108 THEOPHILUS G. PINCHES, LL.D., M.R.A.S._, ON 



their skill, had ever hit upon so elegant a form. The descrip- 

 tion published by the late G. Smith in the Athencvum of 

 February 12th, 1876, however, makes the lowest stage to be the 

 greatest in height. Doubt may be expressed as to the outside 

 inclined ascent, with its step-gradines, but some sort of pro- 

 tection would be needed against the accident of falling over the 

 'edge, and it is not at all improbable that such a thing existed, 

 as in the case of the temple-tower at Dur-Sargina (Khorsabad), 

 where the French excavations which preceded Layard's were 

 made. According to Sir H. Layard, moreover, a temple-tower 

 somewhat of this form existed in the city of Calah (Nimroud), 

 and is depicted in the somewhat fanciful restoration prefixed to 

 his Monuments of Nineveh. A modification of my original 

 design would, however, in all probability, be desirable ; there 

 was probably no ascent clinging, as it were, to the first stage, 

 the top of which would be reached by a central staircase at 

 right angles. Similar erections are described as existing in 

 Chinese Turkestan by the traveller. Dr. von Le Coq. 



It is a great pity that we cannot appeal to the remains of the 

 monument itself to settle the above question, as well as that of 

 the existence of chambers within. According to Dr. Weissbach, 

 however, the structure measured about 309 feet each way, and 

 the height was about the same. Though this is only a third of 

 the height of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, it is still sufficiently 

 imposing as a high monument. As will be seen from the 

 picture, the lowest stage was much higher than any of the 

 others. The topmost stage was the upper temple or sanctuary 

 of the god Bel or Merodach, 80 feet long, 70 feet broad 

 and 50 feet high — a hall of considerable size. Full details 

 concerning the structure were inscribed on a tablet which the 

 late G. Smith had in his hands about thirty-five years ago, and 

 which has apparently not been seen since. From the description 

 of its contents which that scholar gave, it would seem to have 

 been a document of the first importance, and it is needless to 

 say, that we should all like to come across it again. Compara- 

 tively little publicity has as yet been given to the fact that it 

 is wanting, and it is hoped that if the present owner should 

 hear that inquiries have been made, he will be so kind as to 

 produce it so that it may be studied and the results given to 

 the world. Mr. G. Smith, at the time he published his descrip- 

 tion of the document, was about to start for tlie East, and it 

 seems probable, therefore, that he saw it in this country. It 

 may, indeed, have been offered for sale by a dealer and been sold 

 by that dealer to its present possessor. It seems to have been 



