The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-08-22
NEW BOOKS RECEIVED.
EXPLORATIONS and 1DVENTURES
ON THE EUPHRdrES
by DIR, John r. Peters-Published by
dition 70 Literature of Exploration.

NIPPUR. Or EXPLORATIONS AND
ADVENTURES ON THE EUPIiRA-
TIES. The Narrative OF tho University
Of Pennsylvania Expedition 90 Baby
l0nia IN tho years lSsS--lS9O. BY John
Punnett Peters. Pm. D.. Sc. D.. D. ID.
Director OF tho Expedition. With
Illustrations and Maps Volume l.
First Campaign. G. p. Putnams Sons,
New York. London.
For Sale by George VI. West.
As he states In his preface Or. Peters
had the good fortune to be. In a sense.
the diseoverer Of Nippur. He proceeds 70
say, with pleasant mOdesty. that 70 was
In very truth his good fortune and not
his merit. However that may be- II Is
his publios good fortune that he has
elected 70 consgn 20 print the results OF
that most successful expedition, previous
% which Nippur was Comparatively UNI
known except TO few scholars whose
knowledge was by no means just TO the
city's place IN the religious development
OF Babylonia. This first volume describes
the first campaign Including the 0rgani-
zation Of tho expedition, the long and
tedious negotiations in Constantlnople for
permission 90 exCavate, and the expIora-
ton OF the River Euphrates.
The second-promised in the early au-
tumn will tell the story OF the second
campaign, during which the number OF
inscribed stones. bricks and tablets found
was enormous. not to speak OF uninscrib-
ed objects. sarcophagi pottery, stone and
metal implements, 90 ceterae.
What was much more important. large
part Of these represented a period regard
ed as not only prehistoric but even re-
motely prehistoric. antedating an posst-
bic history by several millenniums
oldest inscriptions ever discovered
Further the Temple OF Bel had been exc
plored and 4 most valuable contribution
made to the history of religion. In his
preface DR. Peters pays a just tribute 90
the interest in archaeology taken by the
city Of Philadelphla-an interest, he truly
says. not equalled by any other city In
the country.
DR.. Peters devotes the first chapter OF
his first volume 20 the preliminarieS OF
organization. The enterprise may bee said
70 have had its origin I'm most casual
conversation between the author and Mr..
T.. w. Clarke, whose sister no was visit
ing at the time. at intervals In the White
Mountains. In reply 20 one or two ques-
tions from This gentleman one Sunday
morning as the two walked mp and down
the yeranda waiting for the wagon which
was 10 take them 10 church Dr. Peters
alluded 20 the Wolfe expedition and the
failure 10 secure funds 20 follow it mp
by excavations but without the slightest
idea that Mr.. Clarke was likely TO Doc
Interested In a matter Of this kind TO
his surprise. as the wagon came TO the
door and brought their conversation 90
close. Mr.. Clarke said 10 him; IL think
we can send out an expedition from
Philadelphia. I should be glad 20 c0ntri-
butte and i am sure that my brother will
do the same. When we return % Phila-
delphia in the autumn. come and sec me,
and we Will arrange the matter" The
fidelity with which Mr.. Clarke adhered
10 his word had its result in tho eXpedi-
ton OF which DR. Peters undertakes 90
tell tho story. the University OF Pennsyl-
varia being connected with it through its
acceptance of the condition that it should
provide a fire-proof building with proper
accommodation for receiving any such
"hnds" as might result from the eXcava-
lions. There were numerous obstacles
but finally all were overcome. Dr. Peters
and his associates sailing ON june 2}. 1,,S
Nippur IS not reached until page two
hundred and twenty of this first volume
but Or. Peters observant eyes and scho- /
larly pen place his readers greatly in his
debt I'm recording the interesting Journey
to that desired haven. Little indeed has
escaped his attention which would inter
est either the student or the general
reader. and the Illustrations are numor-
GUS and exceptionally fine. Tho book