much injured; however, enough remains of the almost defaced leader, when compared with the apparent condition of the succeeding eight, to shew that the whole nine are captives. The hands of all are tied behind their backs, and the cord is very distinct which binds the neck of the one to the neck of the other, till the mark of bondage reaches to the last in the line. If it were also originally attached to the leader, the cord is now without trace there; his hands, however, are evidently in the same trammels as his followers. The second figure in the procession has his hair so close to his head, that it appears to have been shaven, and a kind of caul covers it from the top of the forehead to the middle of the head. He is dressed in a short tunic, reaching no further than the knee; a belt fastens it round the waist; his legs are bare. Behind this figure is a much older person, with a rather pointed Beard and bushy hair, and a similar caul covers the top of his head. He too is habited in a short tunic, with something like the trowsers, or booted appearance on the limbs which is seen on some of the figures at Persepolis. In addition to the binding of the hands, the preceding figure, and this, are fastened together by a rope round their necks, which runs onward, noosing all the remaining eight in one string. This last described person, has the great peculiarity attached to him, of the skirt of his garment being covered entirely with inscriptions in the arrow-headed character. Next follows one in a long vestment, with full hair, without the caul. Then another in a short, plain tunic, with trowsers. Then succeeds a second long vestment. After him comes one in a short tunic, with naked legs, and apparently, a perfect bald head. He is followed by another in long vestments. But the ninth, and last in the group, who, also, is in the short tunic and trowser, has the singlarity of wearing a prodigiously high-pointed cap; his beard and hair are much higher than any of his companions, and his face looks of a greater age. In the air, over the heads of the centre figures. appears the floating intelligence in his circle and car of sunbeams, so often remarked on the sculptures of Nakshi-Roustam and Persepolis,

"Above the head of each individual in this bas-relief is a compartment with an inscription in the arrow-headed writing, most

probably descriptive of the character and situation of each person. And immediately below the sculpture, are two lines in the same language, running the whole length of the group. Under these again the excavation is continued to a considerable extent, containing eight deep and closely written columns in the same character. From so much labour having been exerted on this part of the work, it excites more regret that so little progress has yet been made toward deciphering the character.

"The design of this sculpture appears to tally so well with the great event of the total conquest over Isarel, by Salmaneser, king of Assyria, and the Medes, that I venture to suggest the possibility of this bas-relief having been made to commemorate that final achievement. Certain circumstances attending the entire captivity of the ten tribes, which took place in the second attack on their nation, when considered, seem to confirm the conjecture into a strong probability. The first expedition into Samaria, the country of the ten tribes, was led thither by Arbaces (the Tigleth-pileser of the Scriptures,), twenty years anterior to the one which I would refer this bas-relief. Arbaces undertook the first invasion at the instigation of Ahaz, king of Judah, who subsidised the Assyrian monarch, to avenge him by arms on his harassing neighbours, Pekah, king of Israel, and Rezin, king of Syria, who had confederated against him. Arbaces completely reduced the latter kingdom, slaying its king in battle, and making slaves of its people. He then entered those parts of the dominions of Pekah which bordered on Syria: and laying waste the whole east of Jordan, carried away captive the chief of the people inhabiting the towns of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh. Having marched back with his spoil, he planted the Isrelites in Media, and his Syrian prisoners on the banks of the Tigris. Soon after this fatal invasion, Pekah, king of Israel, was destroyed in a conspiracy by Hosea: who, having murdered his master, reigned in his stead. About this time Arbaces (Tigleth-pileser) died, and was succeeded by his son Salmaneser; who, as soon as he was settled on his throne went over into Syria: and thence falling upon the remainder of Israel, made a treaty with Hosea, allowing him to be king, and sparing the people, on condition that he paid him tribute, and acknowledged his

country the vassal of Assyria. This took place about ten years after the expedition of Tiglath-pileser. But in the course of a very few years more, Hosea was spirited up by So-sabacan, king of Egypt, to attempt throwing off the yoke of Assyria, by refusing to pay the customary tribute. In chastisement of this rebellion, Salmaneser marched a large army into Samaria, and overthrowing all opposed to him, took Hosea captive, shut him up, and bound him, and carried Israel away into Assyria, and placed them in Halab, and in Habor, by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes. (2 Kings xviii. 11.) In turning from this account in the Scriptures, to the sculpture on the rock, the one seemed clearly to explain the other. In the royal figure, I see Salmaneser, the son of the renowned Arbaces, followed by two appropriate leaders of the armies of his two dominions, Assyria and Media, carrying the spear and the bow. Himself rests on the great royal weapon of the east, revered from the earliest time as the badge of supreme power,-Behold I do set my bow in the cloud. Besides, he tramples on a prostrate foe; not one that is slain, but one who is a captive; this person not stretched out and motionless, but extending his arms in supplication. He must have been a king, for on none below that dignity would the haughty foot of an eastern monarch condescend to tread. Then we see approach nine captives, bound, as it were, in double bonds, as a sign of a double offence. We may understand this accumulated transgression, on recollecting that on the first invasion of Israel, by Tiglath-pileser, he carried away only part of three tribes; and on the second by Salmaneser, he not only confirmed Hosea on the throne, but spared the remaining people. Therefore, on this determined rebellion of king and people, he punishes the ingratitude of both, by putting both in the most abject bonds, and bringing away the whole of the ten tribes into captivity; or, at least, the principal of the nation, in the same manner, probably, as was afterwards adopted by Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, with regard to the inhabitants of Judæa: he carried away all from Jerusalem, and all the princes, and all the mighty men of valour, even ten thousand captives; and all the craftsmen and smiths; none remained, save the poorest sort of people of the land.

(2 Kings, xxiv. 14.) Besides, it may bear on our argument, to remark, that, including the prostrate monarch, there are precisely ten captives: which might be regarded as the representatives, or heads, of each tribe, beginning with the king, who, assuredly would be considered as the chief of his, and ending with the aged figure at the end, whose high cap may have been an exaggerated representation of the mitre worn by the sacerdotal tribe of Levi: a just punishment of the priesthood at that time, which had debased itself by every species of idolatrous compliance with the whims, or rather wickedness of the people, in the adoption of Pagan worship. Hence, having all walked in the statutes of the heathen, the Lord rejected Israel, and delivered them into the hand of the spoilers.' Doubtless, the figure with the inscription on his garments, from the singularity of the appendage, must have been some noted personage in the history of the event: and, besides, it seems to designate a striking peculiarity of the Jews, who were accustomed to write memorable sentences of old, in the form of phylacteries, on different parts of their raiment. What those may mean, which cover the garment of this figure, we have no means of explaining, till the diligent researches of the learned may be able to decipher the arrow-headed character, and then a full light would be thrown on the whole history, by exposing the tablets over every head. If the aërial form above were ever intended to represent the heavenly apparation of a departed king, which is the opinion of some, that of the great Arbaces might appear here with striking propriety, at the final conquest of rebellious Israel. Should the discoveries of time prove my conjecture to be right, this bas-relief must be nearly two hundred years older than any which are ascribed to Cyrus at Persepolis or Pasargadœ.”*

* Sir Robert Ker Porter's Travels in Georgia, Persia, &c. vol. ii. pp. 154—162.