The thrones and palaces of Babylon and Ninevah from sea to sea; a thousand miles on horseback .. . and each of these mao^nificent entrances was ornamentedby five i:)airs of human-headed bulls and lions and othercolossal figures. It is supposed that the western face ofthe palace overlooked the Tigris, which once washed the. BABYLON AND NINEVEH. 099 base of the great platform, and which was reached by aninclined way, or steps, leading down to the waters the principal approach to the royal abode was onthe eastern side, where the great bulls were found bear-ing the inscribed annals of Sen
The thrones and palaces of Babylon and Ninevah from sea to sea; a thousand miles on horseback .. . and each of these mao^nificent entrances was ornamentedby five i:)airs of human-headed bulls and lions and othercolossal figures. It is supposed that the western face ofthe palace overlooked the Tigris, which once washed the. BABYLON AND NINEVEH. 099 base of the great platform, and which was reached by aninclined way, or steps, leading down to the waters the principal approach to the royal abode was onthe eastern side, where the great bulls were found bear-ing the inscribed annals of Sennacherib. From this eastern entrance we passed through thehalls and larger rooms of the deserted palace, and expe-rienced an enthusiasm which language is inadequate toexpress. Many of the bass-reliets remain in their orig-inal positions, and evince a degree of perfection in sculpt-ure not excelled in later times. There is more of thepicturesque in these than in those at Nimroud, and agreater fullness of detail. The sculptor sought to trans-fer to the marble the landscape where occurred the his-toric events he aimed to portray. The high mountain,the extended plain, the flowing river, the spreading palm,the rugged rocks, the embattled city, the contending ar-mies, are traced with marvelous reality. On the wallsof one
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, booksubjectbabylon, bookyear1876
