THE TEMPLE OF BELUS. 
323 
the ancient description) led to the pinnacle of the tower. The 
accompanying views of the south, north, and western aspects of 
the building, give examples of these observations. * That the 
projection v/as built as an appendage to the tower, we have 
sufficient evidence in the carefully arranged courses of sun-dried 
bricks which constructed it. Of the tower itself, I subjoin an 
elevation, according to the original structure as described by 
historians ; and mark with a dotted line the height of the present 
remains. I have also shewn the position of the projection at 
the place of ascent. The fragment of wall now standing at the 
top of the whole ruin, (for it must be remembered that it is all 
a ruin,) by this sketch, shews itself to have been part of some 
central chamber in that stage, which would form the fourth: 
and, indeed, the accurately answering proportions of the whole, 
the calculation of the past reality from the existing remains, 
appear to me to be even a mathematical proof, that the elevation 
here given is that of the fact. Antiquarians have stamped as 
truth, documents of much less certain aspect than these be¬ 
fore us. 
So far the tower itself. All around its present base, extends 
to some distance an open area, bounded by mounds, which I 
shall more particularly mention hereafter, having first described 
one that may be called of prodigious magnitude, though under 
the shadow of Babel itself. It is distant from the eastern front 
of the great pile about 270 feet; extends north and south to a 
breadth of 1242 feet; where those two sides take rather a trian¬ 
gular form, to a distance of 1935 feet, meeting, in a bend, to 
the eastward. The whole of its summit and sides are furrowed 
into endless hollows, and traversing channels, the effect of time, 
* See Plate LXXI. 
T T 2 
