224 
V 
paved generally either with, stone or brick ; consequently, 
this novel discovery led me to have the asphalt broken into 
and examined. On doing so, we found, buried in a corner of 
the chamber, about three feet below the surface, an inscribed 
earthenware coffer, inside which was deposited a stone 
tablet covered with an inscription, on the top of which was 
represented some deity which has since been identified by 
Assyrian scholars with the sun-god ; also two figures above, 
holding an emblem of the sun before him, and two priests 
leading a youth, evidently a prince, to present to him. With 
this tablet I found two perfect terra-cotta inscribed cylinders, 
covered minutely with inscription, giving also the history of 
the place. 
In the Proceedings of the Society of Biblical Archaeology 
of December, 1881, I find the following notice taken of the 
inscription on the above stone tablet, by the able Assyrian 
scholar, Mr. Theophilus Pinches, of the Department of 
Oriental Antiquities in the British Museum : — 
“ The inscription, which covers the rest of the obverse and 
the whole of the reverse, begins by mentioning the wrong- 
doings of the Sutu, ‘ a wicked enemy/ who seem to have earned 
off the property of the temple of the sun-god, and destroyed 
the sanctuaries. Simmas-Sigu, king at that time, asked for 
the restoration of the property, which was refused. Simmas- 
Sigu then began the restoration of the temple, intrusting the 
work to one Ekur-suma-ibassi, a man bearing the title of 
>->- in Akkadian : gassu. The work was continued in 
the reign of E-Ulbar-sakin-sumi, but it remained for Nabu- 
apla-iddin, king of Babylon, * the proclaimed of Marduk, the 
beloved of Anu and Bel, gladdener of the heart of A-edina, the 
man, the warrior, who attained to the kingdom, the bearer of 
the strong bow, the destroyer of the wicked Sutu, who had 
made their sin great/ &c., &c., to thoroughly restore the 
temple. Then comes a long description of the repair of, 
and additions to the shrine and temple, and the confirma- 
tion to the seed of Ekur-suma-ibassi, of the guardianship of 
the sanctuary, now adorned with the image of the sun-god, 
and with chased gold and bright crystal. Besides this, the 
king founded a shrine for the sun-god in Bit-kar-zagina, 
beside the Euphrates, where victims were offered, and honey 
and wine bestowed. The inscription, which now becomes 
very difficult, speaks of the services of the temple, and the 
delivery of the stone, of which a copy was made, into the 
hands of certain men. The date f Babylon, month Nisan, 
20th day, and 31st year of Nabu-apla-iddin, king of Babylon/ 
is then given, after which come the usual curses on those who 
