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

DURING 19 CENTURY: ASSYRIA AND BABYLONIA 135
is even more pronounced in the sculptures of the palace of
Ashurbanapal than in those trom the reign of his grandfather.
They are distinguished by the sharpness of the
outline, their minute finish, and the very correct and striking
delineation of animals, especially lions and horses, in
their different motions and positions. In looking at these
fine bas-reliefs we gain the conviction that the artist has carefully
studied and actually seen in life what he has reproduced
here so truthfully in stone on the walls. The furious
lion, foiled in his revenge, burying his teeth in the chariot
wheels ; the wounded lioness with her outstretched head,
suffering agony, and vainly endeavoring to drag her paralyzed
lower limbs after her ; or the king on his spirited
horse with wild excitement in his face, and in hot pursuit of
the swift wild ass of the desert, — all these scenes are so
Kini; .Ashurbanapal Hunting
realistic in their conception, and at the same time so beautifully
portrayed, that from the beginning they have found
a most deserved admiration.
This lion-room was a picture gallerv and library at the
same time. For in the centre of the same hall Rassam
discovered the other half of Ashurbanapal's library, several
thousand clay r tablets, mostly fragmentary, in character
similar to those rescued by Lavard, and including
the Assyrian account of the Deluge. It is impossible to
follow Rassam into all the chambers which he laid open,
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