[29] Professor Sayce makes the suggestion (Journal of Royal Asiatic Society, 1882, vol. xiv. p. 394). The expression Bitani seems to have been loosely used; but it appears to have been applied to the peripheral region south of Lake Van, and it may survive in the name of the river Bohtan. [↑]
[30] Messrs. Belck and Lehmann adopt a later date, viz. c. 1000 B.C. See Verhandlungen der Berl. Gesell. für Anthropologie, 1898, p. 569. [↑]
[31] Recently discovered by Messrs. Belck and Lehmann (Verhandlungen der Berl. Gesell. für Anthropologie, 1898, p. 574). [↑]
[32] Great confusion has been caused by the fact that the Assyrians had no distinctive names for the two great lakes. The subject is elucidated by Schrader (Die Namen der Meere in den assyrischen Inschriften, Abh. Berl. Akad. Wiss., 1877, Berlin, 1878, pp. 169 seq.; Zeitschrift für Assyriologie, 1886, pp. 81 seq.; Sitzungsberichte der K. Pr. Ak. Wiss. Berlin, 1890, pp. 321 seq.) and by Dr. Belck in Verhandlungen (ut supra), 1894, p. 485. [↑]
[33] See Vol. I. Ch. XXI. p. 423. [↑]
[34] I retain the former spelling of the names of Shamshi-Hadad and Hadad-nirari. [↑]
[35] An admirable account of the operations of Tiglath-Pileser III. is given by Professor Lehmann in the Verhandlungen der Berl. Gesell. für Anthropologie, 1896, pp. 321 seq. The scheme of the defences of the Vannic kings is ably elucidated by Dr. Belck (Zeitschrift für Assyriologie, 1894, vol. ix. p. 350, note). [↑]
[36] His next successor, Ispuinis, is styled king of Nairi in the Kelishin inscription and king of Biaina in that of Ashrut Darga. The succeeding monarchs are kings of Biaina, inhabiting the city of Dhuspas (Van). [↑]
[37] The best account of the Shamiram-Su or canal of Menuas is that given by Dr. Belck (Zeitschrift für Ethnologie, 1892, pp. 137 seq.). I am under the impression that the greater part of the waters of the canal still find their way to the quarter of Van called Shamiram. [↑]
[38] Perhaps Dr. Belck, to whose penetration this discovery is due, has a little exaggerated his point when he assumes the necessity of an interval of 5 kilometres between the former site of the garden town and the rock of Van (Zeitschrift für Assyriologie, 1894, p. 350). It would seem, rather, that the present quarter of Shamiram represents a portion of the old settlement as watered by the Menuas canal. [↑]