100 
ASSYIUAN ANTIQUITIES. 
[ground 
side are partly from other chambers of the same edifice, partly 
from the small adjacent temple of the " God of War." The 
slabs with large figures bear inscriptions running horizontally 
across the middle ; those with small figures have generally bad 
inscriptions on the border above and below, though these have 
in many instances been cut off in ancient times. The double 
row of slabs occupying the greater part of the West side is 
arranged exactly as in the original building, excepting that a 
break occurs in one place, where some slabs have been lost. 
The following are the most interesting subjects in this room, 
commencing on the left, or East side. The first eight slabs 
are from the North-west edifice : — 
No. 19. Two persons, distinguished by their caps and pointed shoes 
as foreigners, bringing with them two monkeys, as tribute to some 
personage represented on a lost slab. 
No. 20. The king, Assur-nazir-pal, or Assur-natsir-abla, in a richly- 
embroidered dress, and the cap distinctive of royalty, with a sword, of 
which the hilt is elegantly decorated with wrestling lions. 
Nos. 21-26. Six slabs, representing the king among his attendants, 
supernatural and human, apparently returned from battle or the chase. 
The large dimensions, elaborate execution, and almost perfect preserva- 
tion of this series, places it among the finest examples of Assyrian 
bas-relief. The figures are all sumptuously attired, their robes fringed 
and embroidered with sacred or mystical ornaments; their sandals are 
painted in black and red, the bows of the eunuchs red, and the eyes of 
all of them black. It may be observed that the parts here indicated, 
together with the hair in some cases, and the necks, and edges of the 
mouths, of two men with lions' heads on two slabs hereafter mentioned, 
are the only objects on which colour is discernible in any of the Assyrian 
sculptures; nor does the condition of the surface of those sculptures at 
all confirm the idea that the whole was originally covered with pigments 
The succeeding slabs (Nos. 27-30) are from the small temple 
of the " God of War," Nos. 27 and 28 stood originally, as here, 
at right angles to each other, No. 27 being on the external 
wall of the building, and Nos. 28, 29, on the side of a door- 
way leading to one of the chambers. On the opposite side of 
the doorway was a similar group, of which the slab on the 
external wail (No. 32) was alone removed by Mr. Layard. 
Nos. 28, 29. A four-winged figure, with a three-forked thunderbolt 
in each hand, pursuing a monster or demon ; a composition which, from 
its repetition on each side the doorway, probably typified the expulsion 
of the Evil Spirit from the temple. Although shattered into fragments, 
