Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-08-21
THE NIMROUD MARBLES.


the following account of the ancient Bassi-Riievl
research from the supposed ruins OF NINEvEH
These interesting remains consist of eleven bassi-
rev and two fragments off colossal statue of bull with hui
man head all taken from vast edce situated on mound
at place called Nimoud, the left bank Of the Iigrs,
about twenty-five miles south of Mosu and the site, as there
is good believe of the most celebrated and ancient
capital the Assyrian empire Itwould be impossible fix,
with any thing like precision the date OF these remarkable
sculptures until the inscriptions, which it is presumed will
arrive with the cargo, shall have been fully nves
gated but we may conjecture from the magnfcence and
yasness of 10th the structure described by Mr. Layd and
that discovered at Khorsabad by M. Bottaas well from
the elaborate detail of the scuptueshat they Of very
remote antiquity possibly of the earliest period of the first
Aspan Amnire. Whether however, admit this not
there can he question that these dai
the time Of Sennacherb whose predecessors had made such
extensive conques and who, during the reign Of Hezekiah
invaded Jerusalem for the terrible calames which followed
that event. and the total dsmenbement of the Assyran
pire which took place few yeas AFTER could not have al
lowed sufficient time to accomplish uch magnificent works
these attest We may, therefore, regard the
sculptures question undoubed evidences of that primitive
civilization of the human OF which we have such an album
dant proof in the books Of the Old Testament
sThe walls of the palace Nimroud from which these
works of taken, like those of khorsabad
posed of unburn brick clay ncrued with slabs Of marble
original height of the slabs cannot be asceaned present.
because Mr. Layard has off the accompanying inscriptions
in order 10 render them portable Each slab firmly
secured that above and below by three plugs OF brass
wood and that each side by wedgeshaped cramps like
those used in the structures Of ancient Egypt.
The significant and important decorations OF these ancient
palaces have been arranged horizontal compart
ments alternately filled with sculpture and with the cunel
form character Of Assyra SO that each wall presented as
were an illuminated page of the history of the country or
properly record of the prowess and achievements of
the monarch both and the chase, written in the
nacuar of Nneveh and in the universal language OF art
Nine the bassev record the acts OF the same monarch
and have therefore endeavoed to adopt that arrangement
in my description, which the subjects themselves seem TO
warrant. +.
"The first rievo represents the attack of fortified city.
The king accompanied by his bodyguard carrying his
and attended by single eunuch all foot directs his
against city, The clothed in surcoas reach
ing midway down the legs Each has round shield upon
his left arm which he holds appraised to protect the sovereign
from the shafts of the enemy The one behind the King has
culver of arrows and sword by his de He holds two
arrows in his right hand for the kings whilst the guard
behind him bears the kings aven and is without sword
culver Both guards sandals and conica caps upon
their heads The kings dress consists of long iobe richly
fringed with shorter unc closing down the 'front.' and bor
dered and frnged Two cords, knoed together and with
tasses TO EACH are suspended from the gde in which he
wears two daggers with sword his left side. He has
second arrow in his hand besides the which he in the
act of dchargng from his bow. He wearsa cap like un.
Gated cone with point at the resembling that on
the head the parsonage represented IN the sculpture at Nahr
ell Kab on the lower portion Of which att, however,
three rosetcs-Whsess in the present sculpture, plain and
se passss oona and aed behind with Ions
rbands EARRINGS and bracelets worn BY a somstnes
distinguished by hreelobed termination, sometimes consist
iny Of rings with broad pendants Those OF the kng how
ever are longer than and different in form from the ohe
The bracelets the kings wrist conspicuous from the
rose,es whilst those on the of the guard simple
massive rings The eunuch is habted in robe down to his
feet and nged the bottom and has sash round his waist
over which the belt of his sword buckled Tn his LEFT side
are bow and culver Of arrows and In his right hand an
implement like stick, with rosette ornament al one and
loon at the oher-pobably whip. II IS remarkable In all
the SCULPTURES that the personal attendants of the king whether
his eunuch his bearded guard carry this instrument which
resembles the handle of whip; but in no case Is thong at
tached Possibly it is carried emblem OF sovereign
power as the present day the governor OF province al
ways accompanied by the bearer of the hOrbafh The
eunuchs head is uncovered, and his hair formally cured
He has earrings and bracelets bat wears no sandals liz
garments well those of the king, are deliberately EN-
broered and nged Immediately before the king castle
formed Of wckerwork protected in front by curved projections
of some less fragile material This structure which runs on
wheels is high the walls Of the beseged town. both
upper and lower have three oohoes Tor the discharge
Of and other missiles The upper tower contains sol
de bearing square wicker Shields and armed with bows and
arrows and One soldier sdischagng arrow under
the cover of his companion wicke shield while the latter is
throwing stone. The wicker engine likewise carries with i
the strokes of which have taken effect upon the
walls OF the town, as may De perceived Dy tue oseeu u
falling stones The embated walls Of the city have at inter-
walls lofty The entrance the city BY an arched
gateway opening with two valves and protected by tower
ON each side There oophoes and windows both IN the
towers and in the walls above the gateway The defenders
posted on the walls 1.-TWO in each tower are dschargng
arrows with which their quvers, sung their shoulders
are well stocked and they also the square wicker shield
The beeged distinguished in their costume from the be-
segers by the head dress for instead Of the cap they wear
fe round their heads resembling that worn by people
represented on the Egyptian monuments In the 'front.' OF the
defenders elder Of the city, who holds his sackened bow
in his left hand and appears, by hs right to be endeavong
to obtain parley He is closing by bringing the iour I'M
gers and thumb ogetheran action still IN use IN the East
cnon prudence, consideration and invariably accompanied
by word implying patience.
"The rievo represents the chariot OF the KING drawn
by three horses In front of the chariot the kings groom
and in the chariot itself the chaoeer holding the rens
having whip in his right hand He IS clothed In tunc
with sash and belt round his waist and sword by his side
but has no covering his head or bracelets his Th
head Of the groom likewise uncovered and his hair eabo
ratey curled He clothed in tune down 10 his knees
bodeed and fringed, has belt round MS waist sword sus
pended from bis shoulders, and sandals on his feet Thu
chariot closely resembles the Egyptian 10 the sides are at
ached crossing each ohe two quvcrs fu OF arrows Eac
culver contains small bow, and is likewise furnished with
hachet Proceeding from the front oil the chariot,
between the horses is richly embroidered appendage-ap
parenty the bow case The bosed shield of the king pac
ed Mt the back of the chariot serving tor further security,
in front is the brass or iron bar fixed to the POLE in tn
charios of Egypt The spear inserted behind the charo
in place appointed for it, decorated with human head
The harness and appngs Of the horses precisely like tn
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