On the whole, it seems probable that the buildings on the terrace had but one storey, though certainly some portions were higher than others; yet the reliefs that we have obtained show, unless the poor perspective deceives us, buildings which consisted of many terraced storeys. In some palaces a steplike pyramid seven stages high rises from the terrace. Among the exterior decorations, besides reliefs, are the painting of the reliefs, wall-paintings, ornamental painted patterns, and a covering of glazed tiles.
The palace at Khorsabad stands in connection with a contemporaneous city the wall of which has a thickness of 24 metres (7S/ feet), while its top corresponds with the terrace of the palace, of which it was a con tinuation; sixty-four towers rose above this wall, and it had seven gates, the three largest of which were adorned on the lower sides with winged bulls, while the arches appear to have been covered with colored glazed tiles.
Palaces at ancient Calah has been recognized in the ruins of Nimrnd, where several palaces have been found. The north western palace is proved by inscriptions to be the work of Assurnazirpal (923-899 B. c.), while the central palace is that of his son, Shalman ezer V. (8499-S7o). Sargon (721-7o2) built a palace and a dependent city, which was named Hisir-Sargon in his honor. His successor, Sennacherib (7o2-68o), built the vast palace of Konyfinjik, the remains of which are said to have been discovered in a mound near Mosul. The mounds at this spot are believed to mark the site of the ancient Nineveh. Assur banipal (66S-66o) built the south-western palace of Nimmd.
Construction Cupolas and may have been the mode of construction of the cupolas which were erected on these palaces— whether horizontal in ever-narrowing circles, or whether the blocks were formed into wedge-shaped voussoirs—cannot now be ascertained; but the presence of radiating voussoirs shows that the arch was used in the tunnel-vaults, in the crowns of the doors, and especially in the city gates. This is, therefore, the earliest known application of the arch. Elemental forms are preserved in the life of a people for thousands of years, and thus the vaulted designs which under influence were erected in the now-deserted cities of Central Syria can be traced back to these.Assvr
ian vaults. These buildings differed in their construction from the then prevalent type emanating from Greece and Italy, just as the present Orien tal structures differ from ours. Even now the East has its cupolas and terraced roofs, even now the tunnel-vault is indigenous there; timber-con struction is lavishly applied in combination with more enduring materials, and glazed colored tiles play a prominent part in the decoration.
Jiateria/s.—From the information we have upon the subject we must conclude that wood was of very general application. We cannot doubt this when we see once-populous cities and magnificent palaces destroyed by fire, when we reflect that the tent of the nomad lay at the base of the entire architectural development of the East, and when in later phases of development of the same culture we meet with forms in stone which are but translations of those to which wood would naturally lend itself.
These splendid structures had but a short existence; the Assyrian kingdom soon fell. About 600 B. c., Nineveh was overthrown, never to be rebuilt; in a few hundred years not a vestige remained visible. The perishable material was destroyed; the more substantial was buried in the slime of the adobes, and tradition alone tells us that what seem natural mounds, which every year are decked with fresh green, were formerly the seat of a flourishing civilization.
Babylonian took the place of Nineveh. Originally an Assyrian province, it had repeatedly sought to gain its independence, and at last the Babylonians, under Nabopolassar, leagued with the Medes, de stroyed Nineveh and put an end to the Assyrian monarchy, dividing its provinces between themselves.' Nebuchadnezzar, son of Nabopolassar and son-in-law of the King of the Medes, extended his kingdom even to Egypt. The Bible narrates how he destroyed Jerusalem and in the year 599 B. C. carried its people into captivity. He restored Babylon and caused vast edifices to be erected there; he rebuilt the Temple of Bel (Baal, Belus), and constructed the immense walls and the hanging gardens attributed to Semiramis. To his time belong all the remains of buildings which have recently been unearthed.