20 ARCHITECTURE. 
ened by buttresses ; the space between being filled up with bundles of reeds 
compacted by bitumen. This wall has been mentioned by us under the head 
of Military Sciences (Fortification), and a view and section of it given in 
illustration. (See Plates, Division V. pl. 42, jigs. 12 and 13.) It had 100 
entrances with metal gates, jambs, and lintels. There was a second wall 
inside the other. The river Euphrates divided the city into two parts, which 
were connected by several bridges, constructed of beams resting upon stone 
piers. The buildings were generally three or four stories high, and the 
streets crossed each other at right angles. The royal palace is situated on 
one bank of the river, and the temple of Belus on the other. The hanging 
gardens formed part of the palace grounds. They were erected by Nebu- 
chadnezzar for his queen, who, as a native of Media, had a predilection for 
mountains. These gardens were laid out in a series of terraces constituting 
a hill 75 feet high and 1600 feet in circumference. The terraces were 
supported by walls 22 feet thick, and 10 feet apart, which were covered with 
stone plates 16 feet long, and 4 feet thick. Upon these plates was first laid 
a coating of bitumen, followed successively by alayer of bitumen and reeds, 
a double course of bricks in mortar, and finally a sheet of lead. The soil 
was then spread upon this substratum, of the proper thickness for the pro- 
posed plantations. The spaces between the walls formed large rooms for 
festal occasions, and were lighted from the projecting terraces. On the 
top was a reservoir, the water for which was drawn from the Euphrates by 
means of a hydraulic machine, and carried in pipes to all the different parts 
of the grounds.. There was even a sufficient supply for a few fountains. 
The height of each terrace was 124 feet, and the width 64 feet. 
_ The temple of Belus formed a square of about 600 feet in length, in the 
centre of which was erected a tower 300 feet square. This tower was com- 
posed of eight stories, and a staircase was led up on the outside. The upper- 
most story contained the temple hall, where a maiden favored by the god 
nightly slept. In the lowest story was another hall, in which stood a colossal 
statue of Jupiter 24 feet high, of massive gold. The throne with its steps, 
and the table before it, were likewise of pure gold. An altar of gold and 
another of stone were placed in front of thetemple. These treasures were all 
taken away by Xerxes. 
The principal feature of Babylonian architecture is its bold, massive 
character, and colossal dimensions. The water works of the Babylonians, 
too, were second in importance only to those of the Egyptians. Their fortifica- 
tions are really surprising. The temple of Belus was as large as any of the pyra- 
mids, though not so difficult to construct, as it was built of bricks. The 
outer walls of the Babylonian buildings were either coated with bitumen 
and painted, or the surface of the bricks was glazed. Only a few works, 
chiefly the dams and sluices on the Tigris, were constructed of stone blocks, 
on account of the great distance they had to be carried. The arch was not 
known to the Babylonians. In cases where a frame ceiling could not be 
erected, they had recourse to immense stone slabs. Metal was frequently 
used, particularly for doors and jambs. 
The Persians, who, before the time of Cyrus, were a people of inferior 
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