178 
GRAHAM’S EXPLORATIONS IN THE [March 8, 1858. 
houses was simply this : — Imagine a square building composed of large blocks 
of hewn stone, and from the walls numerous blocks of stone, sometimes 18, 
20, or 25 feet in length, stretch right across. In the space between these 
stones, smaller blocks are laid in very tight. In many instances I found these 
quite perfect ; and no doubt the former inhabitants, like the Druses of the 
present day, when they took possession of a house, thatched over the roof with 
something and put gravel in between. Next, with regard to the walls of the 
city — I found many cities with walls. The walls were not very high, and 
they must have been used more as a place for the people to stand behind as a 
kind of protection, just as the Turks are fond of doing at the present day, than 
as walls of a city. But in many cities I found walls, especially in that great 
city Um el- Jemal in the desert south of Bosra, higher than and as perfect as 
the walls of Jerusalem. I found gates sometimes, but not very frequently, in 
the walls. They were generally blocks of stone 8 or 10 feet high, and swing 
precisely in the same manner as I have shown you in this door, only there 
were two doors on the principle of folding doors. The next question was, I 
think, with regard to the inscriptions. 
Mr. Heneage. — Whether there were any remains of graves or inscriptions 
to lead you to suppose that it was a public cemetery outside the town ? 
Mr. Graham. — No ; the stones where those curious inscriptions were found 
were loose stones lying in the desert. The whole desert for a space of about 5 
days’ journey — a camel journey — from west to east, and from 2i to 3 days’ 
journey from north to south, is covered with loose basaltic stones, polished, 
and on the surface of those stones in some places I found numbers of inscrip- 
tions, such as are now upon the table before me. They are, generally, figures 
of animals very rudely cut, which I am sure no gentleman will say is a high 
style of art. The inscriptions themselves cannot be deciphered. At the last 
meeting Sir H. Rawlinson stated that they were Phoenician inscriptions of the 
most ancient kind we have ever seen. It seems very presumptuous to disagree 
with so high an authority as Sir H. Rawlinson, but I do not believe them to 
be Phoenician. Thinking it might interest you who are here this evening, I 
have copied a portion of the inscription which was found on the sarcophagus of 
Esmanazar, King of Sidon. It has lately been deciphered ; and although on 
such a short view you may not be able to pronounce any identity between that 
inscription and this, it will be interesting to see a portion of the longest 
inscription we have in the Phoenician language. 
Dr. Worthington, f.r.g.s. — May I be allowed to ask a question or two with 
respect to the head now before us ? Surely it cannot be the impression upon 
any person’s mind but that that head is of comparatively modern sculpture. 
In no respect is there any character about it of the ancient Astarte, Milton’s 
Queen of Heaven. It may be a female head, but I confess I trace nothing of 
the character of Astarte upon it. I should be glad to know whether Mr. 
Graham traced among the Druses anything connected with the worship of the 
calf. That is an interesting question, into which Lord Ellesmere some time 
since inquired, and Mr. Poole of the British Museum recently deciphered some 
manuscripts to show that the Druses still worship the calf. 
Mr. Graham. — With respect to the head, I do not wish to defend its anti- 
quity. It may be very modern indeed, but it does not affect my cities. I 
found it merely in one of those ancient cities which no doubt was afterwards 
inhabited by the Romans. Next, to come to the Druses : I cannot say that I 
ever traced among them any worship of the calf, or, indeed, any other form of 
worship. All I know of their religion is solely what I have read in that re- 
markable work which was brought to France early in this century, and trans- 
lated by M. de Sacy, a great Orientalist, and published in Paris in two 
volumes. There you find the only information about the religion of the 
Druses. They won’t talk about the subject. The only thing I remarked is a 
