150 
ASSYRIAN GALLERIES. 
4 a. Lion-hunt. The king draws his bow upon a lion which has 
planted his forepaws on the royal chariot; two attendants prepare to 
despatch the animal with daggers from behind; on the ground lies a 
lion pierced with arrows. The fighting lion, a figure sculptured with 
remarkable spirit, shows a claw at the end of his tail. 
4 h. Return from the lion-hunt. A composition similar to No. 3 6, 
but in place of the parasol-bearer four archers stand behind the king. 
o a. This slab is unconnected in subject with those to which it w’as 
united. A city is represented, besieged by the Assyrian king; a 
battering-ram, worked from within a machine, assaults the walls, and 
is dislodging the stones; the machine, which is constructed of wicker¬ 
work, and runs upon six wheels, is surmounted by a tower, from which 
an archer, defended hy a shield-bearer, is shooting on the besieged; 
behind the machine is the king, also shooting, and attended by two 
armour-bearers and an eunuch. The besieged, in return, discharge 
their arrow’s upon the assailants, whilst one raises his hand for a parley. 
The battlements of the city are serrated, and the gate is crowned by a 
semicircular arch. 
5 h. This slab forms one subject with No. 6 b. The king, attended 
by his parasoLbearer, with his chariot waiting behind, receives the 
homage of the vanquished. With two arrows in his right hand, and a 
bow in his left, be stands in conference with a chieftain, followed by 
four attendants in the conventional attitude of attention. One of the 
captives bows to the ground at the king’s feet; a soldier urges on a 
second, seizing his head by the hair; others follow, with arms fastened 
behind. Above appear vessels, elephants’ tusks, and other spoils of 
war. 
6 a, another isolated subject, represents the attack of a city or 
fortress, defended in front hy a river. The architecture is similar to 
that on the preceding slab: a warrior and two women appear on the 
battlements, with gestures of supplication ; whilst archers are shooting 
at them from the opposite shore. Three fugitives are swimming 
towards the walls, two of them supported by inflated skins, strapped 
beneath their bodies; the third is pierced by an arrow; on the shore 
beside the assailants are a date-palm, and two other trees. 
Next follows a second series of nine consecutive slabs in each tier, 
one of those in the lower being supplied by a restoration in chiaro¬ 
scuro. 
7 a, 8 a, 9 a, 10 a, form together one subject, a battle and victory 
of the Assyrians. The king, in his chariot, drives upon the flying 
enemy, discharging his arrows; above him appears a guardian ferouher, 
drawing a bow in his behalf; the fugitives, who are all on foot, turn to 
shoot on their pursuer; an eagle, attacking one of the bodies of the 
sfein, is inserted, without regard to perspective, in the space above. 
In the next group (8 a) are two chariots, with standards and archers, 
preceding the king; on them also the enemy turns to shoot Further 
on (9 «), two Assyrian footsoldiers, with conical helmets, advance 
amidst the dead and wounded; above, an eagle is awaiting his prey. 
In front of these are horsemen, shooting as they charge; twe of the 
enemy (10 a) meet them, shooting in return. In the van, another 
chariot, bearing an eunuch discharging an arrow, presses on the 
fugitives; on a mound in front is an Assyrian footsoldier, assailing a 
