Page:A History of Art in Chaldæa & Assyria Vol 2.djvu/45

The Palace of Sargon. 27 shape or arrangement admits of the idea that they were for the use of attendants or others in an inferior station — oriental custom having at all times caused such persons to sleep on carpets, mats, or mattresses, spread on the paved floors at night and put away in cupboards during the day — and you will allow that the conclusion to which those who have studied the plan of Sargon's harem have arrived, is, at least, a very probable one. Sargon had three queens, who inhabited the three suites of apartments ; each had assigned to her use one of the state bedrooms we have described, but only occupied it when called upon to receive her royal spouse. 1 On other nights she slept in her own apartments among her eunuchs and female domestics. These apartments comprised a kind of large saloon open to the sky, but sheltered at one end by a semi-dome (T, X, and especially Z, where the interior is in a better state of preservation). Stretched upon the cushions with which the daïs at this end of the room was strewn, the sultana, if we may use such a term, like those of modern Turkey, could enjoy the performances of musicians, singers, and dancers, she could receive visits and kill her time in the dreamy fashion so dear to Orientals. We have already given (Vol. I. Fig. 55,) a restoration in perspective of the semi-dome which, according to Thomas, covered the further ends of these reception halls. 2 Suppose this part of the palace restored to its original condition ; it would be quite ready to receive the harem of any Persian or Turkish prince. The same precautions against escape or intrusion, the same careful isolation of rival claimants for the master's favours, would still be taken. With its indolent and passionate inmates a jealousy that hesitates at no crime by which a rival can be removed, is common enough, and among the numerous slaves a willing in- strument for the execution of any vengeful project is easily found. The moral, like the physical conditions, have changed but little, and the oriental architect has still to adopt the precautions found necessary thirty centuries ago. We find another example of this pre-existence of modern arrangements in the vast extent of the palace offices. These 1 See the Book of Esther. 2 This room corresponds to the apartment in the richer houses of Mossoul and Bagdad, that goes by the name of iwan or pichkaneh. It is a kind of summer hall, open on one side (Oppert, Expedition scientifique, vol. i. p. 90).