A history of Babylon from the foundation of the monarchy to the Persian conquest . er possible toseparate them, they offer no attractions as building-material and so have escaped the fate of is quite possible that, when Nabiis temple-toweris excavated, it will throw some light upon the upperstructure of these massive buildings, ^leanwhile wepossess a piece of evidence which should not be ignored inany discussion of the subject. On a boundary-stone ofthe time of Merodach-baladan I. are carved a number THE CITY AND ITS REMAINS 79 of emblems of the gods, including those of JNlardu
A history of Babylon from the foundation of the monarchy to the Persian conquest . er possible toseparate them, they offer no attractions as building-material and so have escaped the fate of is quite possible that, when Nabiis temple-toweris excavated, it will throw some light upon the upperstructure of these massive buildings, ^leanwhile wepossess a piece of evidence which should not be ignored inany discussion of the subject. On a boundary-stone ofthe time of Merodach-baladan I. are carved a number THE CITY AND ITS REMAINS 79 of emblems of the gods, including those of JNlarduk andNabu, which are set beside each other in the secondrow. That of ISIarduk consists of his sacred Spear-headsupported by his dragon, that of Nabii being the Wedgeor Stilus, also supported by a horned dragon. Butwhile the other emblems are left sculptured in reliefagainst the field of the stone, that of Nabu is engravedagainst a temple-tower/ It will be noticed that thisrises in stages, diminishing in size and set one above theother. The rough engra\ing may well represent the. Pig. 30. rough engbaving op a temple-towee upon a boundaby-stone. The boundary-stone is of the period of Marduk-aplu-iddina, or Merodach-baladan I. The engraving represents a temple-tower, before which is a diagonsupporting on its back an upright Wedge, the emblem of Nabu. The toweris represented as built in stories, or stepped stages, set one upon the other.[From Brit. Mus., No. 90850.] outward form of Nabus temple-tower at Borsippa atthe time of JNlerodach-baladan I. In any case, since theemblems on the boundary-stones are associated ^vith ^ In the engraving, in order that the wedge and the dragon should standout in relief, the surface of the stone has been cut away round them. Thisgives the lowest story of the tower an appearance of having arched openingsin it. It should, of course, be solid, like the other stages of the tower, theapparent openings being merely due to the exigencies of the engraver ;
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookpublisherlondo, bookyear1915
