KOUYUNJIK SIDE-GALLERY. 
143 
of the three slabs flows a stream, bearing down men, horses, cars, 
bows and quivers. 
The remaining bas-reliefs in this room belong all to the period of 
Sennacherib. The next six formed part of a series in the great hall 
marked vi. in Mr. Layard’s plan, and illustrate the architectural w'orks 
of the Assyrian king. They are all considerably defaced. 
51, 52. The monarch superintending the movement of a colossal 
human-headed bull. On the summit of a high mound to the left is 
the royal chariot, drawn by two attendants. The king is within it, 
alone ; before him stands his maee-bearer; behind, an attendant sup¬ 
porting his parasol. On the brow of the mount kneels an officer 
turning to receive the orders of the king. Four lines of w'orkmen 
succeed, lashed to as many cables, and toiling up the acclivity. The 
tw'o lowest lines are headed by ovp#seers; and beside the highest and 
lowest are drivers, plying their sticks on the shoulders of the men. 
The bull (.52) is laid sideways on a sledge, to which the cables are 
attached, its front facing the spectator : the head is defaced, but the 
outline of the body is distinctly preserved : upon it stand four officers, 
the first clapping his hands to time the movement, or call attention; 
the second speaking through a trumpet, the case for which he bears on 
his back ; the third, also a trumpet-bearer, addressing some one in 
front; whilst the fourth, kneeling, gives directions to the workmen 
behind. Immediately before the sledge is a man placing rollers, to 
assist its progress. The weight behind is relieved by a lever, pulled 
dowmwards by men with ropes, w'hilst another inserts a wedge-shaped 
block as a fulcrum below. Behind this is represented another gang of 
labourers constructing a mound, by carrying up earth and stones to 
the summit on their shoulders. Above these is a tier of soldiers, 
probably the body-guard, consisting alternately of bowmen and 
heavily-armed tro()[)S. Beyond, crowning both slabs, is a range of 
rugged mountains, covered with vines, firs, and fig trees. Along the 
bottom runs a stream, probably the Tigris, in which is an island: upon 
the latter are three men, raising water, by means of poles and buckets, 
—a contrivance still used in the south of Europe for irrigation, and 
called in Egypt the shadoof. Slab 52 having originally stood at a 
projecting angle in the hall, the edge is sculptured with a continuation 
of the subject: a further p()rtion of the artificial mound is seen, with 
labourers depositing earth and stones on its summit; and the remainder 
w’as doubtless represented on the adjoining, or return slab. 
53. A slab from the same hall as the preceding, representing a 
portion of a .similar subject. Along the top is a range of mountains, 
covered, as before, with trees. Below’ them, a row of guards, like those 
on slabs 51, 52. Beneath these, to the left, part of a mound con¬ 
structed by labourers, probably prisoners of war, as they all wear caps, 
and some have their ancles fettered ; they ascend the mound in three 
rows, w ith loaded baskets, which they empty upon the summit; whilst 
a fourth row descends with baskets empty. In the centre of the slab 
is an inscription, recording the building of the palace by Sennacherib. 
Below this is a representation, now much defaced, of a quadrangular 
plot of ground covered with workmen, either a stone-quarry or clay- 
pit, where the materials of construction are being prepared; on the 
upper side are men bearing loaded baskets, below are others seated at 
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