The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1893-03-16

making sort Of protecting shelf. he
! rodotus, the father Of the history, takes
notice of this oddly Of structure when he
writes of tie great and famous walls OF
BABYLON. From this circumstance We
NAV infer that these walls we're in pait
composed OF sun-dricd brick. The long
| rows of darkened mating must have CIV
en- striking effect to the structure when
viewed from short distance. 1t was
quite similar to the coursing of dark ltal-
ian marble so affected in the modern Byz-
antine style.
The Chaldean style of architecture, if
it can he so called, is rude, seldom out
growing the plan rectangular form. The
walls are usually drawn in slightly to-
wards the top, thereby giving slightly
Egyptian look to their buildings. AS arulc
the walls are buttresscd in massive man
ner. In construction, there were used
two kinds Of cement to correspond TO tue
two kinds Of brick. A mixture of clay or
mud and chopped siraws was used for the
sun dried brick, while for those that were
kiln-burncd, bitumen. was used. This
bitumen amounts what we commonly call
asphaltum, and its work to-day so firmly
that often the brick themselves are broken
before the cement will give way. These
structures are as rule devoid Of orna-
mentation. An attempt has been made to
break the monotonous effect of the blank
walls by arranging the supporting but
tresses with some regard to order; but be-
yond this the only ornament consists OF a
terra Gotta cone, which is imbedded i'll
large numbers in mud or plaster. These
when arranged in n variety of patterns,
and probably colored, were after all not
bad ornament in the low plain land. The
walls themselves as Il rule are vastly thick,
and the chambers long and narrow. One
odd thing is noticed, and that is the lack
of passage between the chambers, each
room opening directly into the next one.
One of the most interesting ways in
which clay was used by these old people
was in connection with their buriaIs; and
if there is any significance i'll The remains
So far found, the rites of the gave must
have been considered Of the most inpor-
tant meaning to the race. AT "arka, tor
instance. the dead are to be found to the
depth of nearly sixty feet in the earth, tier
upon tier, and extcding away from the
CITY in all directions for miles. Its be-
lieved that this city was held in particular
reverence, after the manners i'll which the
followers of Nahomct regarded the holy
cities of Arabia, and that the bodies so
abundantly found were brought from far
and near for special interment. The burl-
al vaults as rule are made OF brck, ana
are about seven feet long five feet high.
At the boetom they are about three and
one-half feet wide, but grow wider as IT
approaches the top, which is arched by
the overlapping Of the brick until they
meet near enough to be covered by one
brick alone. The floors of these tombs
are carefully paved. mating ofreeds
is first placed on the floor, the body is
rested unon the left side with the head
pillowed upon broad brick.
There were, however, two other ways of
burial, that were, to say the least unique
one was i'm what are known as collins, and
the other in jars. The collins are made OF
clay, and of the peculiar form described.
A platform of brick was first made and
upon it placed n reed mating. Upon this
mat was placed the hody and over this a
huge cover or lid was placed. This cover
is about seven bytwo and one-lIalf feet,
and three feet high The top is marked
in sort of grid iron pattern. This cover
is securely ccmentcd to the platform. The
inside is always plain, but sometimes the
outside is ornnmentcd by angular linden
tatons.
The lars are two and one-half feet long
by two feet in diameter. The body is
somewhat bent in inserting it into the
lars. sometimes one Jar is trille smaller
in diameter, so that it can be inserted
info the Other. and then sealed with btu
men, as they always are. An air hole is
always left in one end for the escape OF
gas formed by decomposition. 4
Most interesting specimens of pottery
have also been found. Some of ii shows
skill of no ordinary kind and quite a'sersc
Of beauty is developed; but on Che whole
utility is the chief object in she pottery,
and to accomplish this, other qualities
AFRO sacrificed. OF two vases examined,
mother arc of remarkable form, but they.
fell TO the student very much. One Oh
them is much ruder III its making than
thc other. which means that one WAS made
Inv hand. while the other shows signs OF
fine potters wheel. Tie presence OF
r,ax. also indicates advance in the pot
ier's art.
Perhaps, however. the most interesting
use the Chaldeans made Of clay, was as a
writing material. Two forms of clay was
moulded for this purpose. the brick ana
the tablet. The former was reserved for
the use Of royalty, while the tablets were
of EVERYDAY convenience. The writings
o;rorr, which some scholars