J vol. 30 / 986 The ‘Lachish Reliefs’ and the Ci:y of Lachish DAVID USSISHKIN “ Tel Aviv University ‘Te conquest of Lachish wat one of the major events of Sennachzrib’s invasion of Juxish curing his third eampaign in 701 B.C-E. The Bible informs us that Sennacherib imped at Lachish and estelished his headquarters ther: during zt least part of his Judah (2 Kings 18:14, 1%; 19:8; Ise. 36:2; 27:8; 2 Chiron, 329). The Assarian inset iting the detals of the cempaign’ to not specifically mention the conquest of Lachish, but this event was commnsmorated by the Assyrian king in the Lavhish Reefs’ ereced in his palace at Nineveh. one of th: most remarkable series of Isae roles dep ise ancient city cf Lachish should almost certainly be identiied with Tet Lachish (Tat ed Duveit)? This outstanding mound was extensively excavated by a British ex edition directed by JL. Starkey in 1932-1938, ty Y. Ahavoni in 1956 and 1968, and sinve 1973 by an expedition of Tel Aviv University and the Israel Exploration Society Udiccted by the author? The archaeolosical level represen ing the fertfid city which wae attacked in 201 B.C.E.~—Level [Twas idemfied and studied, he main Assy siege ramp was discovered! and evidence of the fice battle and ensuing cestruction of the city was uneartied, We thos ee that Hlerary. te siege anv congued of Lachish. Therefore, we are provided with a uniqu: opportuity ing ihe siege and conquest of a city by the Assyran nemy. istic and archaeoloical data combine o inform us about to compare a detailed Neo Assyrian rdief with he topog-aphical end archazological diary of a major ancent site. This was carried out in 1958 by R.E. Hammett * on the Ths enim generally asceted today, Neveriess itis bared om rcunstanal evidence and tives be define oven: few scholars adocnte eniying Lachish with oter sites Set sek ers vision Tell ec Dawei Arent Lach? PEQ 112 (190), pp. 7-9 TP Uesshhig: Pecnations at Tel Lachish—-1973-191, Peiinay Report, Tel Ar $ 41978. 1 Tom: Fie Destwston of Lesh by Seanacherit aid the Datng of the Xoyal Judean Storage ec na i ttO Tp BRAD. few prminent scholars aller tothe vie thet Level IT Flt usat ECT an ote ier see vt rently Rathloen McKean: Acard tthe Hay Poe Latin peta py 286 40tcA Ih Tyshngham: He West Fa we te Monarchy, ZDP9S (oh ge 80 Om ne Rosi thie Siew Eel IV sist he ented wih te ity attacked by te + RD, Bamett The Siege Faehich te {WE ‘LACHSH RELIEFS" 115 Fe 1 Plan of the Sout-West Pace at Nineveh (dean after Layard), {basis of the archaeological data uncovere: in the British excevations. Barnett claimed thatthe reliefs portray i the main actual Ieatures of Lachish and the siege rsther than merely depicting an imaginary enemy stroyghold being assnuted, and thus they could be relied upon in an atempt to recomsteict the siege. The present stucly will make Sinilar claims; it is basically an elaborafon of Barnett’s work, largely foundsd on archaeslogieal data recovered in the recent excavations at the site which were not wailatle 40 Hamett,16 DAVID UssISHKIN Sennscherib transferred the Assyrian eapiial to Niseveh (modern Kuyuajik), devoting cconsite able efforts in beautifying the city, snd constructed his royal palece there. This cextravazant edifice, its construction, size, magnificerce and teauty, are recorded in detail in Sennacherib’s scriptions: he procaly called it the ‘Palace without a Rival’? Scnnacherib’s pelace is naw known as the Scuth-West Palaces twas partly excavated by Hey Layard, who rrepared 2 plan of the builling (Fig. 1) and uncovered a large number of bascicfs agorning the walls* Relevant to us are Rooms XXIX~XLI, which comprised a separate architectural unit within the palace complex. G. Turnes* {crs the uit as a reception suite of stictly ceremonial function. Symmetricaly plannvsk the suite had two centeal adjoining halls, with a smalle, centrally placed room (No. NXXVD inked by subsidiary chambers et the reir. Three monumental doorwavs were built on a straight avis across the ceatre of the suite, lending the way from Cot NIX to the eater hall (No. XXIX), thence to the ceatrat hall (No. XXIV), ant finally to Room XSXVE at the reas. Each of the three deorways was flanked by slos.al winged bulls, descending in size fcr 18 fee (the outermos!) tc about 12 feet (hye innermost, As Layard remarked, ‘Sl vould be difficult # conceive anj interior srchiechutal arrangemett more ‘posing than this triple groxp of gigantic forms as seen in perspecive by those wha stood in the cextie of the val, cimly tighted from shove, and hamoniousy colored or ovedaid, like the cxersbims in the temple of Salonen, akth pol ™ ‘The planning of the suite and atrangenent of the docrwiys indicate the special, ‘evi snce of Room XXXVI at the rear. Here wer erected the bas-rlits depict ew auest of Lachish It seems that the whole room, and serhaps the entire re intended {9 commanorate tte conquest of Judah and the viciory at Lachish, tracted! round plan of Room XXXVL i presented herein Fig. 2 Layard Orr recon safe af Semen Wop. 124 pp. EAT: Men: Aen Reeds of 1 hago. 1997. pp. 10-170, Wie he Rese Ninehand Ratt, Lenco, Y8S%: ene A Seeond Sra 4 ond Rasen be te omen Sach Lemon, 18S% A, Pesan: Ausra Seales, Pace of Sinarherih Te 1 Funes Tho Sis Aprtiments Fate Assen Palaces ra93219°O), pp, 200-202, PL XL To's tahoe RL fe ANS fe clocing terse theese St the tte eciad Form Mesehiah whi is Usted he Snowe) Foy SRR ant sepecially the sos tale from Lachish were Hep here. The SON" AP porte te fotlonsng tems ting carried avay by Assan soldiers. a shot ofgrvvirment take from the governor's palace for" a septee 0 st ce spect unl hike and swords. Aimar exe howe fom Pmt) Ae ff Scone mathe entrance te Reo U i the Nosth Wet ior svt pila not wate Bop poe othe apes taken fry Piss Hg Mn Ree delabove. "ki TSN 1 Miles ne as Remain ‘THE ‘LACHISE: RELIEPS" m Fe. 2, Plan of Room XXXVI i the South West Place. states that the room was 38 feet (11.5 m.) wife and 18 feet (5.45 m.) long,” but ac- carding to his ground plan of the ediice (Fig. 1) it was about 12m. wide and 5.10 m. long, Our plan is based on the measurements of the rcliefs—vhich indicate thst the Ferath of the room was 4.90 m, (see telow)—and on Layard’ grcund plan. The width ofthe room is based on the assumption that the missing slab at te lef-hand corner cf the wall was 30 em. wide. The width of the e-trance ard the wicth and leagth of the Winged bulls are estimated, and may not be accurate The walls of Room XXXVI were probably entirely cavered by he ‘Lachish Reliefs. Layard’s plan of Lie palace marks thirteen nurtbered slabs around all the walls in the foont, an in his written description hx also mentions that this serics contained ‘thirtees slabs." Nevertheless, it seems that he was mistaken, Twelve slabs apparently arrange! inconsecutve order are preserved a: present. They are equivalent to Layard’s slabs Nes, 5-13—only nine slabs as aumdered by him. ’ The twelve preserved slabs are numbered by us with Roman numerals in consecutiv: ‘Wer from left to right." Slab VI is « corner sab which stood in the back right-tand © Layard, Dcovern fahove,n Bh nate ew ps 149 © ida 3h Pann (ane. RL IRC TR ey ar rom Seve tahavera. 8) Plc XX AXIS ad18 DAVID Uss SHIN comer, while Slab X. agan a corner slab, sood in the front righthand corner, The foot hav edge of lah Ni, 10 em, wide, i¢a.so earvec, indicating that it vas the e&ge fol the sties near the righthand jamb of the doorway. Slabs [~\ stretch ‘or 11.15 from the teft hand edge of lab L tothe back right-hand corner (including en allowance ‘of ahout Sem. for the masing edges of Slats 1, 11T and 1V; see below). Slabs VI-X Inctch for 4.0K), between the two corners. Slabs XXII styetea for 2.7C m, between tiv conser and the ede ofthe series. Thus we see thatthe preserva dado has an overall length of about 18.85 m. (L004 (LIS +4.9¢ + 2.70 40.10). The tength of the missing hart of the series can only roughly be assess. as the distance between he left-hand fetor of Siah T and the back left hand corner ef the room is net kown: it was probably (0.35 140m. tong. Assuming that te missirgstab along the back wall was 30 em. Jong, sy thatthe left-hand side of the recom was cecorated similarly to the rigthand side, then the length of the missing part of the dado must have been 8.00m. 30) 4190 42.704 0.10, and that of the entire series 26.85 11. (IRBS + 8.0). The uss oviscing today (Nos. I-4 according to Layard) were not documented,and the only sont as to their centent is Layard’s remark that “the reserve consisted of Ine bodies of Ihorscmen and chaciateers:" Further along. i consecutive order from left to right, are Jun the attneking infartry. the storming cf the ety, the tansfer of booty, captives fant Fanslies goins into exile, Sexmacherit sitting om his throne, the reyal tent and finally. the Assyrian military 2amp, interest lies ithe sec-on of the relief postraying the stormirg of he ety. «cig carsed on tee slabs the right hand part Slab Il, Stab IHL and the kf 1 of Slab IV (it, 3: Ph 19). The ssetion portraying the storming of the city theen- chariovs and, ve pyitently placed exactly in the centre ofthe rear wall of the oor, ofposit: srance Given pond lightire conditions, anyene who passed thecugh the raain entrance cout sec the storming of Lackish as he proceeded through the *heee doorways flanked iy the valor ‘here ie a sight pap in he batlle scene between the side edges of Stabs Hand TIh nd labs Hand 1 is very Tear, as toth SONG HIE and IW The gap between the edges of Svs the ean ans the positon of Slab in relation to Slat 1H may be determined ov Suttering ram. The existence of a gay between the edges of Slabs 11 and IV i ny ram ascesnfing the laser rannp at the Te than sie of Stab IV; ost oat is showin howe, but te front part does not appear 07 Slab HL The wid of cenjand the “act position «fF Slaly FIL e relation o Slab T¥ eam therefore only be + vying tha’ tive slats were placed adjaeent to on? another and that they portrayed. we must con® ae that te oFjgiyal edges oFStabs 1 1M ard 1¥ ar Sng, At 1 he side edges ofthe slabs are partly restored with eypsum and 1 Thvefore, the drawings of the Lichish rebefs prepaved in Niner Avant Diemer Eaves m8 HY shins esetions of the same halttering ram whose eentral section is missing; theek- ‘THE ‘LACHISH 2ELIEFS? a i i t 1”180 DAVID JASISHKIN 1 he time oftheir discovery by Layard are the main available slue tothe history ofthe ‘sing edges. The relief: were urzarthed atthe end cf 1849, left im situ shoueh injured fie. and were not removed from their position tll the arrival at the site cf UL sain, He began to fake them down ie April 1353, finding great dificulty in their fragile consition. The fragments were all packed and sent to Bazhdadin dune 1853, and thence fo Londest via taeral and Bombay." Prior o their removal and rackire. fo dis pratch, she slahs were drawn in two erie Dr the artis Charles Doswell Hodder ard by Tavard. The frst series of nine deavcings by Hoddcr was not published!” These were hey shetches in which fhe fragmants of the slabs, zs detached from tre walls, were cd.tofaciitate thee reassembly in London, The deawir gs indicate the s dismantled intor82 parts, Slab shovwn and numb wvserable condi ion of the slabs at that time Sta tL inves 32 pasts (P1209) and Slab TV inty 36 part, ‘Thus we see that ihe sege seene as disnlaved toca inthe British Mluscum was reassernbled frony 180 diffrent parts. An {cxamination of Hoxiler’s key skelches (compare Fig. 3 to Pl. 20:8) incicates thet the Ccntents of the missing seetions of the slant do not appear in the sketch:s, and we can cael: assunte that the exges of the slabs dic not detesiorate after their dimantlement for includes the drawings of the *Lachish many Jispeteh to England. The second ser Reliefs) which were ater published by Layard and snce reprod "The sige of theeity, drawn by Lazard,” s shown as a cominusus szene, with theo seeteal fines wiarkiip the division into three sabs. The gaps between the stabs are rot shown heee, and theelements which shculd appeer in the rrissing secions, eg. parts ff th hattering rams mentioned ahove, are depicted in the drawing, I therefore seems joes ie that the missing edges were still evant when Layard prepared His drawing, but that they were not progerly dismantled aad dispatched: this could be the reascn for their sheence in Hovble’s key sketches, Another poisibility—which seems t> us mate constructed the missing sections in his drawing in order to pr els iethat | ayare hata continues and uninterrupted scene. This possibility is sipported hy the fact that in general the seawing ofthe sioge scene is schematic and inacsurat (in Slab LV. forex. Jo_n eaet thresh eown by the defenders is crawn as tower ir the upper ety he upper paris of Siahs MHL and IY are now Froken and missing. and so ace the carte of Slat HLand TV. Slab X." positioned in the front righthand corner of he noon is the only sab of the series which wes partly preserved tc its fall heigh, vid is reconstructing the full Teight of Slabs TL TIL and 1. em he 1 Sunes of Asan, Lomten, 1986, pp TRAP, DS-106. 178 ; 1 rns of ssyron Seupuarss MS bet the itst Mus) HP Le Tovar, Sevra Seven (h INE. PL NXE Patera fabowe wR PLT i BML 125918 ay ad, Ser Seri (ore 9.8). 2k NIV Patsrson (ows. 9 BP MA 1 the srssios of Slo HL ic reperdiced ere PL 201 with the kind pesmisior of Te “LACHIEH RELIEFS? 1st The Fl height ofthe et hand pat of Sk X is 2.4 mt contin an upper m 4-Scm thik, and the upper pit of th tli, boat 25cm high, ences backareund wit tes sown abore the way Tne ef the ily vio thes he sone Droper was shou 244 m. high. Astting tat he sone depcing he er coors City was sinlarin eight, ee hit contdzable pat of te shoe inquaion ees missing. Sab Il now 1.2 m, high oni ght hand sie thu scchon oe noe pat of the mews about 20cm hig cold wll be missing Stulaipend ooo Irobably ising nthe uper part ofthe aber tw sabe: Inaditone sao 10-20 em. high is missing at the sottom of Slabs IIT and IV. - - A very inereingobsertation si eon made ty Mi Tani ands menioned here with hit kind permission. tne cenre the ene depétey the somone are iy. arow of depres or wefgces arin le belongings estou soning ati signe While storming of they is sown nthe aoa he ete oe ceiny departing for ene once the bate Hs ended and techy habe denen his combination of eierenly Ge scenes can now be eelangs Yana ate oy tat aro of depres procceding othe rah was alo cared atthe Woven ane ‘ene. Dut wo the miserable conto ofthe ler pa of Sab I and TV thee ete not coir, and thee remains hard feature inthe pulsed drew a he Sete son naling the recently prepares draving reproduad heen Pe Se Slab IM the remnias of six heads, end possitly the hand of a seventh person saa be Recognized bencath the botiom of the siege rsmp; three more heads can ccd nized blow the sige ramp on Sa IV (ome of hse heads te shown 8 dicks oe Silesia Fig 3). Along row of depres cain fac be reseed Sar tose Ps taht fom the y-gate down the rostvay. it tins ef slong te wer pettus Fan. then proceeds othe veh tthe betom ottieselche en te ee org ees shown Lo the right of the besi ve tvards Snnacherh who ison hin bel by Assyrian sors (Shs 1 tre ina pion city. The departed chery of Lacish poco rone. an ever f tema bei aly ah ID. Th i seems retsonaNe fo stm ee show atthe tom a he sige Sige rat ate associ ed he eof acces rier tanith he stack eget eee a enc neh prestige tage in he congue of Lash we nt tte to create a karmonious and continuous Mf reliefs. $i ‘ te 0S ies oft. Signieay fro deportes and the impaled a fe e ; ‘ing of the city, ” - ™ oe THE RELEFS AND THE cir ‘comparison between the battle scene relief aad the remains at ihe site lewd one wn the 2 Thence Lays eins ened. na dawing by C- Maing published vv isin te ext vohne of Ola Tule och It Theor tge Loon igen183 ‘sfueig a wag Aq umsp ase ULKSSy 244 Pamala SF ASHE Jo VoRDRASLOODY “5 hgDAVID Uss StUKINN tea ef Monsen of the gant onthe main sige ramp ret By Ger fe Gras to sar spininn this conctusion ena Fe further :Taborateds it seemsthit tiie not only as viewed from a certain direction hut as viewed pot The war ows Featw es of the city are dspicted in the usual iit # shia Asya tists ot they fe shonin a ceri pte re proportions and ‘dationships of the various features as wouk + stone specific porn, This cuzgestien seems 4 te firmly based Jig ws ae depaeted in the elief my well ae diflered in appearance Ie sty Stet of he site, tse Pea achish, the modern villige, 1s well @8- tne naehnurine ils. Pare Nose Lach : face of -he slope. thus parth obstructing the view and making ‘hel soronaee esently cover the trces, presently ‘THE ‘LACHISH RELIEFS! 15 it more diffeult tc identify our particalar spot, Nevertheless, it sezms that it should ke Yocated roughly at the point marked ty us (No.7) on the map in Fig. 4. This place is at ‘an approximate elevation of 255 m. above sea level, about 200 m.from the southwest corer of the mound, The photograph reproduced in PI. 20:A, wrich was taken here, tives a clear idea of the appearance of the sae from this particular angle. In Fig. 5 we present a recenstructicn of the meient ety as seen Juring the siege from our selected view paint. IC was prepared during the [977 exeasation season by the South African artist Gert le Grange. The reconstructed structures ind main siege ram ae first and foremost based on the atchaeologéal data es understzod in 197, and are complemented by the data provided ty the reliefs. Naturally, the recons:rusted city & drawn on a relatively small scale and except fer the attacking tattering cams it sows only the topographical and architectural featves. Therefore, Mr. le Grange prepared two additional drawings (Figs. 6-7), exch preses tion of the reconstructed cit}. {rawn from the same angle but on a lager scalz Here the artist has made a painstaking and successful effort to convey the confusion e! battle, interpreting in his own style th: data presented in the reliefs We shall now proceed to compare ‘he topogtaphical and arckacological data as ot- served from our selected view point to the Features of the city as shown in the relief The city-pate of Levels 1V-IIT was beated or the western side 0’ the mound (1, 3 08 Fig. 8)" A wide, built roadway led te the city-gate from: the souti-west co-ner of th: ‘mound, ascending slong its western shpe. On ds western side the road was supported bye retaining wall Starkey's'wall a’,and ano.er wall (Starkey's wall b) demarcated the eastern side ofthe roadway. The g:te complsx was composed o” an outer and an in: ner gatehouse with an open court tetween them, The structare of the outer gate (Surkey’s ‘tastion’) protruded from the line of tie slope; the gate Faced scuthwards. its = tat parallel to the edge of the mound. The over gatehouse must have been severcly damaged during the tattle. Furthermor, its remains are now covered by the the superimposed Level 11 outer gate and so far have been investigated only partially This the grcund plan ofthe outer gateis yet unclear. In any case, it must have been £ Imasive structure, The inner gatehouse was built alorg the upper periphery of the mound and faced westwards; thus its acis was vertical to the edge of the mound. A pee 400 approaching the city would have tv walk alzng the ascending readway te the cuter fe, turn sharp right after passing it, and then pass through the ineer gats, In general tbe gate complex probably resembled that of Strum IV in Megiddy as cestored by the excavators." ‘The gatchouse prominently depicted in the emtre of the siege scene cleaely must he photograph taken in 1933 rom about these deem was paltished by Tan (aor m 20) Ph 2 12 id. pp. 93-98; Ps 14:8-6, 108, 111,114; Ussitin (above. ne hp $8-63, Ps. 18-16 MG Low: Mepidao 1, Seasons of 1935-29, Chicago 1948, p #0. Fip. 10%1R¢ DAVID Ussisinkie THE “LACHISN RELIERS! 187 ai gs a Fa,8 Tel cis. (1) The bastion ter ty eae (2) Oster iy wal) leit pte: tone city Fae imteas Pace Fort. (6) Late Bronze Age temph: (7) Fose Temples{8 Well @) Sein ghee SPF CO Great ston (1) Siege ramp Fig 7. Reconsracion ofthe asaut on We city sate dan by Gent fe Gr z Hestled withthe gate complex dscusied above. As inteapreted by Olga Tuell” met, it must represent the outer house, prominently located on the slope ane as hild>n behind the outer he Facade of the gate struc does, not directly face the fagale of the outer gatehosse; severtless, it provices a clexe view of the fayade and of the anv properIR DAVID USSISHKN bier ete ig heft ah cna ome fhe mind, Erm wut sew point the roadvay is sen as inte rif desceing fom the eer gat i the re a re luda place tof Less IVI i the rgst mest masve and mad meu atte af ie nom Age au yet enon it Tatesie ON 3 Cig. Th aceite bulling mst have Seen a ceeral govemmental or royal palace for ofthe Sh tJ ans he he ma a emman 1 el s teats hi af Judah the coastal sve The suersrctoe of cif exe Pe dad eve ever remain ave meyer fountons. The ers eon a i ind the spaces between ta ce walls fo! bath th outer eu nner Funan inn velo ih so ithe ssc the gpa of rg bx {Sea's povin) The mas character ofthe funds oe ler nation tha of Ue bulag rose (va consekrable Weight. For istanee, at thet re he big he fondaton vals were more ih NV within the missing vedo © ction with the city-wall, hand edee of the struc, and ts connes nd sn jon of the seene between Slabs IT and IHL, and thus its dficult to udge if and h Ihies we4e intercinnected. Nevertheless, the structare in Strb 1M is carved at a level ishly higher than that of the city wal ie Slab Tl, indizaton that trey were two di fcrunt structures. The structure on Slab MT includes seven towers, the one at te ff hunt cosnice nese anissing, The tower at te right hand eerner and the fifth tower from Ihc ha como te er a the sre Tce tos hat he Eg sHlnanine steepest fencer) theses early peed eee Nesta ate The ateang rm shown eb i sacking a ate eee eatin pata reese ne thei a The an tee cece roo sls we ahead fr ow he sete and we veky Wicincinted J meted fon Eire Qce cuigesstion that the palacedort ig shown in the lief is parly nce Fort vst have bee represented i the scene Iifce stil stands. the palace-foat isthe Yo the secretin that the vole the substineture af the Te Sh Phe Me 18: Fishin Gases mM gp, ATHENS Pl WOoH4 ‘THe “LACHISHE RELIEDS" 189 ‘most impressive structure on the mound, and we can only imagine its formidabls ap- Pearance when ii was complete. ls position as seen from cur selected view point fits wel its postion in the reef. The :difice stamds behird, but high abore, the gate struc. lures in fact its lower part may well have >een seen from this point above the euter fatchouse when the latter was uncamaged. Inthe relief the lower part of the building is shown at a level higher than that ofthe city-valls, and we can owly speculate that itrose {0 a higher level in the missing, upper pa of Slab IIL Sennzcherib’s main siege ramp vas discovered atthe south-west comer of the mound (No. 11 in Pig. 627 Its attribution to the Assyrian campaign cannot be proved ix the absence of proper stratigraphy. and is based on the assumption hat the Assyrian atack was made on a grand scale and wis extremly ferocious. Theo etically, the siege ramp could have been Ini during the Babylonian attack of 588/6 B.C.E. which is historically: and archaeologically attested. The siege ramp is composed of enormous amounts of fubble heaped on the surface ofthe open are atthe foot of the mound and laid ageinst its slope. The upper layer of the ramp consis ed of stones bound with hard mortar. This layer was the mantle of the ramp, alded on 1p of the foose beullers inorder tocteste a ‘compact surface. The sige ramp—accoreing to the existing surface temains—was relatively wide end probably fan-shaped, nar-owing towards iss spex which reachec the bottom level ofthe outer city-wall. We estir ate thatthe overall width of the size ramp at its botiom wes about 55-60 m. and its he ght about 16 mt.sin its cenite the stones are heaped (9 a height of several meues The main siege ramp shown in the relie tathe right ofthe cily gate is undoubtedly the siege ramp at the south-west corner of the mound. The upper part ofthe siege ramp and the city-wall above it were carved on the upp2r, missing parts of Slabs MIL and IV. From our selecied view point, licated rehtively rearby arc) nearly cpposite the south-vest sotner of the mound, the siege ranp appears relativsly large in proportion to other features of the mound. tn the relief the siege ramp is depicted ira similar way. Feom our view point the palace-fort and the outer citrgate appear to the left 0” the seuth-est former and the siege ramp, exactly 1s depicted by the Assyrian ertist. Fur hermore, the left-hand side of the siege ramp reaches the wer edge of the reaway which leads to the outer city-gate: they appear adjacent to ene another from our view pcint, and txey tre similerly portayed in the relict ‘The relef depicts five battering rams standing one beside the her on top of the sige ‘amp. The numter of battring rans depicted here is another irdieation of the impor lance of the batle. as the Assyriar reliefs vvally depict no mere than two battering fams in a single attack. Assuming that the overall width of a hatering ram wat abrut 150-2 m, five battering rams could have eaily been arrayed for battle en top of nur Siege mound (Fig, 6). The roief depicts each -attering ram standing on a ttack made of large wooden logs. According to the reconstuction of Barnett and Sorrel ™ the wh te Po tid. gp. 67-74, Pe 21-23, % Barat (above, 6). PL 30190 DAVID UsSISHKIN ops, but it is mo‘e likely that a sorlave area of the siege ramp was covered with suey logs, but «track of wooden logs oF eams was laid alore the sloping surfaze ofthe ramp smicoth ascert to the tap of the siege vo sharits or carts ate shown in the ret being thrown ty thedefenders onthe : ¢ he vericles are Jepicted above Acssin soles a hie battering anise thera. T sf ofthe ramp and mio vehicles Sere protably depicted above the theven are Hentcally siown in tlt vad side nthe msi section of SLL I, The vehicle sche-ve though detail manne one wheel. witha thick fle and ss apokes, ad a yoke vith altachments ‘or harnessing two animals. Tongues of fire indicate thet the verte ape and fond the ote ty ae (No. 1m Fig 8)" The southwest corner : .29 m. in the the north-west corner. The fortificetions oti tos were set om fire by the dk tos ser of he nd and 35 ‘Sieomth ne cone sere perineal were, hoe the oxen thee naval’ Wik ston wich proc to em the bays a tow vt weet comer ofthe site te wall taras in a sharp curveshere t was strengthened LULUrr—S Sy foo the ing nf thewall amt were abort 2 ain vith 7 Haeserent shat S01 acd, ‘caning apainst the debris of dhe moun The Fay col) is Wilt throwhout with alerts and recesses: signitizamly, no towers Irstnscins roy the line of the facade were constricted! along the wll “The inner cite wall Starkey" ‘six metre wall") exendee along. the upper periphery M1 che row. am jasined the towers of the inner ea chouse: i. was stucied enly atthe se to18 site of the moval (No. 4 in Fig, 82? The wall was built of Bricks on stone Til 1978 itwas heveil that massive towers 6 m. thick provruded fro- the This interpre all whict vac am. thick sen S10 yy 87 91 Pe 1 2,112, 108 10% Ushi abo mB ry IHL eA 0. 98 PL, wn was expressed inthe interim THE “LACHISH RELIEES" 191 and popular reports of the current ccavaticas. Nevertheless, it now seems that the data, be at present should be interpreted in a diferent way; apparently the inner city ‘all was about 6m, thick througiout its kngth without protiuding towers, The relationship between the contemporareous outer and inser city-walls is of sar- inal importance. Starkey interpreted them soth as being proper city wells, thus con, studing that the city was surrounded by two rings of fortiications, both of sinslar haractet. This conclusion formed the basis ‘or the city's reconstruction with two city. walls, drawn by HLH. MeWilliams, publishedby Starkey in his fest prelim nary exceve, tion report? and reproduced many times sirce. Naturally this situation was compared 10 the relef, which was interpreted as portraying two lines of eity-walls2™ The iner Fretation is clealy stressed in Layad's draw ng discussed above. The assumption that the city was surrounded by two city-walls alz formed the basis ‘or the reconstructinas of Sorrell and Soulen."* ‘With the renewal of excavations the proflem of the relatorship between the two ) -2: fie taal the finde a the sts dsc hejet DAVID USSISHKIN * san ints Naat Lachish: Only at Te south-vest comer docs a topozraphical saddle Srarkey’s “saddle area’) connect the mourd with {e neightouring hillock where hias Tachish is now Located te wile A the south west cover prowidsd the Fest place from which to launch an tehick on the city. This siuation explains why the Bevel of the apper perphery of the out west corner was censiderahly raised and why the fortifentiors here were ap for an putcndy especially strengtiened, Hen 0. i email the most attattive po hecault ind here, not suesrisingly, the main thrust of the Assytian altnet tooe plece. The atch wae centred acon the huge sige ranp laid against the south-west conser. Remains of the fierce bale were anicoverse by Strkey all over the sale and the rontway fealing fo the ovter gate. In Tufhlls words: ‘Over the whole area there were Ind traces of burning. and ths Fuel for this dest setion was still to Le seen in the ‘lured branches and Wackened olive stores which were yilec up against the walls Stone & ue 3 large Asian lit ‘ny Acaytian campaigns. Tie camp is mentioned in the Fible (see above} and is portrayed 1 the Lachish Relief." The choies of sitefer the camp mus hve been dctated by the Jina ny considerations: it had to be located not far rom the spot where the mar at A. en the ety would tke place. but nol i a ta ithe defeniters: ard it had tbe pitched on an area Taree ennuh to accommedate the King’s headquarters and the Bpstical euppert of the aims. These criteria fit enly one place: the hillock w the south-west ef the mounds Getieee Muochay Lachish ienow located (Pig. 4). The Tillock is ennnested to the meund he he exeleiscussee asove, and thus the zpproach o the citywas farts easy an the camp ane located apposite the place where the mais attack was to take place. This Irtlock i Fsly near to the mounes itis elatively igh, its surnmit short 260-265 m. clenvarly a high as the summit of the ayound (ayenut 270-273 m. at the hillock is lat and spacious. shots and innumerable arrowheack testified to the war like character of the cam was erecta at Laclish, ns was the 2ourmon practice ieally inferior positan to the city svills ant heyond the rante of fi vest enene) Vitaly. the wp of tl ff the Assyrian eamp at this pleee comnot be asciogically rv nevis photograph of fel I chish and its sity taken on 1 Hanwnry 196: the general area where we woul Iovate ‘he camp ‘sstesrutieatle ploushed ant enltivated at that tine, and no structures oF other re he constuction of the ‘he madhar in the nineteen fifties must have comple ely eradicated Ie were possibly tll fortnatets, the revonstructio “isuiated. Vscrstinired M1 be discesnal in the photograph. Furthermore. sec ana Farms Wt Seca PENS YS Para anes a 8, Me TE 7 ot pte (Ne sons sevtion 6° E80 PSH teem aslo 15 00. Te te Deparment of Gevguhy. een Unversty of Jerusalem. ved. + ‘THE “LACH neues ps Our seected view point is located in froat of the ’ on in Tat of the sage site ofthe Assyran mica betes id hy Th plac rough ein est Je mnin see am an clase erouth othe tes, but at More in 200. em te sy al nents boo! te tne re fe eer Be We seul lite to rae the sugestion sh this isthe very spot were Sena ‘supreme commander, sat on his nimedu-thron? if t pres fume tat the nh resents shor and cnet: Tet ne re bescedciy a sen dung the bale bye monarch from his command post. This conclu fits th i ommant post This conehion the srnatent othe tin Ron X98 i Scns pace i 2. Teh shea tae inthe iy wlth Assyrian mary cama is ck at Lato. Senmacrs st i enon env ome re Nevers ak since he porrysd ai loking a besieged city as 1¢ watched it during the baitle.** ae * Given hack of data and serous sue the eect Fs arnt fm and cine eee nee tes eh en Leah Uacheni ie Rev Cabone 4 Tp ta q Lp. IR No. a8, ANT, p 28m bedavings in Pgs and were proved by As a jiteuanmeinfes att we rca a aoe oe ob tbigighs PL. are by Me Arahamn Tay. and thn PL 20 by Ait Michal Rie Phase fs covectes and spied in Osoter 1986 a