New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-01-30


vous. having suffered for two months almost
necessarily from severe facial neuralgia and
consequent sleeplessness In fact was the
verge of collapse . But as Il gradually
became clear that the excavations Of the first
year would not be so successful as | had hoped
they might be, had reached the conclusion
that IL was my duty to remain a second year.
II is OF such stuff that the archnologst-the
successful archaologist-is made. Feyerish and
derious. he made a terrible journey back to
Alexandretta, where he took the steamer again
for Constantinople. So ended the First Cam
paign." The second volume opens on a brighter
scene. AS possible DR. Peters returned
to America. Here he found the committee
grown cold to his project and his own resig-
nation requested. The enthusiasm and energy
Of the man shown by the fact that not only
did the committee change front after few
interviews and grant him a sum larger by
$1,000 than that Of the year before. but-what
was far more important him alone d.
rectly responsible to them for the conduct of
affairs 1t is only thus that explorations in
Turkey can ever be successful. Back in Con-
stantnople again. Or. Peters made discoy-
cry. and added a new article to his supplies
both q which matters slight in themselves
contributed largely TO his final success. Bedry
Boy he detected in peculation. hence his sud-
len transformation into the most faithful Of
assistants, Jealous, interchangeable, almost
friend From a Greek the explorer secured
some rude fireworks. Arrived at Nippur he
found that the treacherous sheik had died in
his absence Rumors Of the country side at
tributed his death to revenseful foreign magic.
After that the simple miracles Of a rocket and
Roman candle on dark nights We're potent
the turbulent Arab soul Thus by
knowledge Of human nature in the Orient and
by tact, far better than rifles, did the astute
explorer. in peace and comparative quiet. have
his desire. lay bare the secrets Of the mounds
and send to Constantinope in May. 1890, at the
end Of the seasons work "thirty-siX boxes. be-
sides the coffin and the half-dozen door-sock-
cts, over forty parcels. in all containing about
eight or ten thousand inscribed tablets and
several hundred inscribed stones and stone
fragments. among which We're the Oldest in
scriptions Heretofore discovered In Babylonia
or probably in the world" These then were
the movable results Of the Second Campaign
But six boxes had been the spoils Of the first
OF DR.. Peterss contributions 70 knowledge
we may here summarize few. The most an
cent dated material he found some in
scribed bricks Of sargen Of Akkade, $500 b. G.
But below those remains still more archaic
lay The magnum opus Of the excavations
is described by its dscoverer with great minute
ness. His excavations Of it were only partial;
but by means Of the inscribed bricks Of the
many kings who had to do with the place he is
able 10 present very tolerable and convincing
chronology. The inscriptions that record the
services Of these distant rulers to their god are
not without rude titular poetry one eX-
ample may suffice: ITO Bel. lord Of lands his
lord Ramman -shum- usur his favourite shep-
herd. adorner Of Nippur. chief Of E-kur built
E-kur, his beloved house, with bricks" The
names and dynasties TO US are but mere quaint
collocatons Of letters; but, among the many
builders TO Bel, one recognizes with leap 81
interest the title Ashur- bani-pal. the Sarda-
napalus OF Herodotus and the schoolboy. Step
by step Or. Peters is able TO construct fair
history of Nippur temple and town, which
covers the period from the earliest inscriptions
down to the comparatively recent Turkish oc-
cupation. The story, thus pieced together out
OF the shapeless mounds of dsintegratinS
clay proves Of interest and even glory.
From that fardistant and almost inconceivable
past Bel has worshipped at the Nippur temple
until came. In the sixth century before Christ
the father of the great Nebuchadnezzar to dis
possess him Of his shrine and to set up an
other god the Bel OF Babylon, there.
The temple itself was built upon a zggurat,
or rectangular pyramid, 81 unbaked brck,
sometimes laid in bitumen. again In mortar
not often panelled. Next in importance, archi-
tecturally. comes a court OF brick columns. set
four on a side and at slightly irregular inter-
walls There were abundant traces that this
had been part IF a larger building finally de-
stroyed by fire The nature and date or this