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temporary with the kings of Judah and Israel. On the comparative chronology of the Assyrian and Jewish kingdoms, Mr. Smith's expeditions have added nothing to our previous knowledge. Of the later Babylonian period — the time of Nebuchadnezzar and his successors — there are a few new dated documents and some use- ful inscriptions belonging to the succeeding Persian empire. The most valuable of the later inscriptions is that which fixes the date of the rise of the Parthian empire, which has so long been a doubtful point among chronologists.
4. The Assyrian edifices were so nearly alike in gen- eral plan, construction, and decoration that one descrip- tion will suffice for all. They were built upon artificial mounds or platforms, varying in height, but generally
from 30 to 50 feet above the level of the surrounding country, and solidly constructed of regular layers of sun-dried bricks, as at Nimrud, or consisting merely of earth and rubbish heaped up, as at Kuyunjik. The mode of raising the latter kind of mound is represented in a series of bass-reliefs, in which captives and prison- ers are seen among the workmen (Layard, Mon. of Nin, 2d series, pi. 14, 15). This platform was probably faced with stone masonry, remains of which were discovered at Nimrud, and broad flights of steps (such as were found at Khorsabad) or inclined ways led up to its sum- mit. Although only the general plan of the ground tloor can now be traced, it is evident that the palaces had several stories built of wood and sun-dried bricks, Avhich, when the building was deserted and allowed to
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fall to decay, gradually buried the lower chambers with their ruins," and protected the sculptured slabs from the effects of the weather. The depth of soil and rubbish above the alabaster slabs varied from a few inches to about 20 feet. It is to this accumulation of rubbish above them that the bass-reliefs owe their extraordinary preservation. The portions of the edifices still remain- ing consist of halls, chambers, and galleries, opening for the most part into large uncovered courts. The parti- tion walls vary from 6 to 15 feet in thickness, and are solidly built of sun-dried bricks, against which is placed the panelling or skirting of alabaster slabs. No win- dows have hitherto been discovered, and it is probable that in most of the smaller chambers light was only ad- mitted through the doors. The wall, above the wain- scoting of alabaster, was plastered, and painted with fig- ures and ornaments. The pavement was formed either of inscribed slabs of alabaster, or large flat kiln-burned bricks. It rested upon laj'ers of bitumen and fine sand. Of nearly similar construction are the modern houses of Mosul, the architecture of which has probably been pre- served from the earliest times as that best suited to the climate and to the manners and wants of an Oriental people. The rooms are grouped in the same manner around open courts or large halls. The same alabaster, usually carved with ornaments, is used for wainscoting the apartments, and the walls are constructed of sun- dried bricks. The upper part and the external archi- tecture of the Assyrian palaces, both of which have en- tirel}' disappeared, can only be restored conjecturally, from a comparison of monuments represented in the bass-reliefs, and of edifices built by nations, such as the Persians, who took their arts from the Assyrians. By such means Mr. Fergusson has, with much ingenuity, attempted to reconstruct a palace of Nineveh {The Pal- aces of Nineveh and Persepolis 7-estoreil). He presumes that the upper stories were built entirely of sun-dried bricks and wood — a supposition warranted by the ab- sence of stone and marble columns, and of remains of stone and burned-brick masonry in the rubbish and soil which cover and surround the ruins; that the exterior was richly sculptured and painted with figures and or- naments, or decorated with enamelled bricks of bright colors, and that light was admitted to the principal chambers on the ground-floor through a kind of gallery which formed the upper part of them, and upon which rested the wooden pillars necessary for the support of the superstructure. The capitals and various details of these pillars, the friezes and architectural ornaments, he restores from the stone columns and other remains at Persepolis. He conjectures tliat curtains, suspended between the pillars, kept out the glaring light of the sun, and that the ceilings were of wood-work, elabo- rately painted with patterns similar to those represented in the sculptures, and probably ornamented with gold and ivory. The discovery at Khorsabad of an arched entrance of considerable size and depth, constructed of sun-dried and kiln-burned bricks, the latter enamelled with figures, leads to the inference that some of the smaller chambers may have been vaulted.
The sculptures, with the exception of the human- Leaded lions and bulls, were for the most part in low relief The colossal figures usuallj' represent the king, his attendants, and the gods ; the smaller sculptures, which either cover the whole face of the slab, or are divided into two compartments by bands of inscriptions, represent battles, sieges, the chase, single combats with wild beasts, religious ceremonies, etc. All refer to pub- lic or national events ; the hunting-scenes evidently re- cording the prowess and personal valor of the king as the head of the people—'" the mighty hunter before the Lord." The sculptures apiiear to have been painted — remains of color having been found on most of them. Thus decorated, without and within, the Assyrian pal- aces must have displayed a barbaric magnificence, not, however, devoid of a certain grandeur and beauty, which ' no ancient or modern edifice has probably exceeded.