Little is known of the dwellings of the people : they easily fell into ruin, and lay buried in the mass — the bricks or mud of which they were built fast dissolving into earth or soil. Nor do the monuments throw light on the subject, for thej- are filled with scenes from the chase or war — fields, trees, and fortresses. But there is one village depicted, and from it we learn that Assyrian dwellings of the common sort were built of mud, with- out windows, and had either a flat roof, or one rising into a cone, with an opening at the top — while the houses, though closely arranged, yet stand separate from each other.
The ornamental arts had reached a high state in an- cient Nineveh. Many seals and cylinders have been re- covered. The sculptures and paintings are full of ex- pression and life, freer and more natural too than those of Eg\'pt. The Assyrian artists did not excel in model- ling statues, which, however, do not often occur, and they are characterized by an undue flatness or want of breadth in the side view, as if they were intended only to be seen directly in front. But their genius developed itself in bass-reliefs, and they used this art for every purpose to which it can be applied, for it was to them what paint- ing is to our modern world. Through this art — in which so many scenes taken from nature and life, as war, religion, the chase, daily occupations, kitchen uten- sils, cooking and feasting, are represented — we have come to know the ancient Asshur with some familiarity and completeness. Bass-reliefs have been traced back, as at Nimrud, to the period of Asa, king of Judah, ten centuries before Christ. At first the work is rude but spirited, gradually it throws off its stiffness and conven- tionality, and appears at its best in the days of Esar- haddon or his son, about B.C. 640. The vases or urns of clay are beautifully moulded, and resemble Egyptian pottery. Some of the bronzes are of gracefid synnne- trj'. Metallic ornaments, ear-rings, bracelets, and clasps display great taste and skill. Chairs and couches of beautiful shapes are often inlaid with ivor\-. The lion was a sort of national emblem ; and a frequent ornament on furniture, weights, and jewels is his head or claws, warranting the imager}^ in the bold challenge of Nahum (ii, 11): "Where is the dwelling of the lions, and the feeding-place of the young lions, where the lion, even the old lion, walked, and the lion's whelp?" Vessels
NINEVEH
128
NINEVEH
such as bowls and bottles of glass, both transparent and beautifully colored, have been found, and a niagnlfying lens of rock-crystal was discovered at Ninirud. The garments of the better class were woven of linen, wool, or silk, and, though capacious in size, were worn with stately gracefulness. The silk of the country was fa- mous, and was spun by a large silkworm not found else- •whcre. Pliny speaks of the A ss;/ria bomhyx as a be- coming dress for \\'omen {Hist. i\at. xi, 23).
The Assyrians seem to have been fond of music, and various musical instruments are sculptured on the mon- uments. We have the harp, with eight, nine, or ten strings; the lyre, of no less than three kinds; the gui- tar, the double-pipe, the tambourine, cymbals, dulcimer, drums, and trumpets. See Musical Inhtkl'mknts. Bands of musicians formed an important part of mili- tary and religious processions, and in such bands there appear to have been leaders or persons that kept or in- dicated the time.
Delineations of ships, both for war and trading, are found. The imports must have been extensive : " Thou hast multiplied thy merchants above the stars of heav- en" (Nah. iii, 16 ; Ezek. xxvii, 23, 24). Gold and other metals, ivory, precious stones, and spices, seem to have been brought into the country in abundance, and the exports may also have been on a large scale. The Phoenician mariners, according to Herodotus (i, 1), brought home Egyptian and Assyrian merchandise. The productions of her looms were celebrated, as were also several of her perfumes. Horace refers to the As- syrian nard: "Assyriaque nardo potamus uncti" (ii, 11); but, as Eawlinson says on this point, these odors may have only been conveyed by her from other re- gions, for she must have been rather a spice-seUer than a spice-producer {A7icient Monarchies, ii, 192). There are representations of the implements of husbandry, and of the various forms and means of irrigation. Irrijijation
Ancient Assyrian Sliedub.
(q. v.), indeed, was a prime means of fertility; the en- tire country appears to have been intersected with aqueducts and canals. For this purpose the Tigris was dammed at several points, and various other engineer- ing expedients were resorted to. The climate and pro- ductions were jirobably much the same as at the present day. The fertility of many districts is still great, and wherever there is sufficient moisture, pastures and crops spring into immediate luxuriance. Dates, olives, figs, citrons, wheat, barley, and millet are often referred to by ancient writers, as Herodotus (i, 92). The imple- ments of agriculture must have been sim- ple, yet, as sho^vn in the annexed figure of a plough, from a sculpture of the pe- riod of Ksarhaddon, the bowl and tube