SECRETS OF THE PAST.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 222, 19 September 1928, Page 6

SECRETS OF THE PAST.

Human sacrifice was doubtless as unpopular with the sacrificed five thousand years ago as it is, or would be, to-day. Indeed, the very word "Moloch" is likely even yet to send a shudder up and down a sensitive spine. Tradition as well as hints at such sacrifices in various ancient religious codes is now and then authenticated, seemingly by such finds as that of the Mayan ceremonial pit discovered in Central America some years ago. It is, therefore, with an awesome interest that we hear of the recent find at Ur of the Chaldeee of wholesale human sacrifice in connection, with royal burials five thousand years ago. The joint expedition of the British Museum and the Museum of the University of Pennsylvania to Mesopotamia has occupied the attention of the world these last two or three years because objects have been found that have rivalled if not outrivalled, the marvels that came from the tomb of Tut-ankh-Amen. Babylonian records thus far discovered Contain no hint that human sacrifice had ever been practised in Mesopotamia. Clearly it was not done at the date of «ty earliest literature we hav.e, and one presumes that either such past barbarism had been forgotten or purposely left unmentioned. But now we have the definite proof of such sacrifice at a royal burial. The grave has been reconstructed in plan by Mr. Forestier from the actual position of the bodies found. The reconstruction is practically exact because the bodies were all discovered, and the details of the rotted costumes could-all be restored from designs on contemporary carvine or mosaic. e As one goes down the slope of the entrance dromos to the tomb one comes upon the dead proof of an almost unbelievable shambles of a ritual human sacrifice. In all, the bones of fiftynine persons and six oxen fill the tomb. Probably they were all marshalled in the positions exactlv where their bones were found and were slain on the spot in accordance with an unknown ritual. The tomb was looted in ancient but the robbers overlooked in their haste a number of important objects, among which perhaps the most important is a model in silver of a boat two feet in length, which is very like those found in Tut-ankh-Amen's tomb, although nearly two thousand years earlier in date. Important, also, were the heads of two ceremonial bulls of wood. The head of one was of copper, that of the other was gold and lapis-lazuli. Both may possibly have been the frames of harps. The ease and correctness with which archaeologists can restore such a ceremonial sacrifice in its entirety seems nothing short of marvellous to the uninitiate, but there is no doubt as to the verisimilitude in practicallv every detail. The British Museum opened on June 23 the exhibition of the wonderful things found in the last campaign at Ur. Cabled information calls it a wonderful exhibit. The past is trulv "ivins up its secrets. * e