Another curious-looking instrument occurs in a processional scene of the time of Asshur-bani-pal, which has been compared to the modern santour, a sort of dulcimer.  It consisted (apparently) of a number of strings, certainly not fewer than ten stretched over a hollow case or sounding-board.  The musician seems to have struck the strings with a small bar or hammer held in his right hand, while at the same time he made some use of his left hand in pressing them so as to produce the right note.  It is clear that this instrument must have been suspended round the neck, though the Assyrian artist has omitted to represent the belt which kept it in place. [PLATE CXXIX., Fig. 2.]

In addition to all these various instruments, it is possible that the Assyrians may have made use of a sort of horn.  An object is represented on a slab of Sennacherib’s which is certainly either a horn or a speaking-trumpet.  It is carried by one of the supervisors of the works in a scene representing the conveyance of a colossal bull to its destination.  In shape it no doubt resembles the modern speaking-trumpet, but it is almost equally near to the tuba or military trumpet of the Greeks and Romans.  This will appear sufficiently on a comparison of the two representations, one of which is taken from Mr. Layard’s representation of Sennacherib’s slab, while the other is from a sculpture on the column of Trajan.  As we have no mention of the speaking-trumpet in any ancient writer, as the shape of the object under consideration is that of a known ancient instrument of music, and as an ordinary horn would have been of great use in giving signals to workmen engaged as the laborers are upon the sculpture, it seems best to regard the object in question as such a horn—­an instrument of great power, but of little compass—­more suitable therefore for signal-giving than for concerts. [PLATE CXXX., Fig. 3.]

Passing now from the instruments of the Assyrians to the general features and character of their music, we may observe, in the first place, that while it is fair to suppose them acquainted with each form of the triple symphony, there is only evidence that they knew of two forms out of the three—­viz, the harmony of instruments, and that of instruments and voices in combination.  Of these two they seem greatly to have preferred the concert of instruments without voices; indeed, one instance alone shows that they were not wholly ignorant of the more complex harmony.  Even this leaves it doubtful whether they themselves practised it:  for the singers and musicians represented as uniting their efforts are not Assyrians, but Susianians, who come out to greet their conquerors, and do honor to the new sovereign who has been imposed on them, with singing, playing, and dancing.

Assyrian bands were variously composed.  The simplest consisted of two harpers.  A band of this limited number seems to have been an established part of the religious ceremonial on the return of the monarch from the chase, when a libation was poured over the dead game.  The instrument in use on these occasions was the antique harp, which was played, not with the hand, but with the plectrum.  A similar band appears on one occasion in a triumphal return from a military expedition belonging to the time of Sennacherib. [PLATE CXXI.]