The Savannah morning news., 1900-10-27


ore places in the excavations where I'M
accounted for miiieniums must have pass
"a. The estimate % time rs under. rather
than over any Limit that could be put
upon g.
Il Is quite evident that iMgaizsEEisi
was not a native % Kcngi. About the
time Adam and I've. N che Odd reckoning.
were stu fresh from the Camden Of Eden.
this soldier was attacking the city nom
toe north He was the eon OF Uknsh,
King Of Haran. and IN che course OF his
conquests he swept the whole country
before him from the Persian gulf to the
Mediterranean sea lie made Ercch the
capital Of his world. and settled himself
comfortably 20 pursue che arts OF peace.
In enforcing civilization 90 all 81 his
subjects however. he Wus not the creator
OF a new and great idea. Tie merely min
ieked that which he found ready To his
hand IN one part Of this Kingdom Long
before even the dynasty Of I.lgalzaggisi
had made itself a power IN the land the
Sumerians had lived IN Kengl They
were highly civilized. peaceful people.
60 whom tho fins arts. learning. science
and Industry and an advanced religious
cult were leading objects m life They
built great temples. they practiced carv-
ing ana sculpture. their libraries were
housed IN seps nate buildings they studied
pie manufacturing pursuits. I.ugalzaggiut
found them excellent models and follow
ed their ideas In AL things even 10 adopt
ING their worship OF Rel. the god OF
Nippur. How far this civilization had
advanced on certain lines may be Judged
from the following extract taken from
letter recently written by Or Hilprecht
while sitting amid tho very things he de-
scrtb@s
The Eastern city fortiacations have
been Receiving my attention. ard the
whole northern hall OF the big city wall
has been traced. The great eastern gate
has been Identified. II was called Abui-
lu~Rabu Great Gate II was an i'm
mense solid structure Of the earliest pre-
Sargonic period
The most important discovery made g.
the finding aud tracing OF huge pre-
Sargonic palace having a Gao foot front
II was buried far below the desert under
a ronderoue mass Of ruins The whole
southern facade OF the buildings has novv
been excevated have been able TO prove
conclusiveiy that ~ had az least two
Stories One window. tho only one pre-
served on this side OF the structure, was
found. We oxcavated a few rooms. The
floors were carefully laid with baked
brick
In the rooms were found n numbar OF
saal impression in clay. showing an eagle
with outspread wings recognized from
similar figures on the monuments OF Tel
10. ana few other objects OF peculiar
character. At the west wing was a we'll
built OF characteristic pre- sarEonic bricks.
large vase and cup were found nearby
standing on little platform. Many
traces OF the pro-SarEonic period have
been discovered. among them are seven
resenting a battle scene. We have found
so many pre-Sargonic structures at SO
many different places In Nippur that we
begin gradually 90 understand what i'm
portance tho city must have had In pos
sessing the chief and most revered shrine
In all Babylonia"
In another letter Or. Hnprocht states
that he discovered tho temple library.
II was Ia q separate library building.
and II contained $500 tablets inscribed
with "A history OF the time and Of times
then long gone by When they are all
translated II Is probable they viii extend
our knowledge Of man far beyond the
conquests Of Lugalzaggisi
So what Lugalzaggisi found ana what
DR.. Hflprecht uncovered was an extensive
walled city. with great gates carved with
a definite idea OF srt: a kings palace
which. for size and beauty would com
pare with modern structures OF this kind
a government library. IN which tho his
tory OF the nation was indolibly cut into
tablets and the latter stored away on
lodges around the walls. an appreciation
Of good living as oviu ~ tn che remains
Of private dwellings, in one Of which a
kitchen was found in an excellent state
Of preservation. IN short. a city laid out
and operated on a modern basis In tho
DAYS when man heretofore was supposed
-. aaF
beast OF the field. Furthermore. these
people had in them the vital spark Of
patriotism. the most convincing evidence
Of their civilization. Tor hardly had the
heel OF the opprOssor been removed from
their neck by the death OF the world con
queror than they arose ana torcibly re-