Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-07-16

against the frontier cities Of Kadosh and Car.
chemish. The latter place was on the Euphrates
and be now known ~ Jersblus, forty miles 10
the northeast Of Aleppo. But the empire Of
these hereditary foes extended over the broad
plains and highlands Of Asia Minor. and there
were always fresh Hittite armies and abundance
OF Hittite wealth TO enable this wonderful and
highly civilized nation Of antiquity 60 with
stand the might OF the Fharaohs for a thousand
years. II Is noticeable that the Egyptian In
scripticns refer to the gods Of the Utilities with
respect. TIE Hittite religion was apparently
drawn from Babylon and some Of their deities
were worshiped with abominable rites, Young
girls being devoted to wickedness in the name
OF certain divinities, while devotees surr~n-
dered their children in flames to Baal. the
screams Of the innocents being drowned with
trumpets and drums. Sculptured and pictured
representations Of the priestesses who served AT
the shrinee Of the goddess of war and love.
Astargatis. bearing double-headed axes. shields
and bows, are supposed TO have given rise to
the Greek myths describing female warriors Of
the east, called Amazons.
FROM AN AssYRIAS POINT OF VIEW.
Thus far the Hittites have only been con-
sidered from the Egyptian point Of view. The
inscriptions left behind by the Assyrians show
that they also were continually ut war with this
martial people. After the struggle for SUI
premacy between the two great nations had
continued for 500 years. the Hittitos, in llS0
b. z, were still paramount from the Euphrates
to lebanon. From that time up to near the
end OF the eighth century before Christ the
Assyrian kings were kept busy with repeated
to have known when they were whipped Year
after year, according TO the records written in
imperishable stone by the Assyrians themselves
the latter were obliged TO renew the war cap
turing the same cities again and again. only 10
relinquish them for lack of power to maintain
pffts ta .xr-l,s Oh l,alg q
so long a time successfully fought against such
powerful neighbors. maintaining itself upon an
equhhty with them, was at last on the verge Of
final dissolution In 1921 B. c. the Assyrian
king, Sargon, came TO the throne. and four
years later the long conflict was brought 20 an
end by the overthrow of the Hittites at their
eastern capital, Carchemish. Thus fell the
mighty nation which had supported existence
Tor period of longer duration than the empires
OF Babylon or Assyria, Greece or Rome.
ONLY THE KEY WANTED.
What has been ascertained from these outside
sources Of the history of this remarkable people
is sufficient to make the world eager TO learn
their account Of themselves, doubtless very
fully given by the sculptured and painted in
scrptions which they have left behind them in
great numbers. Such memorials of the Hit
ttes are scattered all over Asia Minor. Many,
either the originals or reproductions are now
in the possession Of museums and other scien-
tl1c institutions. 1t has only remained to dis
cover the key for deciphering them. and it is to
be hoped that the news of the discovery of this
long-souSht secret will prove to be correct
There is no doubt that much Of the art which
until recently was attributed TO the Assyrians is
actually Of Hittite origin. Mr.. Gladstone not
very long ago pointed out the fact. until then
unknown, that there Is to be found in Homer a
reference to the Utilities. They are mentioned
all through the Old Testament. King David
and King solomon are both spoken Of as having
taken Hittite wives in the eleventh chapter Of
the first book of Kings, and it is recorded on
the same authority that Solomon imported
horses from Egypt and sold them TO the Hit
titles and the Assyrians. II is rather curious to
observe that the patterns Of the priests dresses
on the Hittlte monuments are in fashion to this
day in Cappadocia-