The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1845-02-07
From tAs PAiladslpA.a Ledger.
RUINS OF ANCIENT NINEVEH.

An interesting account Of the researches and en-
cayatons now in progress under The superin,cndenes
OF the French consul among the ruins VI Mosul, or
the mounds Of ancient Nineseh, is given In letter
from the Rev. M Laurie, dated Augus Z, io4o, pub
l.hed in the Missionary Herald foI February. The
mound Of kboIsabad al present in process OF encs'a-
lon stands IN one corner Of enclosed AREA about
one mile square, the walls Of which similar 10
those MosuL They are mere elongated tumuii,
with remains OF towers at various distances, and or
ginally faced externally with large square stones
The top Of the mound Is fiat, sHd between six and
seven hundred PAGES IN ciTcumfeIencs. Eleven rooms
have been eIcayated the largest Of which one hun
dred feet 10 length, by thirty IN width. The walls
are very thick, and are formed Of Two surfaces OF
stone interlad with masses of earth. Each block oil
stone Is ten fset high and foot thick. They vary
10 breadth. On tier surface are hgures executed IN
wall others are IN double rows, with broad insep-
ton between.
M. Laurie writes
"Ths scup ures represent variety of objects. In
one place is royal feast, with chairs and tables In
European style. la another theygprosecuie siege
and while some Use the batlsring ram advance un-
der the testudo, others fire the gates, while the de-
voted defenders fall Transported from the walls In
instance Of figures in front Of the fortress
are impaled by the breast In another, dead bodies
aud headless trunks floating down the IIyer
that flows Ia front Of the beleagured fortress. The
names Of most OF these castles inscribed upon
them. Elsewhere, csptises loaded with chains sp-
noach the eonqueror Bonded knee and the ere
cutioner, standing by pile Of heads waits, with up
lifted sword, the nod that is decide the tate OF each
one as be passes by. One room is entirely occupied
with royal hunt The kings chariot is driven
through the fortress birds perch on the trees deer
run beneath them, and the tmld hares Ny at their APP
preach. Slaughtered game bears testimony To the
success OF the hunters some OF wh,m carry
ing t In their hands,
The remarkable scup Iurss, however, are those
at the gates These are guarded on each side by a
hSe-looted nonseT of gigantic proportions. To the
body OF bu fifteen feet hIg and eighteen in length,
10 attached an immense human head. The sde Of
the bull 10 concealed by wings which spring from his
shoulder and The fifth foot was made by the artist,
that two might appear in front we'll In the side
view. But what Is still more strange, the huge mon
sier Is scupured single stone, four feet IN thick
ness How they managed TO Transport II; or set u up
on the mound, is question no one a. yet has pre-
sumed Ia answer. Fifteen Of these monsters, more
or ess perfect, have been found already. In connec
lion with these generally stands the figure Of
with birds head, like the image Of Osiris in Egypt
There is"a great variety OF dress nd armor in the
several groups. In some a large umbrella Is
borne over the king. Some dresses claim a remote
antiquity, while resemblanees to plore modern style
may be traced in others But lhes, are things better
understood from the painting than description. As
10 features among other diyvrsto, there Is head
that is decidedly African. The sculptures are adm.
nbly executed The muscles are distinctly and col
reetly dellneaIed, and every cor,ntenanee wears
expression corresponding 10 the situation Of the nd
vIdual.
The result Of thess researche, will be published by
the French Government. The resident consul, NJ.
bo'ia, has copied the inscriptions, and M. Flondin,
the artist engaged on the work, has made great
number OF very accurate and spirited drawings.