THICK CYLINDERS WITH SHRINES AND ANIMALS. 181 
Yet the ornamentation on the upper end is in angles, such as we expect to find 
rather on early Assyrian cylinders, or those from northern outlying regions. 
These cylinders are architecturally interesting, and for this reason we may in- 
clude here another cylinder which, though not of the usual abnormal thickness, seems 
to have a relation tothem. Fig. 493 shows a similar portal and gate, with the angu- 
lar ornamentation above; also one standing figure. This is probably early Assyrian. 
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A number of cylinders which evidently belong to this general type, usually 
somewhat smaller, have on them no shrine, only rude animals and men. In this 
class is one of serpentine (fig. 494) on which are a deer with branching horns and 
two sorts of ibexes, apparently, with other objects not easily definable. ‘The vertical 
lines might be the reminiscence of the shrine, or gate, or they may be meant for 


ashera-columns, in which latter case they would indicate a comparatively late date 
in the Assyrian period. To be compared with this is fig. 496. Here appears to be 
a narrow gate, and various rude fishes, etc., take the place of the usual animals. 
In fig. 495 we have only a scorpion and a simple branch. Yet another (fig. 497) 
has simply two horned animals, with deep dots; in fig. 498 we have three ibexes 
and a rude tree, and in fig. 499 three stags and a branch. In fig. 500 are what 
appear to be two long-tailed oryxes. In fig. 501 there are two —-—-———__~—— 
registers, with four animals in each, bulls, ibexes, and goats, 
one of which is perhaps feeding from what may bea manger. 
But those just figured are not of the smaller kind, 
which are so often of a red marble, but occasionally of ° 
other material. I obtained four of these in Southern Babylonia and was assured 
that two of them were said to have been found at Abu Shahrein. One of these, 
from this old site of Eridu the Blessed, is shown in fig. 502, of pink or red marble. 
It will be seen that there is a double border line at the bottom, with vertical cross- 
lines, and above it a series of what we may suppose to be six ibexes lying down— 
the animals consisting of little more than three large deep dots, with two horns. 
Another of the same material, which I was told also came from Abu Shahrein, 
appears in fig. 503. It gives us three seated figures and a series of Jarge and small 

