Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-08-06

archologis For the present. emitting all reference 10
Mr. Layards researches in settling the route pursued by
thousand Greeks and passing by his observations
on the moral social and political condition Of the pre-
sent inhabitants Of these countries shall proceed at
once take hurried glimpse o. his more important ex
plorations in Assyrian antiquities.
On the morning after the arrival Of Mr. Layarl and his
party at Mosu he rode Kouyunjik the mound of
Nineve remains in which during his absence excavations
had been carried by Mr. Ross and Mr. Rassam, names
familiar the readers Of Mr. Layards former volume.
The walls Of the two additional chambers had been laid
bare belonging to the palace already entered
On these walls were depicted basreefs representing As
syrian conquess and the siege Of city Arrangements
were Immediately made for prosecuting the excavations
with renewed energy and dispatch the mounds both Of
Kouyunjik and Nmroud. Several apartments OF the
same grand palace excayatei at Kouyunjik,
the'mouni opposite Mosul. The walls completely
covered With elaborate and finished sculptures and
in the centre Of each side Of what have been
grand hall portal Of entrance guarded by colossal
human-headed bulls These sculptures like similar
found or Egyptian monuments represent the tranporta
ton Of great stones the erection of winged hus the in
yasion Of mountainous country, the sack Of city, &C.
On these winged bulls found epgraphs recording not
only historical events but the in which the ed
fee itself vas erected The King represented super
intending the building is found to be Sennacherib One
inscription, according to Dr. Hincks reads as follows
"Sennacherb, King OF Assyra, object not
yet made out wood, which from the Tgris caused to
be brought up the Khasri boats caused to be car
ried.n
The of the river Khasr in this inscription very
nearly corresponds with that Of the small which
sweeps round the foot Of the great mound Of Kouyunk
and the actual position Of this stream called KLAUS
will, reference the Tgsis found exactly to
respond with sculpture aeIineated Of the pa
lace walls That Sennacherib is the King thus depicted
and that the palace thus in process Of excavation was
reared BY him, facts regarded by Mr. Layar
| tied beyond all dispute
We have time this connection to relate the pro-
cess BY which clue has been discovered the reading
Of cuneiform characters Doubts Of still remain
IN the minds Of some to the reliability Of these attempts
at decyphering the old Assyran inscriptions. But, as
Mr.. Layart remarks, the unbiased inquirer can scarcely
reject the evidence which be brought forward
confirm the general accuracy Of these interpretations
Had they rested upon single word isolated para
graph, their soundness might reasonably been ques
toned when, however several independent inyestiga
tors have arrived the results and have only
detected numerous Of persons nations and cities
in historical AID geographical SERIES but have found them
mentioned in proper connection with recorded by
sacred and prefane writers scarcely any stronger evil
dence could be desired II the last chapter Of the pre-
sent volume Mr.. Layard has presented with summs
~ Of these investigations and processes by which
they have been traced present results The learned
abors Of Col Rawlinson and Dr. Hncks in England and
Of NJ de Saucy On the continent, are worthy of special
mention There is every prospect Of our being able
long" says Mr Laya-d, ascertain the general con-
Of nearly every Asyran record" The Babylonian
column Of the Bsutua inscription, which is thought to
be the Rosetta Of the cuneorm character has been
recently published By Col RaSnson, and by the aid Of
this " Invaluable key scholars enabled carry
on their Investigations upon grounds.
The continued explorations kouypniik and Nnroud
led to discoveries Of the greatest Importance at both
mounds The grand entrance to the palace Of SIENNA
cherib brought to light his being found all
the inscriptions. Among these records find the
Of Sargon, spoken Of in the Goth chapter of Isaiah as
the King Of Assyra ProfaEe history has preserved no
record Of his existence reign but 6ad from these
epgraps that he other than the father Of SIENNA
cheris thus furnishing confirmation Of the accuracy
Scripture history surprising as il is irrefragabe In
another passage though il il somewhat defaeed have
u the invasion OF udea by Seunacherib which
is found il the named both sides and in is in
edents, correspond exactly single item east
y accounted for with that described in the Book Of Kings
having actually occurred during the reign Of Hezekiah
Mr. Layard proaounces these independent accounts Of
the same event as one Of the remarkable conoi-
dences Of historic testimony record" We value the
discovery Of this coincidence for quite different reason
4
does not need confirmation It's internal evidence out
weighs all tie testimony Of human science fact; or dis
coyery though these cumulative proofs are not to he
dessed Bat the accuracy Of the AssyraD records does
need confirmation, and when ind them verified By the
sacred narrative in this single instance in which we
are nisputaby authorized 10 check their statements by
coatng them with the contemporary history Of the He
brew chronicer justified in attaching the greater
confidence to the general truth f these CD Assyrian
documents in stone The capture q saeAisb recorded
in the Old Testament i also found depicted in bas-reefs
and described in & tie inscriptions the evidence be-
ing ss whole 81 the most remarkable character TO
confirm the Interpretation u the spraphs and 70 lsn-
tfy the King who caused them tc engraved with the
Sennacherb Of the Scripture Tie inscription in cune
form characters follows Seuuacherb the
mighty King King Of tie country o. Asyra sitting on tie
throne Of judgment before the city of Laksha Lachsh
Of Scripture gave permission for It's Slaughter In
the picture which this epgraphis attached elpyes are
represented undoubtedly Jewish ia their Yysiognomy"
They obese las.rcefs furnish Us says Nj Llyard
" with Illustrations q the Bible Of very great impor
lance We beg = adj also that they furnish US very
decisive evidence :, tie accuracy and tru,hfanes with
which the Assyrln Kings have recorded their acts and
conquests.
oher corroboraye ey lence ire identity Of the
King who bull; the palace Kouyunik with Sennacherib
scarcely less remarkable than that already gwen found
in the discovery q large number q pieces Of Gne clay
bearing the distinct impression of seals, which there Is
10 doubt had beeu originally asked ike modern official
eeale If wa-