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

DURING 19TH CENTURY: ASSYRIA AND BABYLONIA 507
sented some sort of sandal fastenings. Each buckle was
adorned with a well-executed head of a lion in high relief,
richly enamelled with turquoise and set with rubies. A small
gold ring, 1 the use of which is unknown, and a beautiful
gold coin (lying near the head) completed this remarkable
back," with the head turned toward the southeast.
collection.
" The body lay at full length in a natural position on its
From remaining
traces of clothing, Geere was inclined to infer " that
the man had worn a cotton shirt and what looked like a
leather over-shirt, reaching as far as the knees." In accordance
with the general custom, food and drink were deposited
with the two corpses. The former was originally
contained in four terra-cotta dishes (7) placed on a small
brick shelf (6) and on the floor in the north corner of the
chamber. 2 The latter was provided for in two large jars (8).
They stood near the eastern corner, and were partly damaged
by the fallen plaster.
Every object contained in this unique Parthian tomb,
which may serve as a representative example of many similar
graves, is most instructive. But our chief interest
centres in the gold coin, which enables us to date this
burial with greater accuracy than usual.
It shows the head
of a Roman emperor, surrounded bv the Latin inscription
TI(BERIUS) CESAR DIVI AUG(USTI) F(ILIUS)
AUGUSTUS, by which it is proved conclusively that the
two high officers
buried there cannot have died before Emperor
Tiberius (14-37 a. d.); that consequently the palace
must have been inhabited at least as late as the first century
of our own era. Other antiquities discovered in the debris
1
Resembling a heavy earring more than anything else. Similar rings,
generally occurring in pairs, were found repeatedly in Parthian coffins containing
bodies of women.
2
When discovered, nothing but " some light grayish powder" indicated
the former contents of the dishes.