The dagger is often decorated with the head of the hippopotamus (a Nilotic, or rather African, beast) surmounting an imbricated handle (fig. 213).[675] This poniard is worn in the girdle, and in some cases it appears under and behind the surcoat. The longer weapon is carried by a narrow bauldric slung over the right shoulder and meeting another cord-shaped band at the breast, in fact suggesting our antiquated cross-belts. The Sword is always worn on the left side.[676] A royal Sword-belt bears several ranges of bosses and globules, which may be pearls: that of the eunuch-attendant has three wide rows, the central broken here and there by round plates. A Magian wears a broad scarf with long hanging fringes cast obliquely over the left shoulder: it is edged with a triple series of small rosettes placed in squares, and it passes over the Sword, to which, perhaps, it acts bauldric. A soldier’s bauldric is coloured red, like the wood of the bows and arrows. Another eunuch wears the Sword-belt buckled over the waist-sash, and holds in his right hand a scourge: this was the emblem of official rank, as the Egyptian carried a hide-Kurbáj.[677] Another soldier has, besides the Kamar-band (waist-sash), a red belt, and what seems to be its tassels hanging from the shoulders before and behind.
Fig. 214.—Assyrio-Babylonian Archer in war coat, leggings, and fillet. Bas-relief, b.c. 700. (Museum of the Louvre.)
Fig. 215.—Assyrian Foot Soldier with the coat, helmet and tall crest, greaves or leggings, target and lance. Bas-reliefs of Nineveh of Sardanapalus V. b.c. 700.
Fig. 216.—Assyrian Soldier Hunting Game. Bas-relief of Khorsabad, of the reign of Sargon. (British Museum.)
Fig. 217.—Foot Soldier of the Army of Sennacherib (b.c. 712–707). From a bas-relief in the British Museum. The shape of the conical helmet is modern Persian; the coat and leggings appear to be of mail; the shield is round, large, and very convex.
