New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-01-30
BUSINESS IN NIPPUR.
ANCIENT BABYLONIAN CITY-WORK
OF AMERICAN EXPLORERS.

In the autumn Of last year were given the first
Indications TO the American public OF the re-
markable discoveries in Niffer, or Nippur, made
by the Babylonan Expedition OF the University
or Pennsylvania. The feature in these discov-
cries most noted at the time was that they car
RED the history of the people Of Nippui 10 n
period certainly seven thousand, and pfobapIy
eight thousand, years before Christ There Is
nothing Of startling a character now to re-
port. The expedition is, however. continuing its
task OF exploration at Nppur. Professor Hill
precht secretary OF the committee when
supports the expenses. has thrown himself INTO
the work with unselfsh energy and has greatly
facilitated its task. He has given his services
gratuitously to the Imperial Museum in STAN
boul for the reorganization OF the Babylonian
Section. and this during his summer vacation
for three months annually FOR the last hNe
years. and has been able to obtain the three
renewals Of the firnan for The exploration at
Nippur. Within the last few days the sultan
has presented him personally with consldera-
bic number Of the antiquities found which the
professor. probably 10 the regret OF European
students, has handed over TO the Pennsylvania
Museum. Without in any way disparaging the
work Of DIR. Peters. OF New York, IL may safely
be said that the second part OF his history could
never have been written II Professor Hilprecht
had not succeeded in separating the various
strata OF the ruins OF Nippur. and, above all, as
Mr.. Sage says. OF creating the SCI, nee OF
Babylonan photography. From the thousands
Of fragments. mostly small. Of vases smashed
by the lllamitcs In 22S0 Il. G.. in the courtyard
of the temple of Nippur Professor Hilprccht
has restored the earliest chapter Of written hui
man history SO far known. The older insCrip
tons are being deciphered. and the puhlica
ton has been begun 4 volume however, Is
shortly TO be published. giving translation OF
a number of later date. II IS a condition under
which Americans and other explorers are al,
lowed by the Porte 10 dig, that their nnGs snal!
become the property OF the Stamhoul Museum.
The result is that there has already accumu-
lated in this city Il large and invaluable coliec-
ton Of cuneform inscriptions from Nippur and
il is with portion # these that Professor Hill
precht has lately been occupied and Of which
his forthcoming volume viii treat
BABYLoNIAN BUSINESS TABLETS.
While the American expedition in 1893 was
working at Nppur it came upon a room nine
teen or twenty feet below the surface. The
ceiling was, OF course. gone. and the walls were
in great part ruined. gang Of workinen was
ordered to clear away tho rubbish that covered
the floor and upon beginning their task the
men noticed numerous clay tablets. The room
was carefully searched and cleaned, ana i1u
tablets were collected by Mr.. Haynes. the head
of the working party. Many Of them were
broken and more or less damaged, but con
siderable number were intact and in an excel
lent state Of preservation. Their examination
leads to the conclusion that the room had been
used for storing the business tablets-papers |
had almost written; tablets. however. Is the
correct name-Of a wealthy firm Of merchants.
The tablets themselves are Of dried clay, OF
various sizes many OF them 81 the size anu
shape of an ordinary fiat tablet OF soap with
rounded edges. Any one can see that they are
covered with writing in cunelioIin characters
which are usually sharply cut. and have IN
many instances remained as clear ana distinct
as on the day they were inscribed Inc urn
to which they belonged was MuIashu H'hS' 4"
Nippur who lived at the time OF ArtaHerNes !
4,i Ia i1i b. c. and Darius ii (l23 TO 4"''
Il. O.. in whose reigns the documents are
dated lust as if a modern merchant, lhstedn
Of dating his contract i. ID. lS'' we're 10 Wrl'e
in the siytv-frst year Of the reign OF victoria.
The tablets have been written 10y many difier
ent hands. and extend over a ptii'd ~ u, matu
sc Gftv Years Professor Hlprecht remarks
nat although he has examined upward OF
forty thousand cuneform texts. ranging over
nearly every century during the 1"'" y'|t,S
before Christ these are made OF eNo,pilo"d'S
pure and soft clay. and are baked WIN s'e,t.'l
rrare Than is usual with Babylonlan tahi"ts'
Among other points which they 50. d, re- -
~ r0ncIusion which AssyrioOSlsts had ar
rived at upon other grounds thdt ~ ara
after and not before ArtaxerXes. ih''e ar
,,rorar names Of special interest To the srheid'
reader occurring in these tablets. for ~
ample Semirams. which We take ,s W.
cra.k aupears as Shameramu ana ir"l'SS"i
Iu,racht in his forthcoming book on the Ia"
lets gives many others.
MIXED CHARACTER or THE PEOPLE.
2ahvIonia was at an early date country oi
many languages There is, however no pellou
in its history in which the foreign el.n'en' III, -,
its population is so conspicuous as uuIli'5 20
centuries following the fall OF Babylon lh -
y Z, rho couauesrs of NebuchadneZZar III the
west were followed by the removal OF 'hvu
sands OF captives TO his own land-the iS'.ie
plains Of Mesopoamia me oVerlhIo Nv ~ Wv,
Iabylonian empire by the victorious armies 81
1,vr,Is caused the settlement Of Persian s"lileIS
and merchants in the newly acquired Prom,
The constant invasions Of nomadic u'neS, a.
ravs keeuing as near possible 10 one vI t"'
,,ro r,,, rs-Tigris and Eupnrat es-Whlch III
closed Nesopotamia. helped also 10 hhu"'f nv
character Of the people ana us lahSudE''
fessor Hilprecht remarks tHat lht p'f" '
of Rabvlonia at the time OF ArtaxerNrs az
rears in have been about as Thoroughly ihlN'u
- maj of the States OF New York ana Penn