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

272 EXPLORATIONS IN BIBLE LANDS
golden image, just referred to, was the work of King Nabuapal-iddina.
In connection with the pillaging of the temple
by Sutean hordes in a previous war, the old image of
the god had been destroyed. All efforts to find a copy
of the famous representation had proved in vain.
Finally,
in 852 b.c, a terra-cotta relief 1 was accidentally discovered
on the western bank of the Euphrates, which enabled
Nabu-apal-iddina to revive the ancient cult in its former
glory. In order to secure its continuity, in case another
national calamity should befall his country, the king had an
exact copy of the original with explanatory labels carved
at the top of his memorial tablet, which was buried in the
ground.
In unearthing this stone, Rassam had discovered the famous
temple of Shamash and, at the same time, identified
one of the earliest Babylonian cities. He stood in the very
sanctuary in which Babylonian monarchs once rendered
homage to the golden image of their god. In a room adjoining
the one just described, the fortunate explorer found two
large barrel cylinders of Nabonidos in a fine state of preservation,
and " a curiously hewn stone symbol . . . ending on
the top in the shape of a cross," and " inscribed with archaic
characters."
The text of these cylinders proved an historical
source of the utmost importance. The royal archaeologist,
to whom we are indebted for so many precious chronological
data, delighted more in excavating ancient temples and
reviving half-forgotten cults than in
administering the affairs
of his crumbling empire. Sippara, situated scarcely thirty
miles to the north of Babylon, and renowned equally for its
venerable cult and its
magnificent library, naturally received
his special attention. After a poetical description of the
1
Col. iii, 19, seq. : usurti salmishu sirpu sha khasbi, "the relief of his
image in terra-cotta." For sirpu sha khasbi, "something in terra-cotta," a
terra-cotta relief, figurine, etc., comp. the verb sarapu, "to burn, bake
(bricks)," quoted by Meissner, Suppl. zu den Assyr. IVorterbuchern, p. 82.