NIMROUD SIDE-GALLERY. 
99 
or more figures preparing food. Adjoining is a tent, within which a 
groom is cleaning a horse with a curry-comb; in front three other 
horses are feeding at a trough. To the right, an eunuch receives four 
male prisoners, brought in by a soldier. In the space above these are 
two men, apparently mimes, wearing lions’ skins; one of them is 
dancing, with a whip or thong in his hand; beside them is a minstrel 
playing a guitar. Next (12 a) are two men bearing heads of the 
slain, and three musicians with lyres and cymbals; below these, a 
group of figures counting the heads of the decapitated. Then follows 
the triumphal procession of royal chariots; over the first flies an eagle, 
with a human head in his claws. The chariot of the king (13 a) is 
preceded by a conductor, and a footsoldier; within it is the king, 
holding up two arrows, and accompanied by his parasol-bearer; above, 
the ferouher. A mounted warrior follows, leading a spare horse; in 
the field above are two footsoldiers, and two dead bodies. 
14 a, 15 a. A battle before the walls of a city or fortress. Two 
Assyrian chariots, bearing archers and standard-bearers, are pursuing 
one belonging to the enemy, which is flying towards the city; its 
charioteer, pierced with an arrow, turns to ask quarter, whilst one of his 
horses is falling, and the other two are plunging desperately. In the 
area above are three headless bodies, and small trees, apparently vines. 
Further on, the king, in his chariot with an armour-bearer and a 
charioteer, attended by the ferouher , is driving upon a chariot of the 
enemy; its occupant has been struck down, and one of the horses is 
falling, drawing the charioteer violently forwards by the reins. Assy¬ 
rian footsoldiers are seen beyond, one of whom is assailing a disarmed 
opponent, whilst a comrade of the latter is endeavouring to draw him 
out of danger. The city, on the extreme right, is defended by a moat, 
or river, beside which are vines with clusters of grapes, and other fruit- 
trees : from the walls warriors are discharging arrows and stones, and 
one is inviting a parley: below are two Assyrian footsoldiers, each 
killing an opponent. 
13 6, 14 h, 15 h , the remaining slabs in this series, represent a siege. 
A portion of No. 13 b, belonging to a preceding subject, has been 
already described. On the remaining portion is the king, accompanied 
by his shield-bearer, his parasol-bearer, and another attendant with a 
quiver full of arrows, and shooting towards the besieged city. The 
city itself, vrhich occupies the centre of the entire composition, exhibits 
generally the usual style of architecture, but the arched gateway has a 
remarkable ornamental moulding. Some of the Assyrians are scaling 
the wall with ladders; whilst the enemy hurl stones, and shoot arrows, 
upon them from above; others, with instruments resembling square¬ 
headed spears, or mounted celts, are making a breach below, and others 
again mining or cutting out the walls. Behind the battlements appear 
women tearing their hair; wounded and dead bodies are falling over. 
On the right the city is attacked by a battering-ram, worked from 
within a machine such as already described, but with no wheels visible. 
From the nearest turret or bastion (the upper part of which is lost) 
the besieged are lowering chains, or grappling irons, to catch the ram, 
and draw it upwards; two of the assailants however, with hooks thrown 
over the engine, are keeping it down by their weight. The besieged, 
again, are hurling firebrands on the machine, to ignite it; but the 
