angles, which perhaps may indicate the extent of the building, and there it again displays feet, and the lower border of a woman's robe, who is attired in the same manner as the preceding. Unfortunately, all the upper part is wanting.

The state of these sculptures, the form of the garments, strikingly resemble those of Persepolis, only that there appears to me more animation in the figures, and greater anatomical science in the design. The muscles of the arms and legs are remarkably well indicated, and, on the whole, these bas-reliefs give favorable evidence of the taste and skill of those by whom they were executed.

This description, Sir, is very incomplete, but at a later period I shall despatch you another more detailed. I continue to excavate, and with so much the greater interest, that I believe myself the first who has discovered sculptures that may, with some probability, be traced back to the epoch when Nineveh flourished.

I am careful to collect all the pieces agreeing with each other, in hopes of being able to reunite and glean from them an ample harvest for historical research. I have already rejoined, in this manner, part of the remains of a colossal female figure richly

attired, having ear-rings and rings, or kholkal,* on her legs. I have found besides, several broken sculptured fragments in black siliceous limestone, of delicate workmanship, but of this kind nothing at all perfect has yet appeared.

Lastly, at a hundred paces from the village, I found a sort of altar (if such it may be called)† of triangular shape, and surmounted by a round platform. The angles display lions' paws, extremely well sculptured, and the tout ensemble has so Grecian an air, that I should have doubted its origin, had not the circumference of the platform presented me with a cuneiform inscription which I have copied.‡ There is, moreover, no concavity in the upper part, nor any thing that may lead to the suspicion of its having been a

*Khoolkha'l-Anklets of solid gold and silver. They are, of course, very heavy, and, knocking together as the wearer walks, make a ringing noise: hence it is said in a song, “The ringing of thine anklets has deprived me of my reason."-See Lane's “ Manners and Customs of the Modern Egyptians," Vol. II., page 364.

† See Plan XI. Note of M. BOTTA::-" Circumference of the table, 2m. 20.; total height 0m. 79c; breadth of the sides at the base, 0m. 74; idem above, 0m. 55c..”

See Plan XII. The original inscription forms one single line only; I have been compelled to place it upon two. The gap observable in the centre is about five inches long, and that at the end occupies a fifth of the circumference of the table.-J. M.

fire-altar. It is, perhaps, the pedestal of a column. I am told that at a little distance is another and a similar fragment, but much mutilated; I have not seen it, but my next excursion shall be towards that locality, in hopes that it will assist me to complete what is wanting in the inscription.

It is time, Sir, that I should inform you of the style in which this monument is constructed, and therein do not lie its least remarkable features, for I know of nothing like it. It is built upon a platform composed of a single range of baked bricks, bearing inscriptions. Above this platform is a layer of fine sand, six inches in thickness, which is spread upon another platform of bricks, and so on several times, strongly cemented with bitumen. This sand was, there can be no doubt, deposited intentionally, for it must have been brought from the Tigris, though with what object I cannot conceive, unless to contradict our proverb. This is not all; the walls are formed of large and small slabs of gypsum, such as is found near Mosul. Between these there is merely earth; thus the whole exterior of the brick-work is covered with sculptured slabs, while the interior is filled with clayey soil. There is no appearance of its being the decomposition of unbaked bricks,

for no traces of them are visible; but my workmen assert that this earth has been mixed with lime, which hardens it, and that this mode of construction is in use at Mosul at the present day. Nevertheless, it seems to be far from durable, and forms a singular contrast to what we already know regarding primitive monuments. In confirmation of this statement, the swelling of the earth, before the empty spaces were filled, has broken the bas-reliefs into a thousand pieces, and since I have cleared the passages, their sole stay being removed, they would fall if not carefully and immediately supported. As these props will not last beyond the period of my present labours, this monument must necessarily perish for ever, unless. the enlightened munificence of the French government provide me with the means of rescuing the most interesting portions.

Such Sir, are the details which I am now enabled to give. I will continue to keep you au courant of all discoveries that may result from my researches, in the hope that they will not be altogether devoid of interest both for yourself and the literary world.

E. BOTTA.

LETTERS OF M. BOTTA,

ON

THE DISCOVERIES AT NINEVEH.

LETTER II.

Mosul, May 2nd, 1843.

SIR,

IN a former letter, I had the honor of acquainting you with my archæological discovery in the village of Khorsabad; I now send you some particulars of what has since been brought to light. To my description I annex a plan, which approaches nearer to the reality than the first.* This plan is necessary in order to elucidate what I have written, because

*I do not publish this plan; that which accompanies the first letter (see Plan I.) being posterior to, and more complete than the one named by M. BOTTA. Therein will be found the state of the excavations such as it was when M. BOTTA wrote his third letter.

J. M.