The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-08-24

covered, though many trenches were
sunk. 1t became apparent that, in ac-
cordance with the statement in the AS
syrian inscriptions, all that had existed
on the great acropolis had been thrown
down into the lower city; and when ex-
plorations were commenced at the foot
of the great mound many statues were
found.
The excavations which were made at
this spot brought to light long COR
ridor, along the walls of which on either
side there had been ranged series of
sculptured bas-reliefs. The portion of
this chamber uncovered was about 60
feet long and 90 feet wide, but remains
of only the west wall were found, the
other wall having been almost entirely
destroyed. At the end of this chamber,
or corridor, we find doorway and a
flight of two steps, leading in the direc-
ton of the palace mound. The sculptures
which were found in this excavation
were in some cases found IN situ stand
ing on their plinths; but in most cases
they had been thrown down and pur-
posely broken. In the trench we see the
remains which have been uncovered,
and they resemble and differ from works
which have hitherto been recovered from
the buried cities, and show that we have
here monuments which will add new
chapter to Western Asiatic archaeology.
The first sculpture to which we will re-
fer is carved on large block of lime
stone, now unfortunately broken into two
portions. 1t represents scene connected
with the worship of the Hituite goddess,
the patroness of the city of Carchemish.
This is probably the goddess Astartha.
of the land of the Kheta, who is invoked
in the Treaty of Peace concluded be-
tween Rameses II and the Hittite king
-(Brugsch, "Hist, E egypt" II, p: AZ,
and whom in after time we find wor-
SHIPPED as the mother goddess Atargatis,
or Dorketo of the Romans in Syria. Few
statues which have been recovered from
the ruins of buried cities are more i'm
portant than this one as it is evident
that we have here most typical repre-
sentation of the goddess whose worship
spread from Babylon over the whole Of
Western Asia, from the Persian Gulf to
the Isles of the Egean. The figure here
represents the goddess as nude, standing
full face to the worshiper. This shows
that the type was of Babylonian, not
Assyrian origin; as rarely in Assyrian
art is full face represented. The hands
support 1.-TWO full breasts" thus showing
the maternal character of the goddess.
From the sides of the head fall two long
locks, which hang over the breasts, and
upon the arms are bracelets. Upon the
head is lofty conical head-dress, the
brim OF which is turned upward into two
horned peaks, and the apex is crowned
by a crescent. These are the main fea-
lures of this interesting sculpture and
they furnish many important facts. The
crescent moon which surmounts the head
dress connects this goddess with the
Astaroth Karnaim (Gen. XIV whose wor-
ship was established in Syria at an early
period, and with the Assyrian moon god
dess, Istar, the Phenician Astarte. SINH
larly, the long locks which occur show
connection with the Zidonian Astaroth
q Kings xi: 33) and with the Cyprian
Venus, of whom SO many statues were
found by Gen. Di Cesnola, in Cyprus;
while the leaden idol found by Dr.
Schliemann is the third or "burnt city"
at Hissarl:k exhibits remarkable re.
semblance to this interesting figure. The
full breasts show that we have here a.
goddess having similar maternal attri-
butes to the Babylonian Mana, and the
later Ziratbanet the Succoth- benoth of
the Scriptures III Kings xvii: 3O), and
evidently the type of the many bre asted"
(potumaStoS) Ephesian Artemis, the great
" Diana of Ephesians" (Acts xix: 28).
Indeed, it will be shown that all the
symbolism connected with the Ephesian
goddess was of Hittite origin and prev
alent in Carchemish, and that the guild
of the silyersmiths" were relic Of the
old clan of "silver-loving" Hittites who
settled at Ephesus. But with this shall
treat when dealing with the Hittite EN-
pire, In future communication. The
figure of the priestess, who is Offering
some object Unfortunately lost by a
fracture in the stone) to the goddess, is
represented as clad in long robe, in
some degree resembling "the overall"
worn by Arab women. Round the waist
is curious cord girdle. This, no doubt,
is the sacred cincture worn by those who
dedicated themselves to the worship of
the goddess, and is, evidently, the corded
girdle referred to by Baruch in the
Epistle of Jeremy (chap. vi: 49,: "The
women, with cords about them, sit in the
way and burn bran for perfume" A
similar statement as to the worship of
This ooddaua 10 m OF With -, +bo ,,,ou1ro . r