Explorations in Bible lands during the 19th century - H. V. Hilprecht

DURING 19 CENTURY: ASSYRIA AND BABYLONIA 85
Sargon, the conqueror of Samaria (722 b. a), Dur-Sharruken
or " Sargon's Castle." The walls by which the town was
protected were found intact at their bases. Thev constituted
a rectangular parallelogram, or nearly a square, pointing with
its
rour corners to the cardinal points, and enclosing a space
of a little over 741 acres.
Its northwest side was interrupted
bv the royal palace, which, like a huge bastion, protruded
considerably into the plain, at the same time forming part
ot the great town-wall. The latter was provided with eight
monumental gates, each of which was named after an Assyrian
deitv.
The royal residence was erected on a lofty
terrace, nearly
forty-five feet high and built of unbaked bricks cased with
a wall of large square stones. At the northern corner of
this raised platform, covering an area of nearly twenty-five
acres oi" land, was an open place ; near the western corner
stood a temple, and at the centre of the southwest side rose
the stage-tower belonging to it
and used also for astronomical
observations ; the rest was occupied bv the palace itself.
This latter was divided into three sections, the seraglio
occupying the centre of the terrace and extending towards
the plain ; the harem, with only two entrances, situated
at the southern corner, and the domestic quarters at the
eastern corner, connected with the store and provision
rooms, the stables, kitchen, and bakerv, at the centre of
the southeast side. The seraglio, inhabited by the king
and his large retinue of military and civil officers, like the
other two sections of the extensive building, consisted
of a
great many larger and smaller rooms grouped around several
open courts. The northwest wing contained the public
reception rooms, — wide halls, elaborately decorated with
winged bulls, magnificent sculptures and historical inscriptions,
glorifying the king in his actions of peace and war.
We see him hunting wild animals, doing homage to the
gods, sitting at the table and listening to the singers and