Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1896-08-27
ANTIQUITY OF BABYLON

Soncerning the important disco veries
on the eilo OF ancient Babylon, accord.
Ing 10 which the history of that city IL
supposed TO be- carried thousands Of
years beyond the beginning Of tho
commonly accepted chronology, n few
further particulars have been pub
llshed In the London Sun.
Professor Hllprooht Of the University
% Ponutylvaaia, who has charge Of
the excavation. IL, as previously stated,
confident that some tAbloia upon which
he 10 now working date back about
10000 years earlier than tho ptesen,
day, although he is not ready 10 fully
commit himself yet on this point.
These latest discoveries, according
10 the published accounts, came about
In this interesting way. DR.. Peters,
worked down 10 certain door or plat.
form, which he aud others had taken
to be tho ground level OF the ancient
city. One OF the party suggested that
thir level should be penetrated and
digging continued until rock or virgin
soil was reached. The suggestion was
adopted, and 10 the delight OF eli
concerned, II was found that what
wac supposed 10 DO the level Of tho
ancient city was only the level OF a
comparatively modern city built over
the ruins Of the older one, OF succos.
sion OF older ones. Excavations above
tho level had gone through thlrly.six
feet Of debris. They arc now ooniin.
ued 10 n depth thirty feet below. The
excavations above the platform diiciv.
cred remains which covered aperloi
Of 1000 years OF Babylonian history.
Below the platform 10 virgin toll was
tho accumulation OF drains, preserved
aud broken pottery. anu various other
objects Of Interest.
Twoniy.ihres feet below the plat.
form Professor HAines came upon the
most ancient keystone arch known, an
arch which Professor Hllprecht thinks
cannot be later than 5000 Il, q. Proies.
sor Haines exoAyAled the lower part Of,
the mnrvelou. wall OF tho city. Its ioun.
da,ions were found TO b. sixteen feet
below tho level Of the desert wall itself.
II Is seventeen feet high aud forty.fye
feet Wide upon the top. This wall
stands upon another OF unknown
height. These walls were built OF
bricks twenty inches square, probably
the largest bricks ever used. The most
valuable finds were Inscriptions upon
broken vases, bricks anu tpblets. From
these II Ia confidently predicted by
Professor Hllprechl that the continuous
history Of Babylon will DO written.
Tho conclusion as to the high an,
tlquily OF the evidences OF civilization
here found seems to rest entlrely on
the depth q the excavations made. Il
should DO tolerably clear, however,
that this mode OF reasoning oAunot b,
regarded as conclusive without
strong oorToboraliye evidence.
In u place like Babylon, sue.
cessiyely subjected to invasions
and distinctions, partial OF total, bullt
and rebuilt, tue mere finding OF ruins
hlly or sixty feet below tue present
surface does not prove the age OF these
ruins to ba 10000 years or more. Geol.
ogisis who nnd evidences of veg,ta.
lion at similar depth In places where
only the generally slowly anu slloatly.
working natural forces have covered
them up, may conclude tuat ages were
necessary for that result. But where
there are evidences OF great ruvolu.
lions In nature, that reasoning no
longer holds good. Arul glloglsts gen.
orally work on sites where the ovens
Of day or a week may have brought
about results for the ace mpllshment
Of which ages would seem 10 be neoos.
sty under ordinary Circumstance.
The slupondous buildings OF Babylon,
lIa gigantic walls, hanging gardens
and towers reaching into the clouds
must, when all was destroyed have
leiI Immense layen OF debris over the