"During the winter, Mr. Longworth, and two other English travelers,
visited me at Nimroud. As they were the only Europeans, (except Mr.
Ross) who saw the palace when uncovered, it may be interesting to the
reader to learn the impression which the ruins were calculated to make
upon those who beheld them for the first time, and to whom the scene was
consequently new. Mr. Longworth, in a letter, thus graphically describes
his visit:--
"'I took the opportunity, whilst at Mosul, of visiting the
excavations of Nimroud. But before I attempt to give a short
account of them, I may as well say a few words as to the general
impression which these wonderful remains made upon me, on my first
visit to them. I should begin by stating, that they are all under
ground. To get at them, Mr. Layard has excavated the earth to the
depth of twelve to fifteen feet, where he has come to a building
composed of slabs of marble. In this place, which forms the
northwest angle of the mound, he has fallen upon the interior of a
large palace, consisting of a labyrinth of halls, chambers, and
galleries, the walls of which are covered with bas-reliefs and
inscriptions in the cuneiform character, all in excellent
preservation. The upper part of the walls, which was of brick,
painted with flowers, &c, in the brightest colors, and the roofs,
which were of wood, have fallen; but fragments of them are strewed
about in every direction. The time of day when I first descended
into these chambers happened to be towards evening; the shades of
which, no doubt, added to the awe and mystery of the surrounding
objects. It was of course with no little excitement that I suddenly
found myself in the magnificent abode of the old Assyrian Kings;
where, moreover, it needed not the slightest effort of imagination
to conjure up visions of their long departed power and greatness.
The walls themselves were covered with phantoms of the past; in the
words of Byron,'Three thousand years their cloudy wings expand,'
unfolding to view a vivid representation of those who conquered and
possessed so large a portion of the earth we now inhabit. There
they were, in the Oriental pomp of richly embroidered robes, and
quaintly-artificial coiffure. There also were portrayed their deeds
in peace and war, their audiences, battles, sieges, lion-hunts, &c.
My mind was overpowered by the contemplation of so many strange
objects; and some of them, the portly forms of kings and vizirs,
were so life-like, and carved in such fine relief, that they might
almost be imagined to be stepping from the walls to question the
rash intruder on their privacy. Then mingled with them were other
monstrous shapes--the old Assyrian deities, with human bodies, long
drooping wings, and the heads and beaks of eagles; or, still
faithfully guarding the portals of the deserted halls, the colossal
forms of winged lions and bulls, with gigantic human faces. All
these figures, the idols of a religion long since dead and buried
like themselves, seemed in the twilight to be actually raising
their desecrated heads from the sleep of centuries; certainly the
feeling of awe which they inspired me with, must have been
something akin to that experienced by their heathen votaries of
old.'--_Layard's Nineveh and its Remains_, vol. I. p. 298.
"The interior of the Assyrian palace must have been as magnificent as
imposing. I have led the reader through its ruins, and he may judge of
the impression its halls were calculated to make upon the stranger who,
in the days of old, entered for the first time into the abode of the
Assyrian Kings. He was ushered in through the portal guarded by the
colossal lions or bulls of white alabaster. In the first hall he found
himself surrounded by the sculptured records of the empire. Battles,
sieges, triumphs, the exploits of the chase, the ceremonies of religion,
were portrayed on the walls, sculptured in alabaster, and painted in
gorgeous colors. Under each picture were engraved, in characters filled
up with bright copper, inscriptions describing the scenes represented.
Above the sculptures were painted other events--the king attended by his
eunuchs and warriors, receiving his prisoners, entering into alliances
with other monarchs, or performing some sacred duty. These
representations were enclosed in colored borders, of elaborate and
elegant design. The emblematic tree, winged bulls, and monstrous
animals were conspicuous among the ornaments.
"At the upper end of the hall was the colossal figure of the king in
adoration before the supreme deity, or receiving from his eunuch the
holy cup. He was attended by warriors bearing his arms, and by the
priests or presiding divinities. His robes, and those of his followers,
were adorned with groups of figures, animals, and flowers, all painted
with brilliant colors. The stranger trod upon the alabaster slabs, each
bearing an inscription, recording the titles, genealogy, and
achievements of the great King.--Several door-ways, formed by gigantic
winged lions or bulls, or by the figures of guardian deities, led into
other apartments, which again opened into more distant halls. In each
were new sculptures. On the walls of some were processions of colossal
figures--armed men and eunuchs following the king, warriors laden with
spoil, leading prisoners, or bearing presents and offerings to the gods.
On the walls of others were portrayed the winged priests, or presiding
divinities, standing before the sacred trees.
"The ceilings above him were divided into square compartments, painted
with flowers, or with the figures of animals. Some were inlaid with
ivory, each compartment being surrounded by elegant borders and
mouldings. The beams as well as the sides of the chambers, may have been
gilded, or even plated, with gold and silver; and the rarest woods, in
which the cedar was conspicuous, were used for the wood work. Square
openings in the ceilings of the chambers admitted the light of day. A
pleasing shadow was thrown over the sculptured walls, and gave a
majestic expression to the human features of the colossal figures which
guarded the entrances. Through these apertures was seen the bright blue
of an eastern sky, enclosed in a frame on which were painted, in varied
colors, the winged circle, in the midst of elegant ornaments, and the
graceful forms of ideal animals.
"These edifices, as it has been shown, were great national monuments,
upon the walls of which were represented in sculpture, or inscribed in
alphabetic characters, the chronicles of the empire. He who entered them
might thus read the history, and learn the glory and triumphs of the
nation. They served at the same time to bring continually to the
remembrance of those who assembled within them on festive occasions, or
for the celebration of religious ceremonies, the deeds of their
ancestors, and the power and majesty of their gods."--_Layard's Nineveh
and its Remains_, vol. II. p 262.