Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1908-08-14
SIZE OF BABYLON.
Much Conjecture Swept Away by Recent
Explorations.

The report of the German Oriental So
clety on the extensive explorations ear
rled out on the ruins of ancient Babylon
which has just been issued under the ed.
itorship of Dr.. Friedrich Delitzsch, is a
document of more than usual interest.
Perhaps one of the most astonishing
discoveries in the field of typographical
research has been the tracing of the
walls of the city and the ascertainment
OF the true size of the great city. Won-
derful descriptions Of the size of Baby.
Ion have been given, based chiefly on
the hearsay evidence of HerodotuS, in
ancient times, and the theories of the
late DIR. Oppert These writer's made
the city a vast parallelogram surround
ed by wall 80 miles long and 100 feet
GIgh, with 100 gates and bisected by the
Euphrates. According to them the area
was about as large as London and Paris
put together, or some 40 square miles.
All this wild conjecture has been swept
away.
The exploration of the walls com.
menced at the Babl fort. and here was
found a wall % feet thick, with but
tresses every 60 feet. The line of the
wall was traced to the southeast ankle.
until it bends to the west and joins the
great quay on the banks of the river
This portion was pierced by only one
gate, the gate of Isar, thanked by tall
towers decorated with friezes of lions
and dragons in encaustic tile work On
the north it was traced to the river
bank. The whole inclOsure covered an
area OF little over one square mile, or
roughly that of our city of London.
In the Kasr or palace mound were
found the remains of TWO great palaces,
one built by NabuDalassar, the other by
Nebuchadnezzar. Both We're most COM
pick In plan, containing hundreds Of
rooms Tor the accommodation of retain-
ers, officials in the royal family. The
two palaces are separated by a street.
The later or new edifice is on the casts
ern side and consists of several groups
of chambers arranged around quad
rangles separated by strong walls and
gateways. The largest of these is n
royal quadrangle, entered by a double
gateway.
On the south side of this square is
the northern facade of the royal audi
ence chamber of Selamlik. This facade
was 40 feet wide and had been richly
decorated with floral designs in enam-
eied brick in yellow, white blue and
black. The audience hall measures Cox
no feet, and on the south side is deep
alcove with dais in front where the
royal throne was placed.
hat historic chamber this is! Here
NebuchadnezZar had sat and received
homage on his conquest of Jerusalem.
Perhaps IN this very chamber Belshaz-
Zar's feast was held and the plaster
covered walls had received the terrible
message. Here Cyrus the Conaueror was
enthroned in June, 53S b. c., and per
haps in this very chamber Alexander of
Macedon held the fatal revels after his
overthrow OF the empire of the east.
Nebuchadnezzar speaks of richly deco
rated palaces and temples. but the one
prevailing feature of all the buildings
was the dull, monotonous brickwork
void of decoration. If gold and silver
and precious stones. cedar and cypress
wood had been used all would have dis
appeared long ago.-London Chronicle.