mpire. He continued to occupy the palace of
Assur-nazir-pal, which he had enlarged. Wherever he turned within its
walls, his eyes fell upon some trophy of his wars or panegyric of his
virtues, whether recorded on mural tiles covered with inscriptions and
bas-reliefs, or celebrated by statues, altars, and triumphal stelae.
The most curious among all these is a square-based block terminating
in three receding stages, one above the other, like the stump of
an Egyptian obelisk surmounted by a stepped pyramid. Five rows
of bas-reliefs on it represent scenes most flattering to Assyrian
pride;--the reception of tribute from Gilzan, Muzri, the Patina, the
Israelitish Jehu, and Marduk-abal-uzur, King of the land of Sukhi. The
latter knew his suzerain's love of the chase, and he provided him with
animals for his preserves, including lions, and rare species of deer.

[Illustration: 142.jpg STAG AND LIONS OF THE COUNTRY OF SUKHI]

Drawn by Faucher-Gudin, from one of the bas-reliefs of the
Black Obelisk.

The inscription on the monument briefly relates the events which had
occurred between the first and the thirty-first years of Shalmaneser's
reign;--the defeat of Damascus, of Babylon and Urartu, the conquest
of Northern Syria, of Cilicia, and of the countries bordering on
the Zagros. When the king left Calah for some country residence in
its-neighbourhood, similar records and carvings would meet his eye. At
Imgur-Bel, one of the gates of the palace was covered with plates of
bronze, on which the skilful artist had embossed and engraved with the
chisel episodes from the campaigns on the Euphrates and the Tigris, the
crossing of mountains and rivers, the assault and burning of cities, the
long lines of captives, the _melee_ with the enemy and the pursuit of
the chariots. All the cities of Assyria, Nineveh,* Arbela, Assur, even
to the more distant towns of Harran** and Tushkhan,***--vied with each
other in exhibiting proofs of his zeal for their gods and his affection
for their inhabitants; but his predilection for Calah filled them with
jealousy, and Assur particularly could ill brook the growing aversion
with which the Assyrian kings regarded her. It was of no avail that she
continued to be the administrative and religious capital of the empire,
the storehouse of the spoil and annual tribute of other nations, and
was continually embellishing herself with fresh monuments: a spirit
of discontent was daily increasing, and m