NIMROUD CENTRAL SALOON. 
147 
winged and human-headed bull, on a larger scale than any yet brought 
to Europe, and executed in a style which seems to prove that, unlike 
the slabs just described, it belongs to the time of Essarhaddon himself. 
The remaining sculptures in this room, together with those of the 
succeeding gallery, belong to the period of the earlier dynasty of 
Nineveh. Of these, the bas-reliefs on the West wall of the room, 
which were discovered in the central ruin of the mound of Nimroud, 
are supposed to be the latest in date. 
Commencing on the Southern, or left-hand side of the passage 
to the Phigaleian Saloon, the lowest bas-relief represents the eva¬ 
cuation of a captured city. Beneath the walls stand two battering en¬ 
gines, unemployed. Two carts, each containing two females and a 
child, and drawn by a pair of bullocks, are leaving the city. In the 
distance are eunuchs driving away the captured cattle, and scribes 
making an inventory of the spoil. 
Above, to the left, is a slab, on which is represented an eunuch 
followed by two pairs of prisoners, with their hands bound behind them. 
To the right of this is a slab, having sculptured upon it a flock of 
sheep and goats, and a driver, whose figure is nearly effaced. 
Over these is a slab, having on it two horsemen with spears pursuing 
a flying figure on a camel. Beneath their feet are three dead men. 
Continuing along the Western Wall, on the other side of the 
entrance to the Phigaleian Saloon, the lowest slabs bear representa¬ 
tions of two sieges. 
That to the left, which has an inscription underneath, has pourtrayed 
upon it the walls of a city, against which a battering engine is brought 
to work upon an artificial mound. Two archers behind screens are 
discharging arrows at the besieged, one of whom appears on the walls, 
begging quarter; in the distance are three impaled persons, and at the 
foot of the mound lie two of the slain. 
The right-hand slab represents a similar attack of a city on the banks 
of some water, beside which are trees. 
Above this bas-relief is a third siege. The city is defended by a 
triple tier of walls, whth battlements, from which archers are shooting; 
the besiegers are working a battering engine, w'ith three archers on 
the top, running upon an inclined plane; in the field are several 
warriors lighting, falling from the walls, or lying wounded: a date palm- 
tree is introduced, torn up by the roots. 
To the left of this bas-relief is another, representing a female leading 
three camels, and carrying a vase, originally belonging to the same 
frieze as the corresponding slab on the other side (wdth the flock of 
sheep), but separated, as here, by an intervening space. 
Over these is the head of a human-headed and winged bull in bas- 
relief, w'ith double horns, and a richly-decorated tiara. 
In the centre of the room stands the most important historical monu¬ 
ment as yet recovered from Assyria. It is an Obelisk of black marble, 
with the top truncated, and divided into three gradines. Each of its sides 
has five oblong panels, sculptured in bas-relief, separated horizontally 
by single lines of cuneiform inscription; and the remaining surface, 
both above and below the bas-reliefs, is covered wdth similar inscription. 
On the eastern, or principal face, the highest panel represents a king 
holding two arrows and a bow, attended by two armour-bearers, and re- 
