The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-02-07
THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

Recent Explorations in Nineveh In COnnecs
ton with Jewish History.
A regular monthly meeting Of the Historical
Society was held last evening at the Society build
ing, corner Of Second avenue and Eleventh street.
The Interesting feature OF the evening was a
paper read By James W. Gerard Jr., on the "Re-
cent Explorations In Uneven In Connection with
Jewish History" sketch was first given
OF the general geography and early history Of
the Mesopotamian region, and the successive
establishments OF the Kingdoms OF Babylon and
Assyria the predomnance Of the latter the great
empire Of the East and the gradual extension Of lta
power over all the civilized world UNTIL In Its turn
overcome by the Babylonians, assisted 10y the Modes
and other tribes formerly tributary to the Assyran
power The contrast between the former magnin-
of Uneven, the ''city OF three days Journey"
and the once great capital OF the Assyran empire,
and Its present state, was then vividy uescribed-
The lecturer then took up the subject or recent
taken by Messrs. Botta, Rawlinson, Layard and
others under the direction OF The French govern
der these explorations and the subsequent decy,
phertng OF the Inscriptions BY the ingenuity OF
British anu French phiioIogsts the speaker stated
hidden mystere, OF this buried empire; the
mounds that now rise In solitary grandeur
OF buried nationality, are now being excavated by
the hand OF earnest sciences the seal OF q con-
centuries is broken; the dumb ruins begin to shake
OF the dust OF ages ana to speak their secrets into
the wondering ear or modern civilization and
reveal the story OF their hidden wonders and past
gores. They give sad token OF the Meeting nature
OF human grandeur. and bear solemn testimony
and corr0b0ration or the truth oil the in-s
splred writings that are the foundations OF the
Christian faith. Reference was then made to the
various objects OF art and luxury discovered among
the runs as well as those depicted on the sculp7
lures, showing that the Assyrans were great and
Luxurious people; that most or the useful arts not
only existed among them, but were cultivated 70
the highest pitch, and that In metallurgy, dresss
furniture ewelry, architecture, &C., they were not
much behind the moderns A detailed scCoe n
was given OF the successive excavatlons 81 .ne
mounds az Nmroud, koJunJik. kn0rsaoaa ?n0
other places on the east bank Of the Ilgrs. ~ sn6
vicinity OF the modern Mosuls and Oh the COLOSSAL
human headed winged bulls and sphlnxes ana Ala
baster slabs and clay cylinders discovered there and
tra nsported TO the European museums. Tnese, l6
Was shown had been the subject OF earnest ecien-,
tc invesgatiOn, aud the INSCRIPTIONS on them sue
ceasfuliv interpreted showing they contained most
vaIuable historical matter-am0ng other things the
annals OF the diferent kings the national archives,
and ALSO chronological and historical statistics con-
nected with cOntemporane0us nations Interesting
information was then given with reference TO the
connection OF tho AssJrians under their various
kings. ..o. =. 49, -,
Destruction Of Nineveh by the Modes and Babyloni
ans, and quotations from prepneucal writing pre-
dieting its doom.