The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1872-04-19

Much interest has lately been excit.
ell by the discoveries of Mr.. Layaid,
the enterprising explorer Of Assyrian
antiquities. The most remarkable re.
suits have rewarded his sagaciOlls and
peneyering researches. Along the II
girls, for many miles, lie a succession
OF vast mounds, which have long beer
considered rs the remains oftle mighty
city of NiReveh. SO great Is the ex-
tent Of these ruins that it renders In.
telligible the account Of the prophet
Jonah. who proceeded s'into, the city
o days journey" before commencing
his fearful mission.
At Konyenjik and Mt Nimrod,
Whose very name seems to recall the
founder Of the Assyrian empirc) the
most interesting discoveries repaid the
zeal of the antiquarian. At the lattei
place. the remains Of heavy dam,
built of heavy masonry. still obstructs
the river, and the tradition of the ma
tives still ascribes Its construction To
Nilnrod. Having commenced his ex-
cayationS, the labors of Mr.. Layaltl
were soon rewarded by the discovery
and examination of an enormous wing
edlyon. with a human head. sculptur-
ed in alabaster. 1T was IN admirable
preservation. The expression was
calm. yet majestic, and the outline OF
the features showed freedom and
knowledge Of art scarcely to be looked
for in the works ofso remote period,
| | was not surprised that the Arabs had
been amazed and terrified at this ap-
partition. 1t required no stretch ofim-
agination to e0niue up the most
strange f,ncies. This gigantic head,
blanched with age. thus rising from
the bowels of tile earth, might well
have belonged to one of those fearful
beings which are pictured in the tradi-
tioiIs of the country as appearing to
mortals, slowly ascending from the
regions below"
As the work was steadily pursued,
twenty-eight halls and galleries, filed
with the wonderful remains of this
strange species of civilization, Were
gradually brought to light. The dis
COveler was soOn able ''to behold
chamber after chamber, hall after hall.
unfold themselves, as it Were, from
the bosom of the earth, and assume
shape. Dimensions, height to watch
the reliefs which line the walls gradu-
ally disclosing their forms. As the
rubbish cleared away, the siege and
the battle and the hunting piece be-
coming more and more distinct; and
the king wearing more manifestly bis
lofty tiara, and displaying his undo,lbt-
ed symbol Of royalty; the attitude Of
the priest proclaiming his office, some
times his form and features. his imper-
feet and etfeminate manhood; the
walls Of the besieged cities rearing their
battleInents, the combatants gnppling
In mortal struggle; the horses carwt'
ing; the long procession stretching
out, slab after slab, with the trophies
Of victory Or the offering of devotion !;
above all, the huge symbolic animals,
the bulls or lions, sometimes slowly
struggling into light in their natural
forms, sometimes developing in their
human heads, their outspread wings;
their downward parts-in their gigan-
tic but just propOrtiOns-heaving Oft,
as it might seem the encu'nbering
earfh."
Many of the walls were painted in
dazzling colors, and everywhere stat
ues, reliefs and symbolic ornaments
met the eye. The entire construction
and arrangement of an ancient Assy-
rian palace were disclosed. ''TlTee
great edifces of different periods,
adorned by sculptures OF different
characters at the northwestern
corner, one in the center and one to
the soutlleast-rcyealed to the light Of
day the Nineveh perhaps of Minus and
Semiramis, ofShalmaaser and Senache-
rib. Of Esarhaddon and SardanapaI,ls.
Many curious and elaborately carved
ornaments of ivory were found i'll a
tolerable state Of preservation and, by
q peculiar process, were restored to
their former condition. Long inscrip-
tions, explanatory oftlie variousevents
recorded in stone, have been carefully
copied and engage the attention Of an
Nuuarians. The list of a succession Of
kings has been detected by Mr.. lay
ard; and in his more recent excava-
tion, a chamber has been discovered.
in which tablets OF terra Gotta, covered
with inscriptions, were piled in great |
numbers. 1t is confidently hoped that
the history of a large portion of man
kind. which for many ages had appar-
emily persisted, may thus be recovered.
and especially that the great chasm in
AsSyrian events, which has so long
puzzled historians, may be filled up.
A most remarkable correspondence |
has been discovered between these
sculptured representations and those |
Oh the monuments Of Egypt, so long |
the only rival capable OF competing |
with Assyria. In each, the battles,
spoils and trophies from foreign ma
ions, are minutely represented. In
zach may be found sculptllred the
presentation ofheads to the victorious
monarch, and a scribe carefully enrol
ing the number.
Apparently the most ancient monu-
nent yet discovered in Nineveh Is an
'belisk of black marble, on which are
figures Of the elephant, the
and a tribe Of monkeys; |
hus folvibly carrying hack the mind
o the time Of Sclniranlis, aud to her
Eastern trophies, or perhaps those of
Ter SUCCESSORS.
The vast mounds from which these
md many other objects of Interest !
ave been rescued, are composed Of
he deCayed masses ofhrick which form
d the principal building material Of