The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-03-14

or history, has fingered long over TIC F"S'
heaps OF debris and decay that form the
grave mounds OF great Babylon" the
metropolis OF the ancient Oriental world
For centuries these monumental tumoi
For centuries these monumental tumuh
have defied the efforts OF thousands OF
brick hunters, and strings OF donkeys and
camels have borne away the Inscribed
bricks OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS and his Sue
cessors 10 build the houses and cara
vanserai OF Hildah and other towns. The
harvest OF inscribed records obtained has
been small. and most OF these have found
their way into the hands OF native deal
ers The work of exploration upon the
site was manifestly one requiring time
and money, as we'll as systematic direc-
ton This work has at last been under
taken by an expedition organized by the
German Oriental society. under the direc-
ton OF the able architect. DIR. Robert
Koldowey, and a stan of Assyriologists'
among whom have been Drs. Dehtzsch.
IIilprecht and Weissbach. and results OF
the greatest importance have been OBJ
tanned.
The work was commenced upon the
great mound known as the 'kasr or
palace" a tradition which the research
es have confirmed. for here has been
found the great royal residence of Nebu-
chadnexzar the Great (B. G. 60-55D and
his SUCCESSORS building which was
Justly described by it's royal builder as
the palace upon which gaze the eyes o.
all nations" This vast ediice upon
which all the wealth of the Orient was
lavished-gold. silver and other precious
-. nfh
woods were used without stint-the ruins
OF such royal edifce must be worthy or
exploration. The most important discoV-
cry made as yet is that OF the royal pan-
quoting hall or throneroom. vast cham
ber 40 feet long and sixty broad. ard
which had once been richly decorated
with painted stucco. as described by the
Prophet Ezekiel. Al the end was raised
dais, on which was placed the Kings
| table" and I'm the centre was recess or
alcove where his throne had stood. The re-
searches have proved that this was the
palace I'm which Alexnder died (B. G.
| $751; and there Is every reason TO believe
that II was I'm this room the drunken
orgie took place In which his friend was
slain. and the grief-stricken king fingered
| TO leave his hard won and widespread
conquests 10 be scrambled among his
generals. other great feasts may be as
| ISOLATED with this stately chamber-the
| ter his victories in Egypt. and his execu-
| ton of divine wrath upon Jerusalem, and
| the destruction OF the Temple tB G. 5S6).
There Is every just reason TO suppose
| that IL was in this chamber the fatal last
| banquet OF Belshazzar was held, when
| the corridors leading TO IL echoed TO the
| tread OF the advancing soldiers OF Goby-
| ras. the General OF Cyrus, and on that
night (Tsmmuz l5 b. c. $3.50 the first of
| empires fell.
That night they slew him on his fathers
| throne.
The deed unnoticed and the hand un-
| CrownIess and scepterless Belshazzar lay
A robe OF purple round form Of clay
Surely this is a room rich In historic as
| sociations which IL needs but little inn
| agination 10 MI with all the riches and
| the beauty of the barbaric East, TO scent
| with the perfume OF flowers and fragrant
| incense, to fiji with music and joyous
| laughter, and yet for long centuries 1t
has lain buried beneath its debris "un-
| sought, unknown, untold.
| Leaving this cha mber and passing with
| out the palace ruins still more interesting
| discoveries await us. On the east side OF
| the palace were found the remains of
| stone-psved broadway. The terrace was
| about eighty feet wide. and has been ex-
| cavated for a distance OF some 420 feet.
| and the direction being ascertained the
| termination being found near the south
east corner OF the mound. making total
| length OF about 400 feet. or over quar-
ter OF mile. 1t may we'll be compared
| with our Parliament street, for at one
| end was the royal palace, like that Of
| Westminster. and the sides were Ranked
! by royal residences, temples. and govern
| ment buildings. Below. on the west, were
| the royal grounds. and beyond those the
| great river Euphrates." The whole
| length was paved with blocks of breccia
| OF reddish color. no doubt originally
| laid In some design, but now displaced.
| The limestone blocks are the largest. be-
| ing about a yard square and a foot I'm
| thickness. These massive blocks were laid
| on a brick foundation and cement-
| ed with bitumen. Fortunately these an
cient flags are worn by the feet OF many
| men. and marked by the wheels OF the
"chariots that have jostled in the
| street"
| But there are no silent stones, for their
| surface tells an ancient story, for each
| is inscribed. the larger with the words. II
| am Nebuchadnezzar. the King of Baby
| Ion. son of Nebupalssar King OF Baby
| Ion. The highway of Babylon for the pro-
| cession of the great Lord Merodach, with
| blocks OF stone, the product OF the
| mountains 0mestonel, / paved the street.
| May the Lord 'icrodaoh with everlasting
| life endow me-" The smaller breccia
| blocks bear an almost similar inscription.
| and give Us the Babylonian name OF brec-
cia (tur NINA banda). This professional
| street Of Babylon we know already from
| the inscriptions. and the identification of
its site is most important 1t was the VIA
| Sacra OF Babylon, and its Appian way,
| rich with religious and historic memories.
| Fuller details as TO this holy way are
| found In the India house inscription OF
| Nebuchadnezzar, the King who made II.
| Here, he says. Aibur Sabu (the Rising
| Way, the highway. the procession street
OF the God of Merodach, the great lord.
with embanking ] filed up and with
| blocks of breCcia and limestone Aibur-