Page:History of merchant shipping and ancient commerce (Volume 1).djvu/88

 Again, Shalmaneser, when about to besiege Tyre, manned his ships with Phœnician sailors.

It is probable that the vessels on the Assyrian sculptures range in date from Tiglath Pileser I., 1110, to nearly the fall of the empire, 625. The earliest are those of wicker work, covered with skins.

(, Series, Pl. 28.)

On other sculptures we see:—

(1.) Vessels—carrying two chariots, and apparently constructed of planks, with a double arrangement of oars, one set for steering, the other for rowing (Layard, Series,    Pl. 15, 16).

(2.) conveying planks, large stones, &c. Layard, II. Series, Pl. 10, 12, 13, &c.).

(3.) carrying horses (Layard's Nin. and    Bab. p. 232).

In one instance, where a huge carved block of stone is being moved (one of the great bulls weighing 10 tons), the boat is evidently a flat-bottomed barge or raft.