The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-01-16

gift. so he had his name carved on 1t
with votive inscription that the gods
might make no mistake.
Sargon also wanted to present door
socket to the temple, but he could find
no stone, and 50 appropriated the stone
given by his predecessor. He turned 1t
over set his slaves to work, and had
his name and presentation sentiments
nicely cut on it's face. For 1900 years
Sargon slept in the comfort that his
pous gift gave him. and Bel doubtless
has wondered what had become of the
other socket, until the Pennsylvania eX-
pedition found the stone under the de-
bris and turned 1t over.
Professor Hilprccht's summer work
for the last three years has been the
cataloguinS and organization of the
Semitic and Hittite sections of the I'M
perial Ottoman museum as an officer
of the Turkish government. The re-
suit of his work has been of incalcul-
able advantage to the University of
Pennsylvania. The Turkish law now
forbids the removal of any archaelog-
ical material from the country, all an
tiquities being deposited in the museum
in Constantlnople but in recognition of
his work the sultan presented him with
more than sixty boxes of the antiquities
| that he chose as most valuable iii the
| expeditions find.
The university now has three times
| as many cuneiform writings as all
| other European museums put to-
| gether. None of the tablets are from
! the latest expedition, the results of
| which have not yet reached Constan-
! tinople. being now en- route from Bas-
sorah by way OF Arabia and the Red
sea. These IN turn will have to be ar
ranged and cataloeued like all the
other languages, French and Turkish.
OTHER RESEARCHES.
Hilprecht has found time to hunt
through the East for many other ami
| quities, and has brought home with
| him objects which are worth thousands
| and which were bones of contention be-
tween the earnest representatives of
! the greatest universities in Europe.
Some came by devious ways, as Turks
are ever devious in matters of trade,
and the most valuable pieces, therefore,
must not be photographed for fear of
the jealous measures that German and
| French collectors might take. one of
the finds among the most important.
| is a marble vase, the only vase in eX-
istence dated in the time of ArtaXerXes.
1t is valued at $4,000, and is inscribed
| in Median, in Babylonian cuneiform
and in Egyptian, hieroglyphcs 1t was
| in private possession and thrifty Ger
man buyers had for two years been
liesurely trying to lower it's price.
Professor Hilprecht also bought for
song comparatively the oldest cunei-
form tablet in existence bearing the
name Enkhegal, one of the Oldest kings
of the city and land of Tello. Six rivals
We're working for the same tablet and
the utmost delicacy had to be used. 1t
is worth at least $1,000.
For six years Professor Hilprecht's S
special secret aim has been to find out
the exact spot in Asia Minor where the
famous Cappadocian tablets came from.
To find the place he made special
in A Sj1 Minor llSinp the two
branches of railroads as far as they
went, some 800 miles. Baron Won kuehl-
man, chief of the railroad, gave him
a special car and placed every facility
of the railroad at his disposal BY this
means he was able to examine carefully
all places from Scutari to kutahia and
Koniah, and at last found where the
tablets came from.
The Turkish government has given
him permission to eXcavate there for
four weeks in order to identify the
ancient city buried there. Professor
Hilprecht means to avail himself of
this permission on his next visit to
Asia Minor
He has fixed the date of the Cappa-
docian tablets definitely at 240O b. c.
No other scientist knows where the
tablets are to be found
ADVENTURES.
Professor Hilprecht, while at work in
Constantinople, was an officer of the
Turkish government. Before he left
Constantinople he was banqueted by
Turkish officers, diplomatic friends and
scientists. He wears in his scarfpin a
garnet carved with the pledge
=. I'VE are true to you while you are
true to us"
The gem was given to him by the
sultan.
Many We're the adventures. some OF
them highly exciting, which the Ameri-
can party met in the course of then
!, , explorations. In the book he is prepar'
ing Professor Hiprecht relates few
of them. He says:
ION the journey from Smyrana tC
AleXandretta the large French steam
. ship which carried half the staff of the
, expedition was wrecked on the rocky
, promontory kerketeVs, on the Island o.
3 Samos. Prince Alexander of Samos
! viewing in hospitality with his pre-
decessor. Polycrates, liberated the dis
tressed travellers, after a day and {
half, from their unhappy plight ant
=. brought them safe and sound to his
capital Vathy. But hardly had they
= landed on the marshy haven at he foo
y of the Amanus chain, a few weeks
q later to begin their journey inland
: when there began that series of i'll
nesses and adventures which are neVe
wanting to larger expeditions.
Not far from Aleppo our architec
was saved from the hands of a high
= way robber only by the timely arriva
of two of his associates. Below Der
:. the we'll known horse market of tn
Anazeh tribe, while trying to find
watering place, another member brok
through the steep unwashed bank o
the Euphrates, and with difficulty es
=. capped drowning" The member wa
. JJilprapht himself.