Daily Los Angeles herald., 1879-08-23
International CSickes Match.
THE TOMB OF JONAH.
A Highly Interesting Historical Locality.

From the London Athnaeuml
The second Assyrian expedition
which Mr.. Raseam has undertaken
for the Trustees of the British Mu.
scum has now terminated by the
return of Mr.. Rassam to England,
and the results which have been
obtained will be found to be of the
most valuable character. Mr..
Rassam was, in the short space of
time which he was able to devote
to the work, able to explore more
or less completely the sites of the
Assyrian cities of Ninevah, Calah,
Assur and the Babylonian cities of
Babylon, Borsippa (Birs Nimrud)
and Tergul (Tel HOY. as well as to
make slight examination of a
number of smaller sites, which he
passed en- route In his journey. On
the site of Ninevah he was able in
this expedition to penetrate into a
mound which had long been closed
to all explorers, the Nebby Yunus,
or tomb of Jonah. This mound
is crowned by mosque, and the
land is the property of religious
corporation, but owing to his inti-
mate acquaintance with the people
of the village, Mr.. Rassam was able
to obtain leave to excavate In the
mound. Here he found remains
of palace erected by Sehnacherib.
and possibly extended by Essarhad-
don, his son. The inscription of
the latter king from this site gives
him the title of King of the Kings
of Cush (Ethiopia) and Muzri
(Egypt), which proves that the ed
ilice was erected late in his reign,
after his conquest of Egypt, in 66S
b. G. This exploration of the two
palaces on the Koyunlik Mound
that ia, those of Sennacherib and
A Assurbanipal-has been continued,
and large number of Inscriptions
obtained. The Temple of Venus,
on the Mound of Nimrud, which
was discovered during the last ex-
pedltion, was thoroughly explored,
and one of the seats OF the priests
brought to England. On account
of the great opposition met with in
the former explorations, no at
tempt Was this time made to eX-
plore the Mound of Balawat, which
had proved so prolific in 1877.
A short visit was paid to the
mounds of Kileh Sherget, which
mark the site Of the ancient city Of
Assur, the metropolis of Assyria.
These vast ruins have never yet re-
ceived the thorough exploration
they deserve, and yet here we
might find, as Mr.. Rassam has
proved by the recovery of an ex-
tremely early brick legend the
earliest record of the Assyrian EN-
pire. The explorations in Assyria
have not this year furnished any
such piece de resistance as the
Balawat gates, but they have pro-
duced much that Is valuable for the
study of Assyrlan history and topo-
graphy, and among the thousands
of Inscriptions obtained, we may
expect much new matter. In this
expedition Mr.. Rassam extended
his operations into the fields of
Babylonia, and his explorations of
the ruins of Babylon have clearly
proved the rich nature Of the treas
ures which lie beneath its ruins.
His explorations on the Mujelibi
have proved that it was from this
mound that the famous collection
of the Egibi tablets came, and the
close relation of the edifice where
they were found to the royal pal
ace proves beyond doubt that they
were the Imperial Chancellors of
the Exchequer of the Kings of
Babylon.
Mr.. Rassam's excavations on the
Mujelibi mound have proved that
this is the site of the famous hang
ing gardens, for in its ruins he
found wells, aqueducts Ond ponder
GUS masses of stone, all proving
that the building had been erected,
as the Greek writers say, to initiate
mountain scenery. The stone used
was a black basalt, which Is found
only in the Armenian Hills, ant
the immense masses must have
been fioated down the river. In 9
mound to the south of the mass o
the city ruins, called Jumjuma
Mr.. Rassam discovered the remains
of rich hall or palace, with col
umns composed of enamelled brick
and mosaic. The cornices were o
painted bricks, aud the roof OF rich
Indian black wood. From the posi-
ton of this palace or banquetinl
hall it would appear to have beer
situated on the bank of the river
and was probably the site of thu
state festivals and banquets. Thu
inscriptions found there prove th'
edifice to have been erected ther'
by NebuchadneZzar, and probably
beautified by his successors. Thu
able explorer also commenced |
series of excavations In the mount
of the Birs- Nimrud-a building
which has been considered by man!
to represent the Tower of Babel
In this mound Mr.. Rassam fount
the remains Of several richly dec
GRATED chambers. Ih these edIfioes
both at Babylon and the BIr
Nimrud, M. Rassam found tha
the mode of decoration wa
by painting on enamelled brick
and plaster walls, covered witt
painted deslgus; no traces wer'
found of the sculptured slabs sucl
as adorn the Assyrian palaces
Some two years ago an interesting
quantity of relics were found on th
site of an ancient ChaIdean cit.
near the Shal ELLIE. Mr.. Rasssn
therefore extended his operation
so far south as to visit this site
This mound is called Tel Hie
Here Mr.. Rassam carried on shor
series of explorations, and he dis
covered number of interesting
relics of the ancient city OF whicl