The terrace communicated in the same way with the level ground at its base, being (as is probable) sometimes ascended in a single place, sometimes in several.

These ascents were always on the side where the palace adjoined upon the neighboring town, and were thus protected from hostile attack by the town walls.

[PLATE XLI., Fig.

1] Where the palace abutted upon the walls or projected beyond them--and the palace was always placed at the edge of a town, for the double advantage, probably, of a clear view and of fresh air--the platform rose perpendicularly or nearly so; and generally a water protection, a river, a moat, or a broad lake, lay at its base, thus rendering attack, except on the city side, almost impossible.
[Illustration: PLATE 41] The platform appears to have been, in general shape, a rectangle, or where it had different elevations, to have been composed of a rectangles.

The mound of Khorsabad, which is of this latter character, resembles a gigantic T.[PLATE XLII., Fig.