“MESPOT” SECRETS

Hokitika Guardian, 4 February 1924, Page 4

“MESPOT” SECRETS

PAST CIVILISATIONS UNEARTHED BAGHDAD, Nov. 1 Professor C'lny, an American Assyriologist, who lias published many volumes of cuneiform texts found at Xippu, Warka, and other "lels” m .Mesopotamia, besides other works on Babylonian research, is here with a party of archaeologists and students to open an American School ol A.ssvriologv and Archaeology similar to those in Home. Greece, the 1 niteil States, anil Jerusalem. Two days ago he gave a lecture, in which he said that until the middle ol the last century they had largely to depend on the Old Testament, the Koran, and ancient history tor thenknowledge of ike past, hut as the ruined hills of ancient cities opened up, thov enrne to know oi tin- lite oi cities that had existed cot-nfless ag-s ago. By tills means tlu-y were able fo rec-io;- truei ancient history before the time of Christ Babylonia. A-eg.na, the Hittitcs, Amaritors, the great •Semitic world. Tie then described the great plain, the country of Aniuru. where the ancient world sprang up. Man came to this great alluvium, the country ol Aniuru. about S.OUd years ago. It was covered with ‘'tel-" representing ages df civilisation. Borne of these were very high mounds about 120 feet above tin 1 ’ ! ‘ sent plant, the height, indicating the length of occupancy. By digging into these "tel-,” they v.vr- al.le to n construct history—the oldest ' i civilised man. The earliest writing discovers! was far removed from the original pieluie writing. At Kish, for instance, they wore going in fiu-l materia! earlier than anything known.' Ihe earliest kingdom was the kingdom of Kish, which had four great dynasties. I',, where Mr Wo,dry was excavating;, was a kingdom rilling a vast area. Kish. Ur. Await. Hamza. Adah. Man. Cuti. Grech were all kingdoms tailing over other kingdoms, and that in ilsoll proved that they hail reached a high standard of civilisation. Then came into this country the Semites and Sumerians with their civilisation, anil Babylonia was form- (!(] ~ Semitic and Sumerian Bab\Innia, about the third millennium hpl„rt. .Christ. Here King Khttmnrahi established his great empire, which was thereafter known ;,s Babylonia, ami continued to he so known when Hv Assyrians came to hold sway ovot it. To-tlav it is called Trait. Among the documents found was a-pav-roil showing payim-uis tor three years running. In llm secoiul year tlic-v found the name ol a woman stthstitutcil in the place el a man. but the women would he interested to know thatt the woman was getting the same pay as the man did. Every modern legal document could he duplicated by these am-ii'iit tablets, except an insurance policy. These legal documents were drawn up in a very secure form, in lai-L, securer Ilian any legal document tiial now exists. fmpiiiiaut exeitvation work is now going mi, Mr ( lay said in i-imi-luston, hut it would take about a centum in do the work properly anil seieiitijieally. The Welt I-1 {I it n< ii’l 1 and Held Mustit ii i '.Chicago) Expedition, which is under Professor S. I.angd, n, ol Oxlord University, has resumed work on the site of ancient Kish iTell-el-l iatmi: ami the surrounding mounds', eight miles east of Babylon. The hi'torv of Kish the Mighty goes hack in the dawn of eivilisatton. Aceoviling to tit" insrript.on- so tar (li-i-ov.'icd, it i- the mist ancient, city •-!' .Mesopntanda. The site is a wry ,: 1 1 tl -:vr one. and manv years* work will h" ls-rinircd tor a thorough examination ol it. Mhe expedition hope to discover the temple library during Hie coming season’s work. I* would not hi j-o- -ihlc to evcr-i'stioiale the oiiporfan" ot such a tmd