The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1853-07-16
From the Literary Gazette.
Ancient Bablon,

lTs RuiNs.-lt may be kncwn to many of our
readers that the Fresch government has employ
ed party of gentlemen to explore the site vi
ancient Baby lon From report last received from
them it, appears that they have ascertsincd.
beyoGnd reasonable doubt, that the runs beneath
Il turuIous called the kasr, ale those Of the mar
vellOus palace citadel of SemIramIs and Nebu.
chsdn.Ezar. They are in such state OF confusion
ard decay, that It is impossible to form from
them any idea Of tue extent or character of the
sd'hcc They appear, however, to extend be.
peath the bed Of the Euphrates, a circumstance
accounted for by the change in the coLse Of that
river. In them have been found, sarcoplayi, of
clumsy execution and strange form and SO small
that The bodies OF the dead must have been pack
Cd Up IN th,m, the chin touching the knees and
tle arms beng pressed to the breast by the legs.
lnrse sarcophapi have every appearance ofhav-
ing been used for the lowest class of society; but
Notwithstanding the place in which they were
.ouns the dscoverers are inclined to think that
4 they sraof Parihian, not Chaldean origin.
| 1heie have also beon found numerous frag-
nrnts Of men and animals, together with cunei-
form inscriptions, the latter white in color OH
blue ground
/ According to N. Fresnel, the chief Of tho ex.
pedtlon, these brick afford strong proof that
the ruus are those Of the palace Of Nebuchad-
pear to be sporting subjects. sseh us described
by Cteslas and Dlodous. The foundations have
been dug down 10 to- in certain parts it has been
ascertained that they are formed Of bricks about
d loot -guare, united by strong cement, and that
they are IN blocks, As If they had been snapped
IN 81! diItclons. In u tumulus called Amran. to
the soutb Of kasr, mteresiin. discoveries have
also been rnsds They pppesr to be the iuins Of
The dependencies Of The palace situated on the
left bank of te Euphratts; and they contain
numerous saIs0hagh i" which were found skel-
etGns cloheeSif a sort Of armor, aud wearing
crowns Of gold on their heads When touched
the skeletons with the exception OF some parts
of the skull fell into duet bnt the iron though
rusty, aud the gold vi the crowns are in fair
state Of preservation.
NJ. Frrsne thinks that the dead in the sarcc-
phagi were some of the soldiers Of Alexander or
SeIeuous. The crowns are simple bands, with
three leaves in the shape of laurel on on side,
aud thee Oh the other. The leaves srevery neat
ly execated. Beneath the bands are leaves OF
gold, which il is supposed covered the eyes. From
the quantity Of iron found in some of the cCffins
| it appears that the bodies ale entirely enveloped
in il and in one there is no iron bu; some ear.
rings, proof that it was occupied by female
The sarcophag are about two and three quarter
yards in with, and are entirely formed Of bricks
and united by morter. In addition to all this, q
tsm5 containing statuettes in marble or alabas.
ter OF Juno, Venus, and Of a recling figure wear
ins Phrugan cap, together with some rings,
ear rings, and other ariiCled of jewelry has been
found, M have also numerous statuettes, vases.
phlas, articles of pottery, black..tonss, &c, OF
Greek, Persian, or Chaldean workmanship.