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

124 EXPLORATIONS IN BIBLE LANDS
temple, and in the earth above it the entire statue of the
monarch, with the following self-glorifying inscription, running
across his breast :
" Ashurnasirapal, the great king, the
powerful
king, king of the Universe, king of Assyria, son
of Tuklat-Ninib, the great king, the powerful king, king of
the Universe, king of Assyria, son of Adadnirari, the
great
king, the powerful king, king of the Universe, king of
Assyria, the conqueror from beyond the Tigris to the
Lebanon and the Great Sea [Mediterranean] — all the
countries from the rising of the sun to the setting thereof
he subdued under his feet."
Of no less importance, though of a different character,
was a discovery in the northwest palace. Near the west
edge of the mound the workmen came accidentally upon a
chamber built by Ashurnasirapal, which probably served as a
storeroom.
In one corner was a well nearly sixty feet deep,
while in other parts of the room there were found twelve
huge copper vessels partly filled with smaller objects.
Beneath
and behind these caldrons were heaped without order large
masses of copper and bronze vessels, arms (shields, swords,
daggers, heads of spears and arrows), iron implements, such
as picks, saws, hammers, etc., glass bowls, ivory relics, and
several entire elephants' tusks. In another corner of this
interesting chamber had stood the royal throne, carved in
wTood and cased with elaborate bronze ornaments. It was
badly decaved, but enough remained to ascertain that it
resembled in shape the chairs of state represented on the
slabs
of Khorsabad and Oovunjuk, and particularly that on
which Sennacherib is seated while reviewing the captives
and spoil of the citv of Lachish. About one hundred and
fifty
bronze vessels of different sizes and shapes, and eighty
small bells in the same metal, could be sent to the British
Museum. As many of the former were in a fine state of
preservation
and remarkable for the beauty of their design,
being ornamented with the embossed or incised figures of