concern about the dead than to get rid of them as quickly and as completely as possible.  They did not believe that everything was over at the last breath, but they did not on that account think that the fate of that which survived was indissolubly associated with the perishable part, and that the disembodied soul was either annihilated or survived, according as the flesh in which it was sustained was annihilated or survived in the tomb.  The soul was doubtless not utterly unconcerned about the fate of the larva it had quitted:  its pains were intensified on being despoiled of its earthly case if the latter were mutilated, or left without sepulture, a prey to the fowls, of the air.  This feeling, however, was not sufficiently developed to create a desire for escape from corruption entirely, and to cause a resort to the mummifying process of the Egyptians.

[Illustration:  208.jpg DECORATED WRAPPINGS FROM A MUMMY (Color)]

The Chaldaeans did not subject the body, therefore, to those injections, to those prolonged baths in preserving fluids, to that laborious swaddling which rendered it indestructible; whilst the family wept and lamented, old women who exercised the sad function of mourners washed the dead body, perfumed it, clad it in its best apparel, painted its cheeks, blackened its eyelids, placed a collar on its neck, rings on its fingers, arranged its arms upon its breast, and stretched it on a bed, setting up at its head a little altar for the customary offerings of water, incense, and cakes.

[Illustration:  209.jpg Chaldaean coffin in the form of a jar]

[Illustration:  209a.jpg A VAULTED TOMB IN URU]

     Drawn by Faucher-Gudin, from a sketch by Taylor.

[Illustration:  210.jpg CHALDAEAN TOMB WITH DOMED ROOF.]

     Drawn by Faucher-Gudin, from a sketch by Taylor.

Evil spirits, prowled incessantly around the dead bodies of the Chaldaeans, either to feed upon them, or to use them in their sorcery:  should they succeed in slipping into a corpse, from that moment it could be metamorphosed into a vampire, and return to the world to suck the blood of the living.  The Chaldaeans were, therefore, accustomed to invite by prayers beneficent genii and gods to watch over the dead.  Two of these would take their invisible places at the head and foot of the bed, and wave their hands in the act of blessing:  these were the vassals of Ea, and, like their master, were usually clad in fish-skins.  Others placed themselves in the sepulchral chamber, and stood ready to strike any one who dared to enter:  these had human figures, or lions’ heads joined to the bodies of men.  Others, moreover, hovered over the house in order to drive off the spectres who might endeavour to enter through the roof.  During the last hours in which the dead body remained among its kindred, it reposed under the protection of a legion of gods.

We must not expect to find on the plains of the Euphrates the rock-cut tombs, the mastabas or pyramids, of Egypt.  No mountain chain ran on either side of the river, formed of rock soft enough to be cut and hollowed easily into chambers or sepulchral halls, and at the same time sufficiently hard to prevent the tunnels once cut from falling in.