"سرد لرحلة إلى موقع مدينة بابل في ١٨١١، طُبعت الآن لأول مرة: مذكرات على الأطلال؛ مع نقوش من الخرائط المدبئية للمؤلف: ملاحظات على طبوغرافية بابل القديمة،بقلم الرائد رينيل؛ في إشارة إلى المذكرات: مذكرات ثانية على الأطلال؛ في إشارة إلى ملاحظات الرائد رينيل: مع سرد لرحلة إلى برسبوليس: طُبعت الآن لأول مرة، مع كتابات مسمارية نسخت في برسبوليس ولم تُنشر من قبل: كتبها الراحل كلوديوس جيمس ريتش، المحترم، المقيم البريطاني السابق لشركة الهند الشرقية في بغداد. حررته أرملته." [‎٤‎١] (٤٧٤/٦٨)

INTRODUCTION.
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composed of bricks baked in the sun would, when
destroyed, leave few traces of its existence, but
would soon be mingled with the surrounding soil."
ft However, notwithstanding the lapse of time, and
the Arabs, and the frailty of the materials employed
in the buildings, there are still to be seen the re
mains of very considerable edifices and very thick
Avalls, which the Arabs are demolishing to their
very foundations. The most remarkable ruin of all
is one which appears to be the remains of the
Temple of Belus, that was built by Semiramis. It
is a mound of considerable extent, the surface of
which is formed of earth, out of which the Arabs
dig large baked bricks, cemented with the bitumen
I have already mentioned. Between each layer of
bricks is a thin bed of reeds and bitumen. In this
mound, the form of which seems square, and the
circumference between 11C0 and 1200 ordinary
paces, there has been discovered several openings,
which, however, have never been sufficiently cleared
to trace them, and discover for what they were in
tended. This mound is situated at about one league
to the north of Hillah, at a quarter of a league from
the eastern bank of the Euphrates. Between this
mound and the river there are a great many heaps,
and many foundations of ancient walls.
" Here it is that, in general, are found the large
bricks on which are the inscriptions in unknown
characters.
" There are some ruins to be found on the west