File:Nineveh and Babylon - a narrative of a second expedition to Assyria during the years 1849, 1850, and 1851 (1882) (14580629170).jpg

Identifier: ninevehbabylonna00laya (find matches)
Title: Nineveh and Babylon : a narrative of a second expedition to Assyria during the years 1849, 1850, & 1851
Year: 1882 (1880s)
Authors: Layard, Austen Henry, Sir, 1817-1894
Subjects: Nineveh (Extinct city) Babylon (Extinct city) Middle East -- Description and travel
Publisher: London : J. Murray
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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t himself; and the oil and wicks are renewed asoften as necessary. A large house belonging to the sanctu-ary contains a very numerous collection of books, some ofthem as ancient as the second, some even coeval with thefirst temple, it being customary that whoever dies childlessbequeaths his books to the sanctuary. Even in time of warneither Jew nor Mohammedan ventures to despoil and pro-fanate the sepulchre of Ezekiel.* * Ashers tr.inslation. On tlie Tigris, near its junction with the Eu-plirates, is the traditionary tomb of Ezra. The Jews, from the <irst XL) MOUND OF BABEL. 283 I remained in Hillah until the 19th December, riding every-day to the ruins on the eastern bank of the river, to super-intend the excavations. The first trenches were opened inthe great mound of Babel, about five miles from the gate ofHillah, and three-quarters of a mile from the river.* I soughtthe subterranean passage opened and described by Mr. Rich,and on removing the rubbish I soon came to the quadran-
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MounJ of Babel ■ Ruins of Babylon. gular funnel, about thirteen feet square, of burnt brick andbitumen, which he had discovered. After the lapse of fortyyears, it had been again filled with earth. The workmen centuries of the Christian sera, also appear to have visited this spot asthe place of sepulture of the prophet. Benjamin of Tudela says of it, The sepulchre of Ezra, the priest and scribe, is in this place (name lost),where he died on his journey from Jenisalem to King Artaxerxes. Inthe early part of the 13th century, a celebrated Jewish poet, namedJehuda Charisi ben Salomo, described both tombs in verse. (Dr. ZuntsEssay in 2nd volume of Ashers ed. of Benjamin of Tudela.) * The dimensions of the mound, as given by Rich, are, the northernface, 200 yards in length; the southern, 219; the eastern, 182; and thewestern, 136. The elevation at the N.E. angle, 141 feet. 284 NINEVEH AND BABYLON. (Chap. entered the underground chamber in which Mr. Ricli founda coffin of wood, containing

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