KOUYUNJIK SIDE-GALLERY. 
Ill 
50.. The last slab of the series is much mutilated on the right side. 
In the highest tier are trees: immediately below is the king, Ashur- 
akhbal, receiving the prisoners represented on the preceding slab: the 
royal chariot, which was richly decorated, is preceded by two guards, 
and two eunuchs bearing whips, an 1 one of them a small box, or 
perhaps an inscribed tablet. The figure of the king seems to have 
been purposely mutilated, perhaps by the subsequent captors of 
Nineveh : he is accompanied by a charioteer, and an attendant, who 
holds the parasol, both also much defaced. Above the chariot is an 
inscription. In the third tier is a continuation of the light-armed men, 
and ied horses, marching through a wood. Beneath is the representa¬ 
tion of a city, standing at the confluence of a large and small river, 
perhaps Susa, between the Eulaeus and Shahpur. A continuous wall 
encircles several detached flat-roofed houses, with square doors, but no 
windows : without the wall are fortified towers, and trees : in the middle 
is inscribed a name not yet satisfactorily deciphered. Below the city 
is a continuation of the band of musicians, who are here all females; 
the majority are performing on the harp, but one on a double pipe, and 
another on a species of small drum ; they are followed by other women 
and children, clapping their hands to the measure. To the extreme 
right appears a wood, in which is a piece of water. Along the bottom 
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 works 
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 mace-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 workmen 
succeed, lashed to as many cables, and toiling up the acclivity. The 
two lowest lines are headed by overseers; 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 
downwards by men with ropes, whilst 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 troops. 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 
