Two small obelisks, and the apex of a third, have been found in Assyria, in shape of truncated prisms, the apices step-shaped. The most interesting is that of the n. w palace of Nimrud, of black marble, is 5 ft. 9 in. high. Each side has fivecompartments of bas reliefs, representing the tribute and offerings made to the Shalmanaser. It is covered with a cuneiform inscription, recording the annals of the king's reign, from his first to his 31st year. On it is represented the tribute of John, king of Israel. A second obelisk, of white marble, measures 8 ft. 2 in. high, is covered with bas-reliefs, representing scenes of war and tributes, winding round it like those of a Roman triumphal column. On it is an inscription of Shamas•Pul. The broken apex of a third has a dedication from Ashur-izir-'pul II. All obelisk of Semiramis at Babylon is mentioned by Diodorus, and another of Aricarus was interpreted by Democritus. Under the Roman empire. obelisks were used as gnomons, placed in the public spaces, or erected in the spina of the circi. The first removal of obelisks to Rome took place in the reign of Augustus, who placed one in the circus, said to been originally erected in the reign of Semenpsert eus, 85} ft. high ; and another of 9 ft. less, in the Campus Martins, and had it adjusted as a gnomon by the mathematician Facundus Novus; a third obelisk was erected in the Circus of Caligula and Nero in the Vatican, and originally dedicated to the sun by Nun corens, the son of Sesosis, on the recovery of his sight. Two other small obelisks, which
decorated the mausoleum of Augustus, and were erected by Claudius or Vespasian and his sons, have been found. Other obelisks are known to have been removed by Constan this. 354 A.D. P. Victor, in his description of the quarters of ancient Rome, reckons 6 of the largest size and 42 others. The Romans added to them brazen spheres and other decorations. Some were removed to Constantinople by Theodosius the younger, and Valenti nian. 390 A.D. The translation of the inscription of one of the Roman obelisks made by a Greek or Egyptian, named Hermapion, has been preserved by Anunianus Marccllinus.—Kircher, tEdipus ./Eqyptiacus (torn. iii. Rom. 1652-54); Zoega, De Origins et Usu Obeliscorum (fa Rom. 1797); Cipriani, Brri Dodici Melted, di Roma (fo. Rom. 1823); L'Il6te, Notice lEstorique taw les Obelisques Egyptiens (8vo, Paris, 1836); Birch, Notes upon Obelisks in the 31218614771 of Classical Antiquities (8vo, Lond. 1853, pp. 203-39; Layard, _Nineveh, and its Remains, vol. i. p. 346; Sir H. Rawlinson, A Commentary on the Cunei form Inscriptions (12mo, bond. 1850).