Evening star., 1901-02-02

koldewey. states that the court of the
temple, containing well, is surrounded by
rooms "hch are shut off by doors from
the court and show interesting mural or
nameEtatioHs. In the court and rooms there
Is double tile pavement with a space OF
SIX ana a half feet between the two pave
merits.
In this peculiar store chamber a great
number of inscribed clay tablets have been
discovered, bearing the names of the work
men and the wages paid to those engaged
IN building the temple. These pay rolls
are dated. giving day. month and year of
the reign of Nebuchadnezzar and E.vil-Mero-
dach. From this it is evident that the con-
struc'lon OF the building began during the
regh or NebuchadnezZar and was merely
completed by Assurbanipal, or Sardana
palus, as the Greeks called him.
Mighty King.
A cylinder found in this temple has been
translated by DR.. Meissner, the Assyriolo-
g-st OF the expedition and reads as fol-
lows: Assur-bani-pal, the great king. the
mighty king, the king of the world, the
king of Assyr;a. the king of the four ends
OF the earth. the king of kings. the peer
less prince. who rules from the upper sea
to the lower sea. and treads ali lower kings
beneath his feet. the son of Asarhaddon, If
the great king. Of the mighty king of the
king Of the world. Of the king of Assyria,
of the lord of Babel. the king of Sumer and
Akkad: grandson Of Sanher.b. the mighty
king. king of the world. king of Assyria
am |. l completed the build ng of Esagila,
which my father. my begetter did not fin
ish, and the gifts for offerings of Esq Ia
and for the divinities of Babel ! eStablishe
well. and the government of Babei made
firm. So that power might not harm the
weak. ! have intrusted the dominion OF
Babel to my beloved brother, Shamas-sun-
ukin. AT the same time l established
Mach. in the midst of Babel Do thou. o
sublime Nin-Mach. look down with favor
upon my pious deeds and daily beseech my
prosperity before Bel and Belt. Set life
Of many days as my fate and make my
domin on firm as heaven and earth. And as
to my dear brother. Shamas-sun-ukin King
of Babel, grant that his days may be long
and that he may be satisfied with many
Successors. Whoever craftily grasses my
name or the name OF my dear brother. 9r
breaks my inscription, changes its place.
may Min Mach impiore m sfortune for him
before Bel and Be it and wipe out his name
and his seed from the land
Excavatins In Babylon.
It has been proven in the course of the
excavations that the site of this temple
really lies in the suburbs of the city. and
1t was supposed that mound called Am
ran by the Arabs. covered the chief Baby
lonian ruins. Excavations are now pro-
ceeding rapidly at this point, and already
some of the ancient ruins are being brought
to light.
Deep down In this mound II Is eXpac. cd
that the palace of NcbuchadnezZar will be
/ found, and here. too, must be those mar
velous hanging gardens, one of the wonders
/ of the world. A large canal. used for
bringing the water from the Euphra eS.
probably for watering these gardens and
called Libil. has been found, and within a
short time 1t is probable that the very
arches upon which the gardens were plant
ed will come to light They We're not
actually hanging gardens. but rather ele-
tsata cd cd "
| five feet high, and extending five hundred
| feet In every direction, but covered with so
| deep soil that the largest trees grew
there
From a distance these gardens seemed to
| hang in the air. hence the name. But 1t
was necessary to water these artificial lay
ers of earth, and the water of the El-
pirates was brought over in canals and
| raised to the proper height by some method
not yet clear. but soon to be explained by
| the discovery of the gardens themselves
Valuable Relics.
1t is in this more ancient part of the city
| that large amount of Babylonian and As
| syrian remains have come to light, consist
! ing not only of ancient walls. but also of
many cylinders inscribed in cuneiform char
acters numerous ornaments and votive fig
ures besides a building, the top story Of
which contains stamped bricks of the time
/ of NebuchadneZzar. The lower portion
must be much older. but it Is only now be-
! ing uncovered. Here. too. have been found
/ upon some of the seal cylinders. pictures OF
the god of thunder and lightning Hadad
! much like that of the Hittite deity; and one
! Of Marduk. a chief deity In the Baby
/ lcnian pantheon.
The representation of Marduk Is of espe-
! ciaI interest. because here he stands In all
: his glory. with "wide-open'' eyes and ears
: the symbol OF omnlscience, and with a pow-
erful right arm. the symbol Of omnipo-
tence. On the cylinder to the left of the
figure are eight lines Of inscription. as fol.
lows:
: For Marduk. the Great Lord. the Power
, full the Exalted. Lord of all, Lord of Lords
mighty Judge. who decides the fate OF ma
! tions. Lord OF the Lands, Lord of Babylon
! who dwelleth in Esakkil has Marduk-
naain-schum, King of All. the Sublime, his
| Worshiper. dedicated this seal. SO that he
| may live. that his family may prosper. that
! he may live long and his rule be estab-
IL he'd. that he may destroy the land Of hi