Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 8.djvu/438

 340 NOTICES OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL PUBLICATIONS. at Persepolis, in his account of his Voyages in Arabia. Finally, Ker Porter. Morier, and Rich, investigated Babylon and Persepolis, leaving little for subsequent travellers but to confirm their accuracy. While M. Botta, at Khorsabad, and Mr. Layard, atXimroud, and in its neighbourhood, have succeeded in making excavations, and bringing monuments of Assyrian art and history to light, such as the earlier travellers in those countries had no idea still existed under the soil they had trodden unconsciously. Our author has drawn from these different sources a complete account of three great cities, at Babylon, Nineveh, and Persepolis ; and has endeavoured to tell the story of the late discoveries in the very words and language of the discoverers themselves. He has appended a full and interesting accoimt of the progress which has been made in the discovery of the interpretation of the Cuneiform characters, in which the national records of Western Asia were kept since the time of Darius Hystaspes, to the establishment of the Sassanian empire, in the third century of our era — together with consider- able extracts from papers written by Major Rawlinson, and published in the Joiunals of the Royal Asiatic and Geographical Societies. He has in this way been enabled to lay before the public much of the history of these discoveries, which had not hitherto been known beyond the few readers of those journals, or the members of those societies ; and has been able to show what a deep debt of gratitude the lovers of Eastern literature owe to that distinguished scholar, for the indefatigable exertions he has made in unravellino: the ancient records of the Persian nation. i^iscdlancous Xotttcs. We regret to be compelled to defer to a future Journal reports of Pro- ceedings of several kindred societies, to -which we had hoped to invite attention. Several recent pubhcations of importance are also unavoidably reserved for notice hereafter. It is gratifying to learn that the investigation at Cirencester, where such remarkable vestiges of the Roman Period were brought to hght, through the active researches of Mr. Newmarch and Professor Buckman, have been resumed, with the fullest promise of success, under their direction. The funds available are inadequate to the undertaking : any contributions in aid of the enterprise will be thankfully received. The object deserves the liberal co-operation of archaeologists. Amongst the sites of Roman occupation, Aldborough {Isurium Bri- gantum) has presented a field of singular interest, known doubtless to many readers, who may have enriched their collections with the beautiful chromo-lithographs produced through the spirited exertions of Mr. Eeroyd Smith. He has announced the publication (by subscription) of the " Reli- quije Isurianse," amply illustrated, and which will form a valuable mono- graph. Antiquaries desirous of encouraging the undertaking should address the author, at 20, Old Bond-street, London. The completion of the Transactions of the Salisbury Meeting has been announced by the publisher, Mr. Bell, 186, Fleet-street. Members of the Institute who desire to continue the series of annual volumes, may now obtain this, the Fifth, comprising some highly interesting Memoirs. It may be obtained through any bookseller.