house of Nabu-abla-iddin, which was given for a palace for the money, as a possession. * Ikisa, son of Gilfla, son of Sin-Sadnu has received J [of a mana], 6 J shekels of silver by the hands of Nabu-ahS-iddin, son of Sula, son of Egibi, and has given to Nabfl-ahS-iddin the contract [or receipt] for 42J shekels of silver which [he had advanced] to Nabu-abla-iddin. Here follow the names of three witnesses and the scribe. The date is: " Ninth day of Ve-adar, accession year of Neriglissar, king of Babylon." (560 b.c.) GUIDE TO THE NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON. 89 Judging from the wording of the whole, the house was prohably not sold by Nabu-abla-iddin to Ikisa, but only niortgaged to him, he however taking possession of the house, and living there. Ikisa wishing, seemingly, to realise some of the money he had advanced, transfers the mortgage to Nabu-ahe-iddin for £ (of a mana), 6£ shekels of silver (26£ shekels)— 15£ shekels less than he had advanced upon the proporty in the first instance. Size 1 J in. by 2\ in. No. 36. Tablet of baked clay referring to the sale, by a woman named Belilitu m , of her servant Bazuzu for half a mana and five shekels ( = 35 shekels) of silver, to NaM-ahe!- iddin. The document also contains statements to the effect that there is no claim of any kind on the slave, and that Etillu, son of Belilitu m , also waives all claim. The document is attested by three witnesses besides the scribe, and is dated at Babylon, the third day of Ab, in the first year of Neriglissar (559 B.C.). Size 1J in. by 2£ in. (Compare No. 39 below.) No. 37. A tablet of baked clay referring to a, loan of silver made by the king's son ^probably Laborosoarchod) through Nabu-sabit-kata, to Sum-ukin. The text is as follows : — Twelve mana of silver from the king's son, by the hands of Nabu-sabit- kata, chief of the house of the king's son, to Sum-ukin, son of Musallim-ilu. In Kisan he shall pay the money, 12 mana, in its full amount. Everything of his, in town and country, all there is, is the security of the king's sou. Another owner shall not have power over it until Nabu-sabit-kata receives the money. Nabu-ahS-iddin, son of Sula, son of Egibi, waives the right of holding the money. Witnesses : Samas-iddin, son of Ikisa ; ICalba, son of B6l-Sres ; the scribe, B31-ah6-ikisa, son of B51-§dir. Babylon, month Elul, 10th day, 2nd year of Keriglissar, king of Babylon [558 B.C."]. Size 1| in. by 1J in. No. 38. A small mutilated tablet, referring apparently to the . repayment of a loan of half a mana of silver upon the security of three slaves, granted by Iddin-Marduk to Daan-sum-iddin, son of Zeria, BSmut, son of Marduk- iriba, and another. Dated the 14th day of Iyyar in the accession-year of Labasi-Marduk, king of Babylon (May, 556 B.C.). Tablets of this king (who was the son of 90 GDIDE TO THE NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON. Neriglissaiv and is the same as the Greek! Laborosbarchod) are rare. He was assassinated after having reigned only nine months. ' No. 39. A baked clay tablet recording the summons of Nabu-ahS-iddin by Belilitu m for non-payment of half a mana and five shekels of silver, the -price of the slave Bazuzu, whom she had sold to him in the month Ab of the first year of Neriglissar (see No. 36). NaM-ahg-iddin was brought before the judge, and made an affirmation stating that he had made the contract, but that the money was paid. ! The judges then questioned ZSiia, Nabu-sttm'-usiur, and Etillu, sons of Belilitu, who seem to have withheld the money of their mother, regarding it apparently as their ■ own by fight of inheritance. They- stated their case before the judges, who then deliberated, arid decided the case against Belilitu. The names of six judges and one scribe'are given, followed by the date "Babylon, 12th day of Sebat, accession year of Nabonidus, king of Baby- lon " (556 b.c). Size 2£ in. by 3| in. The edges are im- pressed with the cylinder-seals of the various judges and the scribe. ; • No. '40. Small tablet of baked dlay referring to a right of way. The following is a translation of this interesting text : — Marduk-iriba, son of RSmut, son of Misiraa [" the Egyptian "], and Kalki, son of Balatu, son of the Chaldean, in their going forth, shall go forth over the brook ; they have no power over the exit of the wall of the house of Nabu-ihS-iddin, son of §ula, son of figibi ; the exit of the wall of the house of Nabu-ahg-iddin belongs to Nabtt-ahS-iddin. Here' follow the names of five witnesses, including the scribe. • The date is "Babylon, month Ve-adar, 34th day, 1st year of Nabonidus, king of Babylon" (555 B.C.). Size 1# in. by 11 in. L ~s - No. -41. A small tablet of unbaked clay from Sippara of the sun-god, referring to a gift of Cloth to the temple. The text is as follows : — One talent [talent's -worth] of cloth fqr the dress of the month Nisan [the time when the great Babylonian new year's festival was held] of the 5th year, rthe lamutanu of Nabu-bel-zikre the weaver, in the presence of '§apik-zcrij.son of Samas-ahe-iddin, has given to Nabu-nasir, Sukfia, and GUIDE TO THE NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON. 91' Nabu-ufenia. 22nd-day of Tebet, 4th"year of Nabonidus,-Kiug of Babylon [551 B.C.]. Apparently Nabu-nasir, Sukfia, and NaM-ubnia were the receivers of freewill offerings on the occasion of the various festivals held at Sippara. < : r ' No. 42. A small tablet of unbaked clay from Sippara of the sun-god, referring to the new year's festival of the tenth year of Nabonidus. The contents are interesting : — ■ Qne.sheketajid a quarter of silver for tbe hire of a boat for three oxen and twenty-four sheep, the sacrifices of the king's son, which havefrgone in Nisan for-Samas' a»d the gods of Sipar. . In the presence of Bel-garra-bullit, the king has given provisions to §amas^iddin and Dannu-Rammanu — one measure of field-produce for their food he has given. Ninth day of Nisanj tenth year of Nabonidus, king of Babylop [545 B.C.]. t Size 1J in. by If in. ( . This interesting text gives some idea of the lavish gifts and expenditure at festive times in Babylonia. The " king's son. " mentioned above is probably Belshazzar. He seems to have been more liberal in his gifts than his father. This inscription confirms the statement of the annals of Nabonidus' reign, in which it is' stated that the king's son was in Akkad (the district around Sippara), close to which was a city which also bore the same name. The liberality of the king's son probably arose from the fact that he resided -permanently near the city of the eun-god. The size of the tablet is 1 T 3 ^ in. by If in. No. 43. A large and very beautiful tablet of baked jclay, bearing a contract for the sale of a large field and plantar tion of palm-trees situated below the river- Banitu,- before the great gate of Zagaga, in the province of Babylon. The usual two -measurements and estimate' of the price are given, and the -whole sum, 19 mana 17f shekels of silver, Kapti-ilani-Marduk is recorded to have paid to Nabu-sum- usur, the seller of the field, with, 14j- mana of s^ver for the transfer, making in all 2(% mana -7f shekels (that is: 20 mana 37f shekels). The usual declaration con- cerning cthe , repudiation of the contract by the men, ,their r relations or descendants, follow. -. The names of ten witnesses are given, four of them being scribes, and then 02 GUIDE TO THE NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON. comes the date : " Babylon, 24th of Tisri, third year of Nabonidus, king of Babylon" (552 B.C.). Each of the scribes has impressed his cylinder- seal on the side edges, and the seller of the field, Nabu-sum-usur, has impressed his nail-mark thrice in each corner of the upper and lower edges " like his seal." The writing of this text is remark- ably good, and the whole is in an excellent state of preservation. The size is 4£ in. by 2f in. Nos. 44, 45, 46, and 46a. A series of four tablets, two being duplicates, referring to the affairs of Bin-Addu- natan and his family for a space of rather more than seven years. The first tablet in chronological order, which is dated in the second year of Nabonidus, refers to the buying of a house in Borsippa by Bin-Addu-natan (apparently a foreigner) and Bunanitu, his wife (a Babylonian lady), of Daan-sum-iddin for ll£ manas of silver. Neither Bin- Addu-natan nor Bunanitu seem to have been present when the contract was made, and the transaction was therefore completed by their representative, a man named Iba, who paid the money and took possession of the property in their name, authority having duly been given to him, ac- cording to Babylonian law, to do so. The document bears the names of six witnesses, two of whom are scribes, and have impressed their seals on the document. The date is as follows : — Babylon, 24th day of Sebat, second year of Nabonidus, king of Babylon [553 B.c.]. The next document is an ordinary loan-tablet, record- ing that Iddin-Marduk had lent the sum of 2£ manas 8^ shekels to Bin-Addu-natan and Bunanitu, at the rate of one shekel interest on each mana (rather more than l£ per cent.) to pay for the house which had been sold to Iba. The names of three witnesses are given (including the scribe), then follows the date : " Borsippa, 3rd day of Iyyar, fifth year of Nabonidus, king of Babylon " (550 B.C.). The other two documents are duplicates, each complet- ing the wanting parts of the other. It seems that Bin- Addu-natan had in the meantime died, and his brother laid claim to his property. The case came before the judges of Nabonidus, to whom the widow Bunanitu made the following declaration : — GUIDE TO THE NIMEOUD CENTRAL SALOON. 93 Bin-Addu-natan, son of Nikbata', had me to wife, taking three mana of silver as dowry ; and I bore him one daughter. I and Bin-Addu-natan, my husband, traded with the money of my dowry, and we bought for 9§ mana cf silver, with 2£ mana of silver which [was borrowed] from Iddin- Marduk, son of Ikisa, son of Nfir-Sin, [and which] we added to the sum, 8 canes of land, and a ruined house, the territory of a large property, which is within Borsippa. Together we made this transaction in the fourth year of Nabonidus, king of Babylon. Now roy dowry [was] with Bin-Addu-natan, my husband. I asked [for it], and Bin-Addu-natan, in the kindness of his heart, sealed, and bequeathed to me for future days, the 8 canes of land, and that house which is within Borsippa, and made it known on my tablet as follows : " 2^ mana of silver, which Bin-Addu-natan and Bunanit have taken from Iddin-Marduk, and have given as the price of that house ; together they have made the agreement." He sealed this tablet, and wrote upon it the curse of the great gods. In the fifth year of Nabonidus, king of Babylon, I and Bin-Addu-natan, my husband, took Bin-Addu-amara to sonship, and wrote a tablet of his sonship, and made known that the dowry of my daughter NubtS was 2 mana 10 shekels of silver and the furniture of a house. Fate took my husband, and on account of this, Afcabi-ilu, son of my father-in-law, laid xlaim upon the house and everything which he had sealed and bequeathed to me, and upon Nabfi-nur-ili, whom we had bought, by the hands ofNabfl- ahS-iddin, for money. I have brought it before you— -make a decision. After a consideration of the matter, it is recorded that the judges decided in favour of Bunanitu, who with her daughter and her future son-in-law (Bin-Addu-amara), were to have the property between them. Iddin-Marduk is paid the money which he had lent, and the slave Nabu- nur-ili is given, with a dowry of 3£ mana, to Nubta., daughter of Bunanitu™. The names of the six judges and two scribes are given, and then the date: "Babylon, 26th day Elul, ninth year of Nabonidus, king of Babylon (546 B.C.). For the text, translation, and commentary upon the whole, see an article by T. G. Pinches in the Transactions of the Society of Biblical Archaeology, vol. viii., part 2. The size of No. 43 is 2f in. by 3£ in. ; the size of No. 44 is 1\ in. by If in; and that of Nos. 45 and 45a 3^ in. by 4| in., and 2f in. by 4| in. respectively. No.- 47. Baked clay tablet recording the sale of three slaves, as follows : — Daan-ium-iddin, son of Nergnl-zer-ibni, in cheerfulness of heart, has sold ftmmu-ana-ali, Gudaditi, and Ki'indu, in all three, his slaves, for three mana of silver, for the price complete, to Iddin-Marduk, son of Iktsa, son of Nur-Sin. 94 GUIDE TO THE NIJIROUD CENTRAL SALOON. Here comes a clause, the translation of which is doubtful, but which seems to indicate that two mana and five shekels of the sum above-named was to be paid for a sheep as an offering to Bel, due from Daan-ium-iddin to . DS,an-iki[saJ, director of the live-stock of Bel at fisagila. The document then continues : — '■ ■ Eight of defeasor [and] pre-emptor over Umrau-ans-Mi,- Gudaditi and Ei'indu there is not — Daan-sum-iddin waives [it]. Here follow the names of five witnesses (including that of the scribe) and the date : "Babylon, 13th day of Sebat, seventh year of Nabonidus, king of Babylon " (548 B.C.). Size 1£ in. by 2\ in. No. 48. Baked clay -tablet recording certain transac- tions connected with the dowry, consisting of two gur of standing corn, five slaves; and the furniture of a house, promised by NaM-ahe-iddin, with his daughter Kibi'tu m - kiiat, to Dummuku. The fulfilment of this promise appa- rently falls upon Itti-Marduk-balatu and a woman named Kudasu, who on the 1st of Iyyar, in the, 14th year of Nabonidus, deliyeT up the property in question. Dated at Babylon s ;cn the- 1st day of Iyyar, in the 14th year of Nabonidus, king of .Babylon (541 B.C.). Size 2£ in. by 3| in. No. 49. A tablet of baked clay referring to the confer r ment of the privilege of " born-sonship " on a slave, r and the gift of the slave to .others on account of not being able to fulfil the promise to board and lodge the. slave contained in the; eontract of born-sonship., . The $ext reads as follows : — . , Ikisa, son of Kudurru, son of Nur-Sin, sealed the tablet of the born-son- ship'df KSmanni-BSl, his slave, whose name is called Egmfit, to give him food and; clothing; After he had sealed the tablet of the born-sonship of Remanni-Bel, whose name is called Remut, he sent him, away, and did not give him food, oil, and clothing. E-sagila-ramat, daughter of Zsria son of Nabaa, wife of Iddina-Marduk, son of Ikisa son of Nur-Sin, reverenced him, honoured him, and [sheltered him, and gave him] food, oil; and clothing. Ikisa, son of Kudurru son of Nur-Sin, in the kindness of -his heart, annulled the tablet of the born-sonship of Remanni-Bel, and, sealed and. bequeathed him to E-sagila-ramat and Nubta her daughter, daughter of Iddina-Marduk spiTof Nur-Sin. He shall reverence E-sagila-ramat and Nubta her cfatigh't'er. Afterwards E-sagila-ramat shall bequeath him to Nubta her daughter'. Whoever changes these words, and destroys the GUIDE TO THE NIMEOUD CENTRAL SALMON. 95 contract which IkiSa has made and given to E-sagila-ranjat; »u4 Nubti her daughter ; may Merodach and Zir-panitu to command his destruction. . Here follow the names of five witnesses, including the scrib^ followed; by; the date: "Babylon, 9th« day of Iyyar, thirteenth year of Nabonidus, king of Babylon" (542 B.C.). On the left-hand edge is an additional line of writing : — By the guarantee of Bissa, daughter of Ikisa son of Nur-Sin. As will be. seen from. 'the above, Ikisa, being unable to support his slave, who was probably very old, had turned him adrift. The slave had thereupon gone to the house of his old master's son, whose wife took pity on him, and got her father-in-law to transfer him to herself, - she and Her daughter engaging to keep him— Bissa, daughter of Ikisa, engaging herself to see that everything was duly carried out. It is a picture of Babylonian life during the sixth century before Christ. ' No. 50. A small tablet of unbaked clay from- Sippara, referring seemingly to certain gifts to the temple of the moon-goddess at Sippara. The text reads as follows :— Half a mana of purple cloth for the tunic of, the d/ess of Aa to. Xabft- nasir-abli and Bakua, his servant, he has given. A third of a shekel of gdbu stone, from Egypt, to Bakua he has given. Month Nisan, 5th day, fourteenth year of Nabonidus, king of Babylon. 1 The name of the giver is not stated, but it may be supposed, that the;: possession, of the tablet recording the receipt ;of the above-named . articles was sufficient. Aa was the. name of the moon as consort of Samas the. sun-god (see p. 62). Date 541 b.o. Size of tablet If in. by If in. No. 51. A small tablet of unbaked clay from .Sippara, referring to the , sale ... of an ox. The following is , the translation of ,this./text : — He 2 has given 15 shekels of silver for one full-grown ox to Bel-aha- usur the Akkadian. The ox is iniBJt^rft [Jhe.ljpuse of foals], in the keeping of Zer-ukin. Month Tebet, 20th day, fifteenth ^ear of Nabonidus, king of.B.ibylon. 1 For a copy of the text, transcription, and philological notes, see the Zeltschrift fur Keilschriftforschmg, vol. ii.j pp. 326-327 (Leipzig, 1885), 1 I.e. the holder of this tablet or receipt. 96 GUIDE TO THE NIMKOUD CENTRAL SALOON. The date of the text is therefore 540 B.C. Size of tablet li in. by 1^ No. 52. A tablet of unbaked clay inscribed with a list of amounts of edible fruits due, apparently as taxes, from the Kaldu or Chaldeans in the month Ab of the sixteenth year of $ Nabonidus, king of Babylon. The names of nine people are given, one of whom, however, has to pay three amounts, and another two. The amounts vary from two to eighteen gur, and at the end is a summation : " alto- gether 112 gur of fruit." The size of the tablet is 3 in. by 2\ in. Date 539 b.c. From Abu-habbah (Sippara). No. 53. A small tablet of baked clay recording the sale of a slave. The following is a translation of this docu- ment : — Nabu-usallim, son of Kinaa, son of Da-Marduk, in the joy of his heart, has sold BSl-snpS-muJjur, his servant, for two-thirds of a mana and eight shekels (forty-eight shekels) of silver, for the price decided, to Itti-BSl balatu, son of Nabu-epis-zSri, son of B61-ederu. Right of defeasor, pre^ emptor, ro3 r al servant, or born-sonship over Bel-supS-muhur there is not : Nabu-usallim waives [all claim]. Here follow the names of four witnesses, and then the date : — City of the house of the king of Babylon, 21st day of Ab, seventeenth year of Nabonidus, king of Babylon [538 B.C.]. The " right of pre-emptor " was one by which, if the seller thought fit, he might at any time have the) slave back, by refunding the money paid. x The " right of royal servant " seems to have been one by which the slave could be claimed by, or on behalf of, the king. The " right of born-sonship " was, that a slave had certain privileges conferred on him, as if he had been born in the house of his master. This tablet, belonging to the last year of Nabonidus, is interesting from that fact. The month Ab (July-August) was the fifth month of the Babylonian year, and more than a month before the date of the above (namely, the 16th of Tammuz), Go- bryas, at the head of Cyrus's army, had entered Babylon. Though it was not until Marcheswan (October) of this 1 Sec page 106. GUIDE TO THE N1MR0UP CENTRAL SALOON. 97 year that Cyrus entered Babylon, it is clear that at the time the above tablet was drawn up Nabonidus wasiking only in name, and had withdrawn to the "city of the house of the king of Babylon," probably a small, town which had arisen around the royal residence, Size 2J in. by If in. ,!., No. 54. A small tablet of unbaked clay from Sippara, referring to workmen's rations. The text ' reads ' as follows: — , ;' ; ' One gur of wheat as food for the men doing the wort of the canal- overseer has been given to Nadin the chief man : 24th day of Marcheswan, accession-year of Cyrus, king of countries. The date is equivalent to October, 538 B.C. — the month and year in which Cyrus entered Babylon. Size .1^ in. hyl^in. " •"!■'•■ No. 55. Baked clay tablet referring to a loan made according to a former agreement. The following is a translation: — '•">■■ '< '"''■■ Two-thirds of a mana and three shekels [= forty-three shekels] of silver from Bel-iddiD, son of Gimillu, son of Didi, unto Itti-Marduk-balatu, son of Nabu-ahg-iddin, son of Egibi. It shall increase unto him at the rate of one shekel a month upon every mana until [the interest amount to] tes.> shekels of silver ; which is according to the letter which Itti-Marduk-- balatu wrote, thus : "It is changed to the house of BSl-iddin," ' il' i ! ■•.; --iU !« . .. Here follow the names of three witnesses (including- the scribe), and afterwards the date : " Tahbakka, , 16th_ day of Adar, first year of Cyrus, king of, countries,"' February, 537 B.C.). Size If in. by 2| in." „ ', .'■ M O :■< No. 56. A small baked clay tablet inscribed, with, ,the following memorandum : — . 395,000 busu. Month Sivan, 24th day, second year of Cyrus, king of Babylon, king of countries [the beginning of June, 536 B.C.]. ■ ■ The meaning of the word busu is doubtful, but it was,, probably, some kind of field-produce. The- size of the tablet is 1 in. by 1 T \ in. 1 Meaning, probably, that he favoured the house of BSl-iddin so far as not to exact an interest of more than ten shekels— about 16J per cent, per annum. H 98 guide TO THE nimroud central saloon. No; 57. Tablet of baked clay referring to the appreir- ticeship of a slave by bis mistress. This document rans as follows : — Nubtaj daughter oflddin-Marduk, son of Nflr-Sin, has given Attan-ana- ■Mardtfk, slave of Itti-Marduk-baUltn, son of Naba-ahS-iddin, son of figibi, to BCl-edir, son of Bel-6deru, as an isparutu for fire years. He shall teach him all the trade of isparutu. According to the tablets Nubta shall give to A ttau-aua-Marduk ' one measure of food and necessaries daily. [If Bi;l- 8dir]„do not teach him the trade of iSparutu, he shall give a half [measure] of corn a day as his fine, [and] he who contests shall pay two-thirds of a niana of silver. Witnesses : Nabu-6iu-8dir, son of BSl-kasir, son of Babutu; Nabu-sarra-usur, son of Kina ; Iddin-Marduk, son of ikisa. Scribe : Dununuka, son of BSl-ahe-iddin, son of Egibi. Babylon, 20th day of Tisri, third year of Cyrns, king of Babylon, king of countries. What the trade of isparutu was is very uncertain— pro- bably j that of a weaver. The date here given is equivalent to September, 535 B.C. No. 58., A small baked clay tablet recording the repay- ment of a loan. The text is as follows : — One shekel of silver, which Sukaa, son of Ina-fime-Bel, had lent to Nabft- ittanu, son of Kina over the river, Sukaa has received by the hands of Mardukr-rSmanni. Witnesses : Zfirta, son of Ginna, son of the Chaldean, [and] Nidintu, son of . . '. , . son of Li'u-L8. Babylon, month Adar, second day, third year of Kurrag (Gyrus), king of Babylon, king of countries. Thfr third year of Cyrus is equivalent to 535 B.C. The sizerof the tablet is 1 in. by If in. No. 59. A small unbaked clay tablet bearing an order from the priests of the sun-god at Sjppara to give straw for the use of certain officials, seemingly the directors of an important undertaking, namely, the digging of a new -canal. The text is as follows : — • Letter from the priests to Mur-Spus our brother. May the gods speak peace to thee. Give one pi of straw to Arad-Mur for the men of the council of those who are digging the canal. , ; 24th day of Kislev, fifth year of Cyrus, king of Babylon, king of coun- tries (S3S-B.C.). On the blank space of the reverse are impressions, seemingly from two cylinder-seals, representing- a eunuch- priest and a bearded figure with the left arm raised — apparently the seals of the people who issued the order. Size 1^ in. by 1£ in. GUIDE TO THE NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON. 99 No. 60. A small tablet of unbaked' clay inscribed with an order similar to the above, and referring to the same undertaking : — Letter from Skpik'-zeVito'lffur-lpus' my brother. May the gods speak peace to thee. Give a measure of straw to the men' who [are makie'gj the excavation of the canal. . .th day of Kislev, fifth year of Cyrus, king of Babylon, king of countries (533 B.O.). Two faint impressions of a cylinder-seal- are to be seen at the end. Each represents apparently the same thing— - the bead of a eunuch-priest; Size 1£ in. by l£ in. No. 61. A large contract-tablet of baked clay recording the sale of some landed property situated in the district called §u-anna within -Babylon. A double measurement of the ground is given,: with .the names of the owners of all the surrounding property. The area of the whole, amountecL io-6 canes 6 ■eiibits and-4&^ragers,untM;he priee- paid , to Suzubu, the , seller, ; by Itti-Marduk-bala'tuj the buyer, amounted to 8 mana and 57 shekels of silver. The usual warnings against any who should attempt to deny the sale of the field follow. The names of ten witnesses, including the scribe, are given, followed by the date : " Babylon, 13th day of Marcheswan, sixth year of Cyrus, king of Babylon and king 1 of countries" (J>32'b.c,). On the upper and lower edges ' are the nail-marks of Suzubu, the seller of the field j and on the right and left hand edges the impression, given six times in all, of the cylinder-seal of Lipuru the scribe. The subject is a eunuch-priest, in the .dress of .the period^ in an attitude of worship, with the crescent moon and winged disc above. Size 4 in. by 2 1£ in. The text is lithographed inthe fifth vol. of the Ckmeiform Inscriptions af Western Asiar, pi. 68, No. 2. No. 62. A tablet of baked clay recording that NaM- abla-iddin has bequeathed to his father, Samas-abla-usur, the property left to him by his maternal grandparen'ts, consisting of a field, house, and slaves ; Nabti-abla-iddin to enjoy, however, the use of the property whilst he lives — this arrangement being in accordance with the will, of his grandparents, though it is diffiqult to see the reason, as it is only natural to suppose that Samas-abla-usur, father of NaM-abla-iddin, would die first. The tablet recording h 2 100 GUIDE TO THE NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON. the above seems, however, notto be the original., and the scribe has either tampered with the text in writing it out, or had to make use of a defective original. The following is a translation of the text, retaining all the redundant expressions of theoriginal : — Nabu-abla-iddin, son of Samas-abla-usur, son of the priest of Samas, in the joy of his heart, his property, as much as there is, which Nabu- balat-su-ikbi, son of Nurea, son of the priest of Samas, his mother's father, and kaptia, mother of Assatu-Beltu, Nabu-abla-iddin's mother's mother, had sealed and bequeathed to [Assatu-Beltu, mother of] Nabu-abla-iddin, their daughter — Nabu-abla-iddin, according to the tablet [by] which Nabu- balat-su-ikbi, his mother's father, and Kaptia, his mother's mother, had sealed and bequeathed the field, house, and slaves to [Assatu-Beltu, mother of] Nabu-abla-iddin, their daughter, Nabu-abla-iddin has sealed and be- queathed [the same] to Samas-abla-usur, son of Samas-ina-Ssi-edir, son of the priest of Samas, his father, for future days. As long as Nabu-abla- iddin lives, the fields-house, slaves, and his property, as much as there is, [belongs] to Nabfl-abla-iddin according to his tablet. 2 Whoever denies this bequest, may .Ann, Bel, or Ae, curse with his cur6« of bitterness, and Nebo, the scribe of E-sagila, restrict as to his latter days. By the sealing of the tablet of names. Before Sula, son of Bania, son of fipes-ili ; Bel-iddin, son of Bgl-nasir, son of the priest of Meme ; Nabu-Sum-ukra, son of Sula, son of Sigua ; Nab'fl-naser, son of Zeria, son of Sume ; BSl-iddih, son of Nabu-abla-iddin, son of the priest of Meme ; Bel-sum-ussir, son of Nabu-Sum-iskun, son of the _. . . ; and the scribe, Samas-z5r-ibassi, son of Zariku-zer, son of the Chaldean. Babylon, 21st day of Sebat, seventh year of Cyrus, king of Babylon, [and] king of couatries. The date of this interesting document is therefore January, 531 B.C. The size is 2f in. by 2^ in. 1 Omitted on the tablet. 2 The first clause is superfluous. The whole transaction may be given as follows : Nabu-abla-iddin, son of §amaB-abla-usur (according to, the tablet by which Nabfi-balat-su-ikbi, his mother's father, and Kaptia, his mother's mother, bequeathed a field, house, and slaves, to Assatu-Beltu, their daughter, mother of Nabu-abla-iddin) has sealed and bequeathed the field, house, and slaves, to Samas-abla-usur, his father, husband of Assatu- Beltu, for future days — but as long as Nabu-abla-iddin lives, his field, house, slaves, and property [belongs! to Nabfl-abla-iddin, according to his tablet. GUIDE TO THE NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON. 101 No. 63. A small tablet of baked clay recording a loan for the purpose of paying the interest upon the price of a field: — Two mana of silver, interest on. the price of the field at the mouth of the old canal of Cuthah, from SamaS-ablu-usur, son of Samas-ina-esi-edir, son of the priest'^of the sun-god, unto Itti-Marduk-bal&tu, son of Nabu-ahS- iddin, son of Egibi. He shall repay the money in the' month Kislev. The money, the interest on the price of the field, he shall return by instal- ments. Here follow the names of four witnesses, including the scribe, and the date : " 20th day of Marcheswan (October) eighth year of Cyrus, king of Babylon, king of countries ' (530 b.c). * . The statement in the above contract as to the repayment of the money refers- only to the first instalment (see the next). As Kislev -was the month next following Marche- swan, it is probably that the repayments were monthly. ' The size of the tablet is If in., by 2\ in. No. 64. A small tablet of baked clay referring to the fayment of the first instalment of the loan granted by amas-ablu-usur to Itti-Marduk-bal&tu (compare the fore- going text) : — Half a mana of silver from the loan of two mana of silver, the interest on the price of the field at the mouth, of the. old Cuthah canal, which he returns by instalments, Samas-ablu-usur, son of Samas-ina-esi-edir, son of the priest of the sun-god, has received from the hands of Itti-Marduk- bal&tu, son of Nabu-ahe-iddin, son of Egibi. The names of four witnesses, including that of the scribe, are here given, followed by the date : "11th day of Kislev, eighth year qf Cyrus, king of Babylon, king of countries" (530 B.C.). The two texts here translated have very important variants in the names, and confirm the reading of the Babylonian (or Assyrian) form of the city-name Cuthah. The size of the text here translated is \% in. by l$in. No. 65. A finely written tablet of baked clay referring to the redemption by exchange of a mortgaged field by E- eagila-belit, a Babylonian lady. The following is a trans- lation of this text : — The field which is before the great gate of Zagaga, in the province of Babylon, which is out of the property of Nabd-garib, son of Tabnea, son of 102 GUIDE TO THE NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON. Aha-boui, which the judges by tablet have ascribed,to £-sagila-belit, and 1 given [in trust] to Nabti-garib, and , made that field over as security, to Nabu-ntirri, servant of Itti-Mardiik-balatu. Afterwards E-sagila-helit, daughter of Iddina-ahg son^pf Epes-ili, said thus to Itti-Marduk-balatu, son of Nahu-ahS-iddin son of Egibi: "My field, which, thou, hast taken from the hands of Nabu-garib as security; give me' as a gift, and let me give to thee the principal field, and let me bequeath' ihstt field unto, thee." Itti-j Mardnk-balatu gave [also] ten shekels of silver as a gift to E-sagila-belit. E-sagila-belit gave the principal field to Itti-Marduk-balatu, and left that field unto him irrevocably. E-s>grla-belit wrote a deed' of gift, and gave! it to Itti-Marduk-balatu. Before Bel-udammik, son of Bel-ahe-iddin son of Kgibi ; Bel-iddin, son of Nabu-ukin-zeri son of Balatu; Labasi, son of Hergal-zSr-e'pus' son of Dabibu ; Lipuru the ' scribe, son of NabunnC-a. Babylon, twenty-seeonddayoflyyar, ninth' y ear -tff Gyrus, kin'g of Babylon; king of countries. It is impossible to say under what oircunistancesi the property mentioned in the above/ contract, 'came to be; regarded as part of the property of " Nabfi-garib, as we have not all the documents re'ferrriSg to the matter. Apparently trustees in Babylonia had unlimited power- over the property with which they were intrusted— unless it really be a case of double mortgage,, &sagila-belit having mortgaged the property to Nabfi-garib, and he- again to Itti-Mardnk-bala^ji. The lady whose property it really was got it back by giving Ttti-Marduk-balatu a, larger field ; he, on his side, making up the full value of the larger field by giving her ten-shekels of silver in .addition. The date is May, '529 'i.e.— probably only a ghort time before the abdication of the throne of Babylon by Cyrus in favour of his son Cambyses. -Size of the tablet If in. by 2£ in. . ,..-•-.. No.. 66. A baked clay tablet referring to a loan of 12 J mana of silver granted by Iddrn-Marduk; tp Kidin-Mardilk and Nabfl-muietik-urri, two brothers', the interest being one shekel upon each mana monthly. The moneyi with its interest, was to be repaid at the end. of seven months, the security being the property of the "borrowers. The witnesses are three in number, including the scribe. The data of this - document is valuable in showing that Cam- byses ;was associated in the government with- Cyrus, during the last years of the reign of the latter. It is. given as follows : — ; .*•' Babylon, 25th day of Kislev, first year of Cambyses, king of Babylon ; at that time also Cyrus his father, kiDg of countries.. . • . •' GUIDE TO THE NIMEOUD CENTRAL SALOON* 103 The date of this document is therefore about 629 b,c. Size 1£ in. by 2£ in. ': • No. 67, A small tablet of baked clay, referring, to the sale of a female slave by Kassa, a Babylonian lady, to Iddin-Marduk. The text reads as follows : — ' ' Kassa, daughter of Naba-sum-iSkan, sou of the Mandidi, has «heerfn)iy sold Kapta, her servant, for one mana of silver, for the net price, to lddin- Marduk, son of Ikisa, son of Nur-Sin. Kassa waives [all] right of defensor, pre-emptor, royal maid-servant, and born-childship. ..The property [is] the possession of Iddin-Marduk, whieU [formerly Belonged] to Mardnklriba, husband of Kassa. . r .'.■■■ ' ."I!: i Here follow the names of 'four witnesses, and jflief date : "21st day of Sebat, accession-year of Qambyses,.k : ingof Babylon and king of countries." At the end are the words ; " The money, one mana, the price of Kaptaj. Kassa has received from the hands of Iddin-Mardiik." Size l| in. by 2f in, .' ;.,' ' § ■ No. 68. An unbaked clay tablet from Sippara of the sun-god, apparently referring to tithes : — One hundred and si/tfy-two measures [is the amount] of the jield of field- produce of the later and the earlier reapings. As the dueofthirn'onthTisri, he has paid to §ama£-irib& the amount of one measure. Tisri, 22nd (?) day,, first year of Cambyses, king of Babylon,, king of countries [528 S.C.J- Size of the tablet If in, by 2 T \ in. .' J ." ' No. 69. A small tablet of baked clay recording the payment of a sum of money : — Two mana of silver which [has been paid] unto Kalba in the.jfteBence of Sukaa [and] Nabu-lusalinv the' 25th day of Elul, second year, of CJambyses:, [andj which he has received from the hands of Nabu-aalu. .' The date : is equivalent to 527 b.c. The document is of unusual form, and, probably for that reason, bears 1 the im- pression of, the signet-seal of the receiver of the 1 money, which is engraved with the representation of a 'bearded figure adoring certain emblems. The size of the tablet is 1 in. by If in. ,.'•"' No. 70. A baked clay tablet referring to the dowry of Amat-Nana, daughter of Itti-Marduk-balatu, descendant of Nur-Sin. The text of this document is as follows :— 104 GUIDE TO THE HIMKOUD CENTRAL SALOON. Itti-Marduk-balatu, son of BSl-ahS-iddin, son of Nur-Sin, in the joy of his heart, has given ten mana of silver, and the female slaves Banitum- utSr-aha, Sar-Bani turn- tabu, Banitum-silmi, and'B5ltu-silmu : — in all four slavcs,"and the furniture of a house, as a dowry, with Amat-Nana, his daughter, to- Marduk-ium-ibni, son of Bel-uSallim, son of EpeWlu. Witnesses : Aa, son of BSl-iddin son of Epes-ilu ; Marduk-sum-iddin, son of Kaptea son of Gahal ; Itti-Marduk-balatu, son of Nabu-ahe-bullit son of Epes-ilu; NabQ-8dir-nap§&ti, son of Nabu-SljS-bullit son of EpeS-ilu ; Ner- gal-usezib, son pf Nabu-ahe-bullit son of Epes-ilu ; and Samas-sum-ukin, the scribe, son of Ukin-Marduk son of Sigua. [Babylon], 13th day of Marcheswan, third year of [Camby]ses, king of Babylon, king of countries. :Thistext is of the ordinary class of dower-contracts, and illustrates well the Babylonian usage in the matter.' Notwithstanding the above statement, that the dower was given to the bridegroom with his wife, it was she who had control over its use and disposal, and, in case of divorce^ or the death of her husband, could claim back the amount of her dowry. It will be noted that four out of the six witnesses (one of whom is the scribe who drew up the document) are of- the bridegroom's family. The date of the, document is October, 526 B.C. Size If in. by 2| in. ,No. 71. A baked clay tabled recording the payment of r,ent. ■'. The text is as follows : — ' Eight shekels of silver, the rent of his house for the beginning of the year, and four shekels of silver which Itti-Marduk-balatu, son of Nabu-ahe- iddin son of Egibi, had left unto Arad-Bel, son of Kalba; Nergal-resfia, servant of Itti-Marduk-balatu, has received the money, the amount of the rent of his house, from the hands, of Arad-Bel, son of Kalba son of Mukal- lim, by the : authority of Itti-Marduk-balatu. Here follow the names of three witnesses, including the - scribe, and then the date : " Babylon, seventh day of Marcheswan, fourth year of Cambyses, king of Babylon and king of countries " (525 B.C.). . The: receipt here translated is probably for rent for the first half-year, with four shekels arrears from a former period, of three months. The average rent of an ordinary, house in Babylon during the sixth century before Christ may therefore be set down as sixteen shekels yearly. On the end are the words : " Each has taken a writing " (that is, a copy of the document). The size of the tablet is If in. by 2f in. No. 72. A baked clay tablet written in what may be 43UIDE TO THE NIMR0TO CENTRAL SALOON. 105 regarded as a rough business hand, referring to the sale of a slave by a woman named Inniba. The document reads as follows : — . Innibi, daughter of Arad-Bel son of the priest of Gula,"in the'joy of her heart, has sold KiS& her maid-servant for two. mana four shekels of silver, the price agreed, to Kalba, sonofSilla son of Nabia. Kudasu, daughter of Bel-iddin son of Bist, mother of Inniba, and Arad-Bel, son of B8li-5unu son of Salala, husband of Inniba, waive the right of defeasor, claimant, royal handmaid, and born-childship, which rests upon KlnS. 1 Here follow the names of five witnesses, including the scribe. The date is : " Babylon, 30th day of Ehil, fifth year of Cambyses, king of Babylon, ting of countries " (524 b.c). * "'.'"" On the left-hand edge are the words : " The money, two mana and four shekels, the price of her slave, Inniba has received from the hands of Kalba." No. 73. A small tablet of baked clay, inscribed with the record of a transaction of which the following is .a trans- lation : — The household slaves, who were headed by Daan-bgl-flsur, servant of Itti-Marduk-bal&tu son of Egibi,' spoke thus to Labbi-Ka son of Nabu- umtr : " We have been the right-hand of Nergal-nasir son of Nadin, who is thy brother-in-law." Labbi-Ka answered thus ; " I give [you J over to Nabu-edir son of Nergal-Sum-ibnt." Witnesses.: Ilu-saparri-ibni son of Atanalj-ilu ; Nabfl-tadnu-&fe&. son of §ula ; Nabu-ittannu, son of Issur son of Misivaa; gabasirn, son of Sula son of Eriru; the scribe Bullut, son of Idilin-Marduk son of Busu. Sahrinu, 1st day of Eislev, sixth year of Cambyses, king of countries. [-523B.C] On the left hand edge are the words : "The house of the field is the security Of Itti-Marduk-balatu." This curious text is probably- merely the record of the hiring of some slaves, sent out by their owner Itti-Marduk- balatu, he having heard, most likely, that Labbi-Ka had been making inquiries about some. As recommendation, they say that they have been employed by Labbi-Ka's brother-in-law. The last named, however, seems not to have wanted the slaves himself, and he therefore tells them that he gives them over to Nabu-edir, who was apparently the person, who really wanted the slaves. The security mentioned' on the edge is probably for the safe return and 1 Mistake of the scribe for Kis4. 106 GUIDE TO THE NIMKOUD CENTRAL SALOON. payment" for the services of the slaves which Itti-Marduk» balatu.had lent. Contracts drawn up by simply record- ing the words used by the parties interested are very common, and indicate the business-like nature of the people. Such contracts are naturally not so clear to the modern reader (who has to imagine the circumstances nnder which they were probably made), as to the parties who, more than two thousand years ago, made them, and to whom a few words, expressing all the most essential points, were sufficient to recall all the circumstances. Size of the tablet 1£ in. by 2 in. No. 74. Small baked clay tablet recordingthe reclaiming or buying back of three slaves, and the refunding of the money paid : — ... In the seventh year of Cambyses, the king, the "fifth day of the month Kislev, the charioteer (?) Razam-ubba, son of Kazan), has given back Asbumetana', son of Asbutatika ; Kardara', and JJattiza', their wives ; for two and two-thirds of a mana of silver, to Iddina-abla, the magician, son of Nabu-ahe-iddin, he has given them np. Artarusu, the chief of the; field-labourers, has declared thus : " I bear witness that his money has been taken." In the presence of Reraut and Murasu, priests, gabasiru, priest of'Bit- kasirani ; and Kiri-abiknu, the Elamite. F On the edge is a very curious seal-impression, apparently the natural marks on the stone used, accompanied by the words : " The seal of Artarusu." Size 1£ in. by 2 in. Date 522 B.o. For the text, with translation and notes, see the Pro- ceedings of the Society of Biblical Archaeology for Nov. 4, 1884, pp. 32-36. Compare pp. 96, 114, and 121. No. 75. A baked clay tablet recording the loan of tea shekels of silver, and six gur and two fa of corn, by Itti- Mkrduk-balatu, son ofifcgibi, to Iddinunu and Nabu-nasif. Daaii'-bel-usur, servant "of Itti-Marduk-balatu, acts for his master. The money is to be repaid in Nisan of the ninth year' (of Cambyses), and the corn in Jyyar. No interest is mentioned, but certain properties of the borrowers are named as security. The names of three witn esses aregiven , including that of the scribe, followed by the date : " Sahirin (SahrinnU), 23rd of Nisan, eighth year of 'Cambyses, king of Babylon and countries " (521 B.C.). From the above it GUIDE TO THE NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON* 107- will be seen that the loan of the silver was for a year, and the loan of the produce for either one or eleven months (more probably the latter). The size of the tablet is If in. by 2i in. No, 76. A small and roughly-written tablet of baked clay referring to the letting of a house by Nabu-iriba to Itti-Marduk-bal&tu. The text of this tablet, which is in- teresting on account of its date, is as follows : — The house of Itti-Marduk-balatu, son of Nabu-ahe-iddin son of Egibi : he has paid for the_year five shekels of silver as the rent of the house to Nabu-iriba, son of E-sagila-zSr-epflS son of Irani. Half, of the .money at the beginning of the year, and the balance of the money in the middle of the year he shall pay ; he shall change the beams, he shall take away the. dilapidation (2) of the wall ,(?). A trespasser shall pay ten shekels of silver. He shall pay the money to NubtS, daughter of Itti-Marduk-balatu. Witnesses : Balitu, son of Nabfl-sum-iSkun-; Marduk-rSmanni, the scribe, son of [Iddin-}Marduk son of N fir-Sin. Babylon, [month . . . ], seventh day, eleventh year of [CTjajqabyses king of Babylon. The date of this interesting text should therefore be 518 B.C. If, however, the date be a mistake of the scribe for the first year of Cambyses, the date, would be about 528 B.c. The size of the tablet is l£ in. by 2 in. No. 77. Clay tablet, probably originally unbaked, inscribed with the record of a loan made by Nadin to Marduk-remanni. The following is a translation of this document :-t^ Nadin, son of Kudda, has sworn by Bel, Nebo and Barzia, king of Babylon and king of countries, to Mardufrrremanni, son of Bel-uballit son of the Nisr/R-GINA : '( Until the second day of the month Tammuz v I give twenty gur of wheat, in the possession ,of Itti-Bel-lummir and-Ginvil-SamaS, sons of BSl-garib in jpippara, to Mardnk*rSm»nni, son of Bel-uiballit son of the.NlsDR-GlNA." Witnesses : Iddin-Bgl son of Sum-ukin ; Nabu-ah,e-Su son of Ilu-salta-igrib *■.- . . utir son of Kalba ; the scribe Hti-Marduk-balStu, son of Iriba-Marduk son of the hofse-master. Zazanna, 15th day of Elul, first year of Barzia [BardesJ king of Babylon and king of countries. Contracts in which one of the Contracting- parties swears by the gods Bel, Nebo, and the king, are rather rare, and the form of the whole is unusual. Zazanna was a town whieh probably lay very close to Sippara of -the sun-,god, (Abu-habbah). The date of the document is 521 -B.C. Size 2^ in. 4 by 1 4 in. , 108: QUIDE TO THE NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON. No. 78. Baked clay tablet recording the sale of a house at Babylon. As this text is short, a translation of the whole is here given, which will show the character of documents of this class : — One cane [measure], a dwelling-house, district of Te which, is within Babylon. The upper western side is beside the house ofltti-Marduk-balatu, son of Nabtt-ahe-iddin, son of Egibi — the buyer A of the house. The 'lower eastern side is beside the house of Ubaria, the seller of the house. The upper northern end is beside the house of Ubaria, the seller of the house. A The lower southern end is beside the house of Ubaria, the seller of the house. Altogether that house is one cane [of ground]. Itti-Marduk-balatu, son of Nabu-ahS-iddin, son of Egibi, has proclaimed, with Ubaria son of BSl-risua [that] half a mana of silver is the tariff for half a gar of field-[land], and has estimated half a mana of silver as its full price, [and] has given him one shekel of silver for the transfer and agreement [of- ownership] of the house. [Altogether Ubaria, son of] Bel-risfia has received, by the hand of [Itti- Marduk-balatu, son of] Nabu-ahc-iddin son of Egibi, [and] accepts [half a mana] and one shekel of silver pieces [the complete price of that house], A withdrawal cannot be made, he cannot give [it] back, nor can they mutually withdraw. 1 In time to come, whoever among the brothers, sons, and family, remote and' near, of the house of Bel-risua who shall make a claim thus : " that house was not sold and money was not received," the claimant shall pledge himself [to the extent of] twelve times the amount of the money he * has received. By the sealing of this (document). Before Nabu-iddina, son of Sullumu, son of Assur ; Ardla, son of Gimillu, son of the archer (?) ; Bel-iddina, son of Bel-sum-iskun, son of the master of the horse ; Bazuzu, son of Kina, son of Iddin-Papsukal ; IkiSa-Marduk, the scribe, son of BSl-Sderu. Babylon, month Tisri, 20th day, accession-year - of' Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon.^ Mail-mark of Ubaria, the seller of the house, as his seal. The date of this document is 521 B.C., the Nebuchad- nezzar mentioned here being the third king of Babylonia bearing that name. He was the well-known pseudo- Nebuchadnezzar, whose real name was Nidintu-Bil. 1 Literally " a reclamation shall not be, he shall not return, [from] each other they reclaim not." • * The seller. GUIDE TO THE NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON. 10$ As, in the above contract, the extent of ground on ■which the house sold stood was small, and its extent easily determined, no measurements are given.jjthe scribe con- tenting himself with, merely stating the boundaries, and specifying the extent of the whole. A " cane " of ground has been estimated at ten feet, but this estimate seems to be too low in this case. It was probably, however, not more than twenty feet each way. The nail-marks of the seller are impressed on both the upper and the lower edges, and the right and left-hand edges bear impressions of the cylinder-seal of the scribe, Ikisa-Marduk, representing a bearded figure standing by some religious emblems — the crescent moon, a star, and a dragon's head (" the image of the god Tug " 1 ). The size of the tablet is 3-^ in. by 2-^- in. t No. 79. A small baked clay tablet referring to a loan of silver, of which two kinds are mentioned. The following is a translation of the text : — Two mana fifty shekels of silver, among [which are] half a mana pure, anil half a mana fifty shekels, by the one-shekel piece, coined, from Itti- Marduk-bal&tu, son of Nabu-alje[-iddin son of Egibi] unto Itti-Marduk- balatu son of. The names of three witnesses are given, followed by the date : " Babylon, 8th day of Iyyar, first year of Dariwusu (Darius), king of Babylon, king of countries" (probably the beginning of 519 b.c). The text is interesting from the use of three kinds of silver — the ordinary small probably un- marked pieces, the kind designated as huM (" purified"), and that spoken of as being one-shekel pieces, pressed or coined (nuhhutu). Coined money had at that time just begun to come into use at Babylon, and the tablet in question is one of the first to mention it. The size of the tablet is If in. by 2£ in. No. 80. A small tablet of baked clay referring to the loan of some produce. This text, which is, of interest on account of the lender being a foreigner, is as follows : — Five [measures] of produce from Kakia the Mede to Siski, son of Itti- Marduk-balatu son of Egibi. In the month Marcheswan, in Babylon over the river, he shall give [it] back. 1 See page 50. 110 GUIDE TO" THE KJMKOUD CENTRAL SALOON. The names of three witnesses' are given, including that of the seribe. The date is " 16th of EIul, second year of Darlawus (Darius), king of Bahylon, king of countries " (518 b.c,). Size of the tablet 1^ in. by 2 in. No. 81 . A small unbaked clay tablet from Sippara of the sun-god ( Abu-habbah) recording the borrowing of a sum of money by Marduk-sum-ibni for his father : — Two-thirds of a shekel of silver which is punched, [and] ten shekels of pure silver from Marduk-rOmanni, son of BSl-uballit, son of the nisur-gina, unto Marduk-Sum-ibnt, son of Mabu-ttiliu-ilani, son of the priest of the sun-god. He shall give [it back]' in the mbnth Tammuz. He has given the money to Nabu-etillu-ilani, his father, for oxen. Here follow, the names of three witnesses, and that of the scribe. The tablet is dated "Sippara, 10th day of Iyyar, third year of DariawuS (Darius), king of Babylon, king of countries" (517 b.c). The size of the tablet is 1 Jin; by 1$ in. No. 82. A small baked clay tablet recording a promise to pay or lend a sum of money for the purpose of carrying on trade:— Two mana of silver which is stamped for giving and receiving, which Marduk-nasir-ablu, A son of IttMSfarduk-balatu, son of Egibi, will give to Bel-iddina, son of Abu-rammu in the month Elul. '! Witnesses : Bel-iddina, son of Banla, son of Nabaa ; Sulluma, son of Bel- ikisa, son of Ur-Innannaki ; Nabu-Sdir, son of Nergal-SSarid, son of the Rei'i- Sisi [horse-master] ; Marduk-bSli-8unu the_scribe, son of Arad-Marduk, sou of the priest ,of Istar. - Babylon, 21st day of Ab, fourth year of DaraSu (Darius), king of countries.[516 B.C.]. The text refers apparently to money which, if not actually coined, as the word is now understood, was at least stamped — probably with the amount of its value — for giving and receiving — that is, for trading purposes, the convenience of a regular curreAcy, introduced during the reigns of Cambyses and Darius, having made itself distinctly felt. Marduk-nasir-ablu engages to pay the money within a month or six weeks, Elul being the month following Ab. The name of the father of Bel-iddina (Abu-rammu) is very noteworthy, as it is the Babylonian equivalent of the well-known scriptural Abram^r- -ft is probable, also, that the names Bania, Nabaa, and Sulluma, have, as their last GUIDE TO THE NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON. Ill element, the root Aa, A, or Ya, which are the Babylonian and Assyrian forms of the Hebrew name Jah, in common iise among the Jews in ancient times. In Negal-asarid the last compound of the name is the same as in that of the well-known Assyrian'Jring §ttlmanu-a§arid or Shalmaneser. The size of the tablet is 1£ in. by If in. No. 83. A baked clay tablet of a similar nature to the last, with the addition of the amount of interest to be paid to the lender. The text is as follows : — Twenty [?] mana of silver which is stamped for* giving and receiving [= current money] from Marduk-nasir-ablu, son of Itti-Marduk-balfttu, fson of] Egibi", to Nabu*abla-fddin, son of Nabtt-Sdir, son of the ISini'te. From the 1st day of Adar until Nisan, it shall increase unto him at the rate of one shekel of silver upon every mana monthly. The responsibility for the property [rests] upon Nabft-abla-iddin and Ikubu. The names of three witnesses are given. The date is " Babylon, fourth of Ve-adar, fifth year of Dariwus (Da- rius), king of Babylon and countries" (515 B.C.), Size If in. by 2 in. _ . a No. 84. A small tablet of baked clay recording the en- gagement of a man named Guzanu to return a sum of money intrusted to him for payment to another ; which payment could not, apparently, be made, on account of Guzanu not making a journey which he contemplated. The following is a translation of this text :— On the„20th day of Tisri, Guzanu, son of Nabu^zgr-Spus, son of > will go and speak in Babylon with Marduk-nasir-ablu, son of Iddina son of Egibi, about the money, the gift of the bowman, which Marduk-nasir-ablu has given to Guzanu. As he is not going [away], he will give back the one mana of silver. The names of several witnesses are given, followed by the date : " Harsag-kalama (a city near Babylon), 12th day of Tisri,~sixth year of Dariwus (Darius), king of Babylon and countries " (514 B.C.). The name Guzanu is identical in form with that used by the Assyrians and Babylonians for the city Gozan. The size of the tablet is 1£ in. by 2 T V in. No. 85. A small unbaked clay tablet from Sippara of the sun-god, referring to a loan of produce. The text is as follows ; — 112 GUIDE TO THE NIMROTJD CENTRAL SALOON. Thirty-fire gur of corn from Iddina-Nabfi, son of • Sum-iddin, unta Marduk-remanni, son of Bgl-uballit, son of the Nisur-gina. In the. month Iyyar, in Sippara, he shall give it back. The Value of the former contract was of three mana of silver. This contract has the names of five witnesses (including the scribe), and is dated at Babylon* ,22nd day of Sebat in the eighth year of Darawus (Darius), king of countries (512 B.C.). This tablet was therefore probably written at Babylon, and afterwards taken to Sippara, where it was found. The size of the tablet is 1^ in. by If in. No. 86. A baked, clay tablet recording the sale of a small vessel for eight mana of silver. The following is a free translation of this text : — A new ship, covered [decked], of eight [cubits] wide above the hold [?], which Nabu-zBr-ibnt, son of Itti-Nabu-balatu son of Egibi [has sold] to Marduk-ikisanni [?], son of Marduk-sum-usur son of . . . . for eight mana of white silver, coined, which is by the one-shekel piece. [Marduk-na]sir- abln, son of Itti-Marduk-balatu son of [Egibi], waives [all] right of using the ship. The names of eight witnesses, including the scribe, are given. The date is : " Babylon, 10th day of Nisan, tenth year of Dariawus (Darius), king of Babylon, king of countries " (510 B.C.). The text is somewhat mutilated, and the exact meaning of some of the words is therefore doubtful. The size is 2^ in by 2J in. No. 87. A baked clay tablet recording the loan of a sum of money stamped " for giving and receiving." One mana of silver which is stamped for giving and receiving, from Marduk-nasir-ablu, son of Itti-Marduk-balatu son ^of Egibi, to Marduk- bgli-gunu, son of Arad-Marduk son of the priest ofEa. It increases unto him one shekel upon each mana monthly. The amount of a contract for half a mana of white silver, which was lent by Marduk-bSli-sunu unto Itti-Marduk-balatu, [the former] waives the right of receiving. Witnesses : Marduk-zSr-ibnt, son of Marduk-zer-[ukin ?] son of Paltani- tum ; Lublut, son of Sulluma son, of the boatman ; Bel-kasir, son of Kiljgtuj Nabu-musStik-urri, son of Sula son of Tunla. BSl-uballit the scribe, son of Nabfi-Sdir-napsiti son of the .... Baby- lon, 16th day of Tisri, twelfth year of Darlawug (Darius), king of Babylon and countries [508 B.C.]. In this document, the lender, Marduk-nasir-ablu, stipu- lates that a half-mana of silver, owing by Itti-Marduk- •GUIDE TO THE NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON. 113 balatu, his father, to Marduk-blli-sunu, shall hot he deducted from the amount which he, Marduk-nasir-ablu, has lent to his father's creditor. The size of the tablet is If in. by 2£ in. No. 88. A tablet of unbaked clay referring to oxen sent from Babylon for the new-year's sacrifices and festival at Sippara of the sun-god. The following is a free trans- lation of this text : — Concerning the fourteen oxen which have been dispatched from Babylon in Kisan of the fourteenth year of Darius, among them are again (?) four from Sapik-zeri, one for the Lady of Sippara [from] Marduk, [and] one for Gula from Sukaa — altogether six oxen. The date corresponds to 506 b.c. The .size of the tablet is 1 \ in. by 2£ in. , No. 89. A tablet of baked clay referring toan exchange with regard to the destination, of certain properties, set aside as the dowry of Amat-Ka, a Babylonian lady : Marduk-nasir-ablu, son of Itti-Marduk-balatu son of Egibi, in the joy of his heart, a cornfield, planted and tilled, which is by [the, house of] the thief of the kasir, and which is over the river Tupasu, his property, which with his brothers, Daan-bel-ujur, Nana-bSl-fisri, Zagaga-iddin, Daan-iddin, Bel-gabbi-belumma, [and] Ahu-sunu (altogether five, his brothers, 1 and their sister), and gaSdaaitu™ and Kasirtu™, his daughters, 2 he had sealed ; Marduk-nasir-ablu has given for money, instead of thirty mana of white silver, two mana of gold, five mana of refined silver, and a ring, [and] instead of Nabu-ittia and Nana-kilili-ahi, slaves, the dowry .of Amat-Ka .-^Marduk-nasir-ablu has given [the above-named -cornfield] to Amat-Ka, daughter of Kalba son of Nabaa. . Here follow the names of ten witnesses, including the scribe. The date is : " Babylon, 5th day of Kislev, six- teenth year of Dartawui (Darius), king of Babylon and countries " (504 B.C.). In the above text the' family of Marduk-nasir-ablu seem to have contributed together to give a dowry to Amat-Ka, probably a relation. The above contract therefore merely records that Marduk-nasir-ablu has "cheerfully consented to 1 The original has: "altogether four, his sons, [and] their sister," which is clearly incorrect. The sister is mentioned in the list, her name being second (Nana-bel-usri). - • 2 These words are transposed in the original thus : " and Qasdaaitu™, his daughters and Kasirtu'"." The errors are probably to be explained by the fact that the tablet is a copy, and not an original. I 114 GUIDE TO THE NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON, take the various sums of money, and the two $laves, and to give to ^.mat-Ka, instead, the cornfield mentioned at the beginning of the text. The document is not very clearly worded, probably on account of carelessness on the part of the scribe who copied it, there being a letter left out in the name of Nana-Ml-usri, " four " written for " five " in the summation of the brothers, with other slight errors (see foot-notes). The size of the tablet is 2f in^ by 3£ in. No. 90. A tablet of baked clay referring to the sale of a slave, with the right of reclaiming or buying 1 back the same. The text is as follows : — §um-iddina, son of Sula, son of the priest of Gula,' has cheerfully sold Itti-BSl-guzu, his servant; whose -left wrist is inscribed with the name of MeSkitn, his wife, for one mana and two-thirds of silver, for the price complete, by the one-shekel piece, coined, to Iddina-Nabfi, son of Naba-SpiS- zSri, son of the blacksmith. If a claim be made npon this slave, 8um-iddina shall give up the slave, and shall give him to Iddina-Nabfl, Sum-iddina has j'eceived from the handsof Iddina-Nabn the money, one mana and two-thirds, by the one-shekel piece, coined, the price of Itti-BSl- guzu, his servant. ...'.. Here follow the names of twelve witnesses, and then the words : — At the sitting of MeSkitu, i daughter of B61-1 Amur, son of Itammanu- sea, wife of Sum-iddina, the seller of the slave. Scribe : Bel-ittannu, son of Bazuzu. Babylon, 6th day of Adar, twentieth year of Dari'awuS (Darius), king of Babylon, king of countries (500 B.C.). This tablet is important, as it helps to explain, and is in turn explained by, Nos. 74 and 106. Judging from ^hese two texts, and from a tablet of legal precedents ieferring to a similar contract, ij; is probable that the Scribe' has transposed the names Sum-iddiha and.Iddina- NaM in the second paragraph of the text. (See the Proceedings of the Society of Biblical Archaeology, Feb. C, 1884, pp. 102-106 ; and Nov. 4, 1884, pp. 32-36.) No. 91. A small tablet of baked clay^ recording the delivery, to Bagasaru, of the share of produce of a field to which he, apparently as partner, was entitled. This text is as follows : — The produce of the right of the field, for the 2lst- year of Dari'awu§ (Darius), his [king], the property of Bagasaru, who [is partner] with Marduk- GUIDE TO THE NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON. 115 hajir-ablu and his brothers, sons of Itti-Marduk-balatu, son of Egibi.Nabu- gabbi-ile, servant of Bagasaru, [and] messenger of PiSsia, servant of the house of Bagasaru, has received from the hands of Sebat-Bel-asbat, servant of Marduk-nasir-ablu. Each has taken. The above text is interesting, as it shows the relations of the Babylonians with their Persian conquerors. Baga- saru, probably a high Persian official, having become partner with Mktrduk-nasir-ablu and his brothers, well- known and probably well-to-do Babylonian citizens, has sent his Babylonian servant NaM-gabbi-ilS for his share of the produce of the field, their joint property. The servant of Bagasaru is also called mar sipri, " son of message," — that- is " messenger," perhaps also " inter- preter " — a necessary addition to the household of a foreigner obliged to have intercourse with the natives. The meaning of the name Bagasaru is probably "God is chief," from Baga, " God " (old Persian), and sar, modern Persian sar "head." Pissia is a name like Kambuzia, old Persian, Kambty'iya, Cambyses; Barzia, Old Persian. Bard'iya, Bardes, &c. The phrase, "Each has taken," seems to refer to the receipt given to Marduk-nasir-ablu and his brothers. (See No. 71.) The date is equivalent to 499 B.C. The size of the tablet is 1-f in. by 2\ in. No. 92. A baked clay tablet referring to the sale of a ship for four mana and ten shekels of silver : — A ship of six cubits above the hold (?) broad, and twenty cubits draught [lit. : twenty by the cubit the seat of its waters] which Nabu-abla-iddin, son of Labasi, son of Nur-Papsukal, has sold to Sirikki, son of Mdina, son of Egibi, for four mana of silver [and] ten shekels of silver, which aje, by the one-shekel piece, [and] which are not struck with the birdsfaiJ* [name of a plant], Nabu-abla-iddin waives all right of navigation of the ship. The silver, four mana and ten shekels, white, the price of his ship, Nabu-abla-iddin has received from the hands of Sirikki. __, Here follow the names of five witnesses, with that of the scribe. The date is : " Babylon, 5th day of Ab, twenty- sixth year of Dar'aSu (Darius), king of Babylon and coun- tries," (494 B.C.). At the end are.jtwo. lines of writing stating that the vessel is laden with some material. The size of the tablet is 2\ in. by 2| in. i 2 116 GUIDE TO THE NIMEOUD CENTRAL SALOON. Ho. 93. A baked clay tablet from Sippara of the sun-god", referring to a loan of corn for " the handmaids " of the king Darius :— Eighteen gur of corn, the food of the handmaids of the king, from Samas-ahi-iddin, son of Arahu, unto Samas-iddin, son of Lublut, son of the priest of Ea. He shall give [it] back at the end of the month Tisri of the 27th year. B81i-sunu, son of Nabu-balaJ-su-ikbi, Son of EllatI, waives all right of, receiving the eighteen gur of corn. - Here follow the names of twelve witnesses, and the date : " 6th day of Tisri, twenty-seventh, year of Dariawus (Darius), king of Babylon and countries " (b.c. 493). Samas-iddin was pfobably a kind of purveyor to the court of Darius, and was charged therefore to obtain the corn required. Not v having any on hand himself, he borrowed some from Samas-ahi-iddin, promising to pay it back at the end of the month. Beli-sunu, who waived right of receiving the corn, was probably a creditor to the lender. The size of the tablet is If- in. by 2£ in. No. 94. A baked clay tablet from Sippara of the sun-god referring to the claiming of some .property by a Babyr Ionian lady living at Sippara. The text is as follows : — Ri'indu, daughter of §am>s r 5um-tis§uiv son of .Muda-Marduk, went in ■the month Ah to claim the income of Nidintu'", son of Samas-sum-u&Sur, son of Muda-Marduk. Any claim of Ei'indu is upon the later income, for in . the month Ab of the 29th . year Nidintu'" placed it as security unto 'Bgli-sunu, son of Nabfl-balat-su-ikbf, the chief of the army. There is no proprietary right of Ki'indu to the income. , Here follow the names of several witnesses, and the ■ date :'" Sipar, 5th day of Ab, twenty-ninth year of Danawus (Darius), king of Babylon, king of countries " (491 b.c). ■■ Apparently Ei'indu wished to act for her brother "Nidintu™ during his absence, and, not knowing that he lad just mortgaged it, claimed the allowance, seemingly in her own name. The answer was that he had given it as a security to Beli-sunu, and that she had no right to the allowance of her brother. The size of this interesting tablet is If in. by 1\ in. No. 95. Baked cl&y tablet referring to a transaction concerning field-produce cultivated on the land belonging to the temple of Bel at.Sa-harrinnu. The following is a translation of this text :— - - GUIDE TO THE NIMEOUD CENTRAL SALOON. 117 Fifty gur of unripe field--produce, the property of Bel of Sa-jjarrinnu, Bel-bullit-su, son of Muranu, son of the potter in the enclosure of Bel, has given unto Dahhua and BSl-abla-iddin until the end of the month Adar, in the enclosure ; and will make it known to §lrik, son of Nadin-abli, son ot'Egibi. This document has the names of five witnesses, includ- ing the scribe, and is dated at Babylon on the 7th day of Adar ( = February-March), in the thirty-first year of Darius, " king of Babylon and countries " (b.c. 489). It will be seen from the above translation that the temples of the gods often had large tracts of inclosed ground attached to them, that this ground was culti- vated, and that it supported the workmen attached to the temple to make- articles needful for the service, &c. (like " the potter in the enclosure of Bel "). Bel-bullit-su had probably risen to the position of priest in the "temple, and, as such, the selling of the produce of the temple- lands seems to have been intrusted to him, the proceeds probably going to the temple-treasury. It seems to have been calculated that the produce given, or rather sold,- to Dahhua and Bel-abla-iddin would be ripe and ready for gathering in twenty-three days, and, in order that the same plot should not be assigned to any one else, v Bel- bullit-su engages to make the transaction known to Srrik, either a superior priest of the temple, or else another bidder for the plot in question. Sa-harrinnu was a town of considerable note in Babylonia in ancient times, and probably lay near Babylon. The size of the tablet is If in. by If in. No. 96. A roughly written tablet of baked clay refer- ring to the letting of a house at Babylon. The text is as follows : — .'■!•' ' A reed-house which is beside [the house of] Eakuttu m , and beside the house of Sukaa, which [belongs to] Susannu, daughter of Kemut-Bel son of Nam tisu, which Marduk-nasir-ablu son of Egibi, has let by the authority of Susannu, daughter of Remut-Bel, at a yearly house-rent of thirteen shekels of white silver, from the month Ab of the 36th year of Darius, king of Baby- lon, according to the agreements, to Amat-Nana, daughter of Abdi-Esi. She shall pay half the money at the beginning of the year, and the balance of the money in the middle of the year. She shall renew the woodwork, she shall repair the dilapidation (?) of the wall(?). She shall pay the tax (?) in Nisan, Tammuz, and Marcheswan. Nidintu m -B8l has received from the hands of Amat-Nana *^e money for the half-year. Each has taken [a copy of the writing]. 118 0U1DK TO THE N1MR0UD CENTRAL SALOON. Here follow the names of 'several witnesses. The date is " Babylon, 5th day of Ab, thirty-sixth year of Dariawus (Dar4us), king of Babylon and countries " (484 B.C.). The writing of this text is exceedingly careless — a real business-hand— ^and the document is consequently difficult to read. As will easily be seen, it is a contract similar to No. 76 (Cambyses, 11th year), with the additional clauses referring to the authority of Nidintu m -Bel to let the house, the mention of the agreements, the payments in Nisan, Tammuz, and Marcheswan, &c. It is a good speci- men of an ancient Babylonian lease. The size of the tablet is 2£ in. by 2| in. This tablet is interesting in being dated in the last year of Darius Hystaspis. No. 97. A tablet of baked clay bearing a plan of a field, with all the measurements stated in cubits and fingers, and divided according to the Babylonian system of measurement. The position of the property also is stated, the north end being towards the road on the bank of a river or canal, and the south, east, and west bounded by the fields of people whose names are given. The field is veiy irregular in shape, there being at the north- west corner a rectangular portion taken from the adjoining plot, and on the east a curved and a rectangular piece from the adjoining plot on that side. In the plan the length of the field is not by any means in proportion to its width ; but, although considerably shortened, the draughtsman has had to continue his drawing round the edge on the reverse of the tablet. The plan is roughly drawn, and neither the name of the owner, occupier, nor future holder appears. At the end are six lines of cal- culations to find the area, and therefrom to estimate the price. The tablet is most likely of the time of Darius. The size is 3f- in. by 2f in. No. 9 8. A small baked clay tablet inscribed as follows : — One shekel of silver, which is for wine, he has given. One shekel of silver, which is for the messenger of Parnakku, he has given. A piece of silver, which is for the messenger of the Zartcnu, ho has given. lieceipts, probably, for sums duo to certain officials at- G&WH tO .THE NIMROUD ICEHTEAL . SALOOW»> 119 Babylon.- 'Ths sartenu seems to havebeen a kind of assis- tant-judge. Size of the tablet If in. by 1 J in. No. 99., A small tablet of baked clay inscribed ; ;with a note authorising the sale- or loan of some corn :— Letter from Nabu-nadin-ahi to Shka, my brother. May Nebo and Zir- panttu" 1 bespeak peace and life for my brother. Give five gur four pi of wheat to Asaridu. Beneath, this note, on the edge of the tablet, r is an im- pression of the cylinder-seal' of .'Nabu-nadin-ahi, giving a representation of a eunuch-priest before some sacred •emblems similar to those found on the old Babylonian boundary-stones. 'The size of the tablet is If in. by If in. No. 100. A small tablet of baked clay inscribed with a number of memoranda of payments of money : — Two-thirds (?) [of a mana] and half a shekel of silver pieces, which are from E-sagUa, which I have given to Arad-Be"l, and he will send [|hem] to jfadin. The 14tt day of Tammuz I paid one mana of silver to Edir-g§su which I failed 1 [to pay] on tlie l&h' of Nisan. One mana twelve shekels, the amount (?) [du^] from the house ofNabu-naser [Nabonassar] ; I have re.ceived twe&ve shelqels,, ( of silver on account; Three gur of corn . . . onto Arad-Bgl. §ula re(jejygp\^-pm. i Ara 1 d-BSl half a mana of silver, on the 13th day of Ah*. ... The name of the writer is not given. The tablet is probably of the reign of Darius. Size 1^ in. If in. No. 101. A small tablet of unbaked clay inscribed with the following memorandum : — Five mana of iron unto Imma for work. On the reverse is the date, of which, however, only the word " third " now remains. The tablet is f in. by If in. From Abu-habbah (Sippara of the sun-god). No. 102. A small tablet of unbaked clay inscribed with a memorandum recording the lending or selling of some wheat :— • ■■■■>■>. • Three hundred and eighty measures of wheat, which is a business transaction, Salmu, servant of Nergal-iddln, the ass-keeper, has given. Former 21st day of Tebet, year 19th. 1 Or "forgot." 120 &UEDE TO THE NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOOS. The name of the king in whose reign the transaction was made is not given, hut the tablet belongs, most likely, to the reign of Darius. In certain months the Babylonians seem to have inserted an extra day, repre- sented by characters which may be read umu istin-Ssra tarsw, " the former 21st day," apparently to correct a de- ficiency in the calendar. Size of tablet 1-^ in. by 2 in. From Sippara of the sun-god. No. 103. A baked clay tablet inscribed with a list of amounts given by certain people to a temple, probably at Babylon, called the Bit-lli or Bet-ili ( = Heb. Bethel), " House of God." The following is a translation of this text : — 765 measures of wheat for BSt-lli, which Sakin-sumi for dues has taken from the hands of Nergal-iddin. The wheat which Sakin-sumi has received for Bet-ili : — 150 measures of threshed from the hands of Nergal-iddin, the canal overseer. 84 measures from the hands of Ikisa, the overseer of the irrigation. 67 do. from the hands of Zariku-garib. 90 do. from the hands of Nabft-be'I-ilani, ' * ' son of Mukalli™. 225 measures from the hands of B§l-sum-i6kun, A son of Gamba. 80 do. from the hands of.Ea-garib, the overseer of irrigation. 90 do. from the hands of Ea-garib and Nergal-Sdir, the two overseers of irrigation [by]- the gate. . Altogether 786 measures Sakin-sumi has given to Bet-ili. 21 measures less he has given. The above text probably refers to the regular yearly tithes to the temple mentioned, for which Sakin-sumi was probably the appointed receiver. The 21 measures mentioned at the end. as being deducted were probably the amount of his commission. The tablet is very well written, and most likely belongs to the time of Darius. The size is If in. by 2£ in. No. 104. An unbaked clay tablet from Sippara of the sun-god referring to the payment of the rent of a house. The text is as follows : — One-third [of a mana and] five shekels [= twenty-five shekels] of white silver, the rent of his house, which is from Sivan of the first year, to Iyyar, second year of Ahsiarsu [Xerxes], king of Babylon and countries. GUIDE TO THE NIMEOUD CENTRAL SALOON, 121 gandaukku, son of Zimaga, and Ahi-sunu, servant of gandaukku, have received from the hands of the woman Ubartu™, daughter of Iddira. Each has taken [a copy of the writing or receipt]. Witnesses : Arad-Gula, son of IkisS ; B8mut, son of Arrabi ; BSl-ittannu, son of Bel-iddin ; §ulum-Babili, son ' of Lusu-nuru. Sippar, 7th day of Iyyar, first year of Ahsiwarsu [Xerxes], king of Babylon and countries. The tablet here translated is chiefly interesting on account of the Persian names which it contains, and for the variant spellings of the name of Xerxes. The date of the tablet is 486 b.c, and the size is 1£ in. by 2| in. No. 105. A contract-tablet of baked clay recording a loan of fruit or field-produce from Bel-iddin (apparently of Jewish descent) to a Babylonian bearing also the same name. The text is as follows : — Five gur-sa*a$ of fruit from Bel-iddin, son of Munajiimmu to Bel-iddin, son of Ana-biti-su. In the month Marcheswan Bel-iddin, son of Ana-biti- su shall give back the fruit, five gur-Sa-as by the measure of one pi, in Babylon, in completeness of amount (?), to Bel-iddin, son of Muna- himmu. Witnesses : Tastibi, son of Bulluta ; Bel-abi-ahi, son of Yautunu ; Zabida, son of Minkatu™-jji'ubu ; Beli-sunu, son of Pade'su ; [and] the scribe, BS1- ittannu, son of B?l-ahS-[iddin]. Babylon, 2nd 'day of Iyyar, third year of Aksiar [Xerxes], king of Persia and the Medes, king of Babylon and countries. The date of the tablet corresponds with 483 B,o. The contract is of the ordinary kind, and its chief interest lies in the name of the father of the lender of the pro- duce, Munahimmu, which is evidently the same as the Hebrew Menahem, the doubling of -the last consonant implying also that the name is a foreign one. The size of the tablet is 2 in. by 2|in. No. 106. A tablet of baked clay referring to the sale of a slave by three men, with the right of reclaiming or buying her back again. The following is a transla- tion of this document : — Esagila-lisst, son of Nabu-kusur-Su, Bel-balat-su, son of Nadintu™, and Ina-E"sagila-lilbir, son "of Bel-Sderu,' have cheerfully sold Nana-Babtli- iininni, their servant, whose right wrist is inscribed with the name of Ina- Esagila-Hlbir, the slave-dealer, for one mana eight shekels of refined silver, for the price complete, to Urmanu, son of Lisir. Esagila-lisSt, BSl-balat- su, and Ina-Esagila-lilbir have received the money, one mana eight shekels of refined silver, the price of Nana-Bablli'sininni, the servant of the men, from Urmanu. 122 6UIDE TO THE NIMBOUD CENTRAL SALOON. If a claim should be made upon Nar The amount is given, but its modern equivalent is not known. 124 GUIDE TO THE NIMEOUD CENTRAL SALOON. the future. The names of eleven witnesses, including the scribe, are given. The date is " Erech, 18th day of Nisan, 68th year, Seleucus, king," corresponding to the second year of Seleucus n., 244 B.C. Size 3£ in. by 3 J in. No. 112. A baked clay tablet from "Warka referring to the mortgaging of a part of the income of the temple in that city. The amount of the income mortgaged was probably an indefinite one, as it was apparently the produce of the free-will offerings of the worshippers for certain days in the year, apparently of the month (Nisan) in which the document is dated. The revenue is mort- gaged by Gigal-Anu and Anu-ahu-iddin, who were apparently priests, with the consent of Labasi, Nidintu™- Anu, Anu-ukin, and others, to Anu-zer-iddin for one mana five shekels of silver, in staters (istaterranu) of Seleucus, which were " gifts for the complete sums" (apparently = "legal tenders for the whole amount"). The amount agreed upon had been received from Anu-zer-iddin by Gigal-Anu and Anu-aha-iddina. It is also stipulated that if any of the above-named mortgagees claim any of the mortgaged income, they render themselves liable to a penalty, apparently of twelve times the amount. The mortgagees, together with. Nidintu m - Ami and Anu-ukin, waive respectively all right to their share of the income — it was in future to belong to Anu-zer-iddin alone. At' the end is also the additional clause, parted off from the rest, stating that Anu-zer-iddin shall always receive the portion of the yearly incomes from the total of the yearly incomes which are in the temple of the gods in his name. At the end are the names of fourteen witnesses, including that of the scribe, followed by the date: "Erech, 27th day of Nisan, 78th year, Seleucus king." On the edges are impressions of the signet-rings of eighteen people — the fourteen witnesses, the mortgagees, and the two consenters to the agreement. The date is April, 234 B.C., the 12th year of Seleucus ii. Size 3£ in. by. 4 in. No. 113. A tablet of baked clay bearing the record of a loan of silver made by Bel-kusur-su to Itti-Marduk- balatu. The money was to be returned on 1he 2nd day of Iyyar, in the 94th year of the Seleucian era (218 B.C.),' Anti'ukkirsu (Antiochus in.) being then king. If the ■GUIDE TO THE NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON, 125 money were not paid back by the time Btated, a kind of order to pay — as it would seem — was to be issued by the •king. The document concludes with, directions as to the way in which the receipt was to be recorded — the tablet apparently belongs, to a period of great mistrust in trade- transactions — and the transaction is witnessed by eleven people, each of whom has impressed his seal. Size 3 in. by 3^ in. ' No. 114. A tablet of baked clay, apparently referring to the sale, by Silluttu™, of her own and her husband's rights to certain portions of the revenues and offerings to the temples of Erech, for one mana of pure silver staters of Demetrius (istaterranu sa Dimitrisu), to Anu-zer-iddin. A full statement of all the shares of Silluttu*" and her husband are given, and at the end. there is the usual clause referring to the penalty for making- a claim upon the revenue by the seller — or, rather, by her security (as the husband of Silluttu m , though mentioned by name, does not appear as a party to the contract, it is not unlikely that ishe was a widow). The names of eleven witnesses are "given. The end, containing the date, is mutilated, so that it can only be seen that the transaction was made at Erech during the reign of Demetrius (162-150 B.C.). Size of the tablet 4£ in. by 4f in. No.. 115. A clay tablet, probably originally unbaked, giving a list of receipts of first-fruits, from certain people whose names or r occupations are mentioned, being either offerings to Babylonian temples or repayments of loans from the temple treasuries. The sum of the whole amounts, to 34 gur $ as pf. fruit.. At, the end is an entry of an additional amount of 5 gw 4 pi from a man named Eraklide (Heracleides), ■apparently a Greek. Dated in the 209th year, most likely of the era of the Seleucidse (103 B.C.). Size If in. by 2\ in. No. 116. A clay tablet similar to No. 115, giving a list of amounts due, apparently to the temple of Zagaga and Beltu (Beltis), &c, in " the 154th year, which is the 218th year," of the Arsacean and Seleucean eras respectively. The amounts mentioned are principally money-payments. The date is " 18th day of Sebat, 154th year, which is the 126 GUIDE TO THE NIME0UD CENTEAL SALOON. 218th year, Arsaka, king," corresponding to the year 94 B.C. (the difference between the Seleucean and Arsaoean eras was sixty-four years). The size of the tablet is 2f in. by 2£ in. No. 117. A clay tablet, also originally unbaked, in- Scribed with the record of the borrowing, and seemingly also of the repayment, by Marduk-sum-iddin and Marduk- zer-ibnl, priests of Bit-sabat, of a sum of eighteen shekels of silver from the treasury of Bel, from the 26th of Sivan (May) to the 30th of lyyar (June) of the 219th year of the era of the SeleucidsB. The date reads : " 30th day of lyyar, 219th year, Arsaka (Arsaces), king of kings." This era is Seleucean, and therefore corresponds with the year 93 B.C. The size of the tablet is If in. by 1£ in. No. 118. A small tablet of baked clay of an unusual texture and style of character, said to have been found in Cappadocia (Kaisarieh ?). The language in which it is written is unknown, but is probably the ancient language of the country in which it was found. The text refers to certain consignments of animals called hutina (horses or mules),' of which five different kinds seem to be mentioned, the total number referred to in the text being eighty. Probable date 650 B.C. Papers upon this important text will be found in the Proceedings of the Society of Biblical Archaeology for 1881, pp. 11-18 and 28-32 ; and a tentative rendering of the text by Prof. Sayce will be found in the same publication, p. 35. The style of the writing is not unlike old Babylonian ; and the size of the tablet is If in. by If in. The trade-documents exhibited in Table-case B cover a. period of over two thousand years. INDEX. PAGE Adoption, tablet of ... 82 Akkadian inscription of Dungi . 69 „ „ Gudea. 67 Altar, Assyrian ..... ,8 Annals of the reign of Naboni- dus 67-69 Annals of the reign of Shalma- neser II. . . . . 18, 37-45 Apprenticeship of a slave . . 98 ASsur-nasir-apli, statue of . . 18 „ „ inscriptions of 11-13, 19 Astrological and astronomical texts 70, 73 Battle-scenes . , » . 1, 3, 14 Bel, dedication to ... 9 Bequest ....... 99 Boat, hire of a 91 " Born-sonship," the privilege of 94, 96 Boundary-stones, &c. . . .45-59 Building-materials, list of . 70 Bull, winged, man-headed . . 10 Bulls, head of colossal, man- headed 6, 7 Buying back of slaves 106, 114, 121 Calendar, Babylonian ... 72 Capitulation of a fortress . . 15 Cappadocia, contract-tablet from 126 Chronological lists . . . 67, 71 Claim of property, decision con- cerning a 116 Coined money, mention of 109-112, 114, 115, 124, 125 Coffer, alabaster, for inscribed tablets 9 Contract-tablets . 75-99, 101-126 Cyrus and Cambyses . . . 102 Debts, judgments concerning 82-90 Dowries, tablets referring to 94, 103, 113 PAGE Eras of the Seleucidae and the Arsacidae 70, 71, 73, 124, 125, 126 Flood, Chaldean account of the 60 Gardens of Merodach-baladan . 65 Horses or mules,. Cappadocian. 326 Houses, sales of . . 76, 83, 86, 108 Hymn to Merodach and his consort 63 Hymn to the Sun-god ... 62 Inscriptions, translations of 6, 8, 9, 1 1, 13, 19, 23, 25, 29, 31, 33, 34, 36, 47, 58, 61—65, 67, 69, 72, 74 — 1 79, 82, 84—91, 93—123 IStar, dedication to ... 25 Jehu, king of Israel, represen- tation of tribute-bearers from 29 Kurkh monolith of Assur-nasir- apli 17 Kurkh monolith of Shalman- eser II 17 Land.sales of 57, 78-81, 83, 91, 92 „ grants of . 45, 50, 52, 54, 55 Lawsuit of Bunanitum . . . 92-93 Letters, business . 98, 99, 119, 123 Letting of houses, tablets refer- ring to 107, 117 Lintel of a doorway ... 26 Lion, colossal 25 „ winged, man-headed . . 12 Loans, records of 81, 84, 86, 87-89, 92, 97, 98,'101, 102, 106, 107, 109—112, 116, 121, 122, 124 Map, Babylonian .... 71 Memoranda, tablets inscribed with . • . ... . 97, 118, 119 Money-lender, a royal ... 89 128 INDEX. PAGE Months, Babylonian .... 72 Mortgage of the incomes of the temples, texts referring to 123-125 Mortgage, redemption of a, by exchange 101 Mortgage, transfer of a . , 88 Nabonidus, annals of . 67-69 Nabu-uktn-abli, bas-relief of . 53 Nebo, statues of, and dedication to ....... . 8 New-year's festival (Babylonian) references to the . 68, 69, 91 Obelisk, the Black .... 26 Omens, tablets of . . 71, 73, 74 Ox, sale of an 95 Partnership, early deed of . . 75 „ tablets referring to . .' .' . . . ,114, 122 Penalty for killing a slave . . 87 Phrases, tablet of ... 64 Plan of a field 118 Privileges, grant of. . . 47, 48 Rammanu-nirari II., genealogy of 9 Receipt . ' 88 Rent, tablets recording the payment of ... . 104, 120 Right of way, declaration con- cerning a 90 Rituals 61, 63 Sacrifice, animals for 91. 113 Ships, tablets recording sales of 112, 115 Shuhites, tribute of the . . 33 Sieges, bas-reliefs representing 1, 20-25 Slaves, sales of 89, 93-94, 96, 103, 104, 106, 114, 121 Square and cube roots, tablets of 73 Sumerian and Babylonian in- scription - . 61 Summons for debt, record of a. 90 Syllabaries, Babylonian. 64, 65, 66 Tiglath-pileser ill., in his chariot 4 Tiglath-pileseT HI., bas-relief representing ..,-.. 19 Tiglath-pileser III., ihscrip- « tions of, 6, 19, 23 Tithes, taxes, and offerings, tablets referring to 85, 90, 91, 95, ■ • • 96, 103,- 12», 125 Transfer of a partially-freed slave, dSed bf . ' . • . . . 94 Tribute-bearefsarid tribute, bas- reliefs representing .3, 20, 26-37 Workmen's supplies, tablets referring td . ' . ' . • 97, 98, 99 Zodiac? bas-reliefs representing the Babylonian signs of the 46, 48-50, 51, 53, 54, 56, 58-59 LONDC K : PIIINTKD EX WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED, STAMFORD 8TKEKT AND CHASING CROSS. ',&: