Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-08-10

The search for the hidden archaeolo-
gical treasures of the Holy Land goes
on with unfagging energy and with
the earnest support Of the sultan, who,
so far from opposing the work that
Christians are prosecuting in his ter
ritory, regards them with favor. Since
the issue of the last firman, the agents
of the Palestine exploration fund have
continued with fresh vim the work
that they have so successfully carried
on during the past few years. Their
explorations have proved conclusively
the important fact that great mound
that has been under cultivation for
centuries and which is called Tell-el-
Hesy, is identical with the Amorite
city of Lachish. Dr. Bliss has demon
strated that Tell-el-Hesy consists OF
the debris of several cities, many times
destroyed and rebuilt. The first town
was built, it has been proved, as long
as 1000 B. c., and the last it is sup
posed was erected in the fourth CEN
fury before the birth of Christ.
The remains OF some nine cities in
all exist between the first and the
last, each town having for its founda-
tons the ruins of the one which imme-
diately preceded it on the same site.
All traces of the city last erected had
been long obliterated when the explor-
ers commenced their excavations on
the mound, the only evidence that the
spot was once the site of a town being
an occasional stray potsherd turned
up by the hoe or plowshare of farm
er. The round knoll known as Tell
el-Hesy had for centuries been under
cultivation, and one of the prelimin-
aries to excavation on the site was the
purchase Of the crops with which it
was covered.
Then the remains of the various eli
ties were unearthed one after the other.
1t was found that tie houses were
built of sun-dried bricks. still used in
the east, being blocks of mud held to-
gether by chopped straw. Dr. Bliss
prepared elaborate plans and meas
urements of eight of the cities, the
buildings and rooms of which were
well defined and easily traced, but he
recognized as many as eleven cities in
all. 1t is believed that a layer of
charcoal dust and white lime, found
near the bottom, which is regarded as
the mystery of the tell, represents the
burning of the city by the Israeitcs.
The excavations brought to light a
most interesting relic in the ruins of
the third city. 1t is tablet of burnt
clay, measuring 21a inches by two
inches, similar to the celebrated Tell
el-Amarna tablets, bearing a message
in cuneiform characters, and ascribed
to the fifteenth century B. C. 1t is
now in the Imperial museum at Con-
Zmridi, who we learn from the Tell
el-Amarna tablets, was governor Of
Lachish, and who was murdered there
by emissaries from his Egyptian over
lord
The translation Of the tablet is I'M
usually difficult, and the text, uncer-
tain. This important find leads those
interested in Palestine research to
hoe that future exploration will
bring to light the other pant of the
Tell-el-Amarna correspondence Rich
relates to Syria, and that it is reserved
for DR.. Bliss to come upon an archive
chamber containing records of the past
which will tell us Tin the words of
Prof. Sayee) of days when Abram. the
Hebrew, pitched his tent in the neigh