FLOOE.] 
KOUTUNJIK GALLERY. 
71 
The sculptures on the left, or West side of the Gallery, are 
all of the period of Sennacherib, and illustrate the wars he 
carried on, and the tributes he received. They are, for the 
most part, fragments of more extensive works. The most in- 
teresting subjects are as follows : — 
No. 2. A galley, with a beak, propelled by two banks of rowers. 
Nos. 4-8. A series of slabs, mutilated in the upper part, which 
commemorate apparently the expedition of Sennacherib into Southern 
Babylonia against Merodach Baladan, the same king, apparently, who 
is mentioned in Scripture as having sent letters and a present to 
Hezekiah, and to whose messengers the Jewish monarch exhibited all 
the treasures of his house- The campaign is represented in the bas- 
relief as occurring in a marshy district ; a stream, probably that of the 
Tigris or Euphrates, is seen filled with islands overgrown with reeds, 
or jungle ; in the water appear numerous fish and crabs ; upon the 
islands many of the enemy have taken refuge, whilst the Assyrians 
pursue them in boats ; and to the right, (Nos. 6, 7, 8) on the banks 
of the stream, are collected the prisoners and spoil. 
Nos. 15, 16, 17. A series, of which the upper portion is lost, repre- 
senting the return from a battle. 
Nos. 20-'^9. Part of a series, representing the siege of a fortified 
city by the Assyrians. The city is seen on Slab No. 25, planted on a 
high dome-shaped hill, whilst the assailants advance on each side to 
scale the walls with ladders. On Nos. 27-29 are represented the results 
of the contest, the triumph of the besiegers, and the collection of 
prisoners and spoil. The Avhole of this series is blackened by fire. 
Nos. 34-43. Part of a series of sculptures which originally lined the 
two walls of a long narrow gallery, leading, by an inclined plane, from 
Kouyunjik towards the Tigris. On the one side, descending the slope, 
were fourteen horses, led by grooms ; on the other, ascending into the 
palace, were servitors bearing food for a banquet. The figures are 
somewhat smaller than life, designed with much freedom and truth ; 
and by comparison with the Panathenaic frieze in the Second Elgin 
Room, they may furnish a good point of view for estimating the capa- 
bilities and defects of Assyrian art. No. 39, on which is seen a 
marshal or chamberlain with a staff, was originally placed, as here, at a 
projection in the wall. Amongst the attendants or servitors, represented 
on Nos. 41-43, is one bearing in each hand a rod with two rows of 
dried locusts, which are to this day used as food by the Arabs. The 
other attendants carry wine-skins, birds, pomegranates, and other fruit. 
No. 44. A semicirculardieaded slab, with a small mutilated figure, 
standing before a table of offerings, near which are various symbols. 
On the floor adjoining, is a fragment from a pavement slab, elegantly 
sculptured in relief. 
Next follow six slabs, of a hard, fossiliferous limestone, and 
of which the surface is in high preservation. They were 
