The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-06-19
INTERESTING cHALoEAN SCRIPTS
Explorers Discover and Translate Some
Old Records.


At so much greater a distance is the
United States than France or Germany
or England from the cradle lands of the
ancient civilizations. where during the
past few years anthropological eXplor-
atoms have been carried on that 1t
was not primarily to have been expect
ed that anthropo1ogists in this country
would take as much interest in these
explorations as would such scholars in
those other countries. But, whatever
was the expectation, the fact is that
the greater number of the most i'm
portant discoveries that have resulted
during these years have been owing to
the enterprise of American scholars.
The liberality of few rich men in this
country has been equal to the support
of the American Classical school at
Athens, with which school the great
Schliemann, who is an American by
adoption, has maintained intimate and
profitable connection. His discoveries
are the most brilliant of all, and serve
to illustrate American scholarship. A
more truly American explorer in prac-
tically the same field is that distin-
guished anthropologist, DR.. j. P. Pc
tiers of Philadelphia who some years
ago eXcavated in the valley of the Eu-
pirates, and by reference to the allu-
vial deposits, and calculating their sew
eral dates, ascertained that the founda-
lions of Ur, the modern Machair, were
laid about the year 1000 before Christ.
More recently he has explored in
Chaldean city and made there some
important finds.
These and other facts under the head
of archaeology have contributed to
give to certain scholars and their nd
eral hackers in the United States great
prominence among the small army or
men who are successfully uncoverlng
the burial places of ancient civiliza-
| TONS French scholars perhaps lead In
| this interesting work, and the German
comes next. England has, until now,
been third in the race, not because her
| scholars had not explored as protltably
| as the others, but for the reason that
| the antique treasures they had found
have been secured by the British mu-
scum but nothing more done with
| them-by Englishmen. Scholars and
writers of Germany have been allowed
| to exploit them, and SO have got credit
| To themselves that should properly be-
| long to the English. Until recently
I there was no restriction as to foreign
students publishing the treasures o.
| the British museum, and the result was
that English anthropology of the Eas
| remained in the background, while
| German professors built great reputa
| tions upon borrowed discoveries. Las
| wear it was announced that this "oper
| door policy was to be abandoned ant
that thenceforth the rich collections IL
the British museum would be utilized
exclusively by English scholars. A
the first results of the new policy tn
| trustees of that institution nave later;
issued the two first parts OF worn
that will ultimately contain everything
that is valuable in the entire coilectlon
The two parts now published contain
some 200 descriptions relating to IN
most important periods of early Chai
dean history, extending over space
about $500 to 1000 years before Chfisi
and embracing many varieties OF inter-
AZURE.
The collections now illustrated ar
especially valuable for the light Wnlc
they throw upon the formation ana con
| troll of a primitive civic community
The Chaldean city was the natural ou'
come of the settlement of the primitiV
tribe and the whole form of goVernmen
was that of the old tribal system In
tribal god became the city god-Wh
was the father of his people-rute
through the priest-ktng. All land wa
his, and by him his children were fet
1t was the struggle for foor and II
protection of the producing iaho
which led to the formation of thes
early settlements in the plains of Sh
mar. The first inscription published hei
by Mr.. King is a portion of the Ste
of the Vultures, one of the earle:
known historical records-whieh wa
set up by E-anna-du, priest-king
Serpurra. about $500 B. c., in common
Grafton of his victorious campaig
against the people of the land of tt
! Bow" a state on the Elamite frontie
The portion here given relates to tt