The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1901-12-25
ARCHAEOLOGICAL FINDS.
Letters Written in the Time Of A Abral1a1n.


100 SCue Ouo al cApCulJlOH W CXCaVaLC
Nippur, an ancient city Of Babylonia.
1t is situated midway between the Tt
girls and the Euphratcs, about 50 miles
to the southeast Of Babylon. All that
remains Of the city is an extensive
group Of mounds, which rise on an
average of about GO feet above the
plain. The mounds represent the ac-
cumulation Of millcniums, the lowest
stratum Of which is found 30feet below
the present level of the plain, owing to
the gradual filling in during the past
ages.
"For II years, including intcrrup.
tions, the 'dcathlikc stiffness which
brooded over the ancient city, which
is tho probable site of Calneh Genesis
xx:1O) with its treasures of long for
gotten millenniums has been dispelled
and the place has been the scene of
much activity on the part Of the
American expedition. Though much
has been accomplished in the laying
bare of ancient buildings and the gath
erings Of the exceedingly rich harvest
OF antiquities, yet at the present rate
OF operations, although on an average
of 700 Arabs have been employ.
ed, it will require fully 100 years
to excavate thoroughly this ancient
city.
"Several years ago trial trench
was cut through the walls Of the city,
but recently considerable portion Of
the wall was excavated. 1t was ascer-
tanned that the first wall was built in
the early Semitic period (prior to 1000
B. CO. Upon this structure Naram-
Sin $3.50 B. CO. raised up his wall to
considerable height, using the char
acteristically large bricks of the period.
Upon the <remains of this splendid
structure lie tho bricks of Ur-Gur
(28OO 3. CO. The uppermost stratum
contained the remains of Jewish set
tlement belonging to the late period.
Rooms and shops for traders were
built on the inside Of tho wall. From
business records discovered, Prof.
Hisprecht infers that they were
occupied during the third millennium
B. G.
Zone of the highest points of Nip
pur is the conical mound, called Bint
el-Amir ('daughter Of the prince') by
the Arabs who live in the neighbor-
hood. It rises about 95 feet above the
plain end covers the ruins Of the Zig
gurret Imkharsag, the stage tower of
the temple Ekur. About the tower on
all sides are the buried rooms and col
lapsed walls of the temple proper.
"Considerable time in the past has
been devoted to the excavation of this
structure. The uppermost stratum Of
the mound, not unlike all the others
examined, was found to be cemetery
where, in the period from about 200
A. D., the residents of Nippur buried
their dead over the place where
their ancestors had worshipped their
gods.
Beneath this structure was found
the temple that had been built by AS.
hurbanapal 1858 s-626 B. CO. Whether
out of his great regard for the Temple
OF Bel or for some political reason,
this Assyrisn monarch restored and
greatly enlarged the temple'vhioh had
existed prior to his time.
"The next great building going
backward in the order Of time wes
KadashmanTurgu (l25O B. c. The
work of Kurgalzu, Cur.Sin H., Ishma
Dagan, Dur-Jin !, Ur-Ninib and Dun
gi, of the third pref Christian millen-
mum, was also cleared away after
being examined in all details, when
the Ziggurret, as it was seen in the
time of UrGur, was laid bare.
"About eight feet below the level
of Ur-Gur's pavement was found an
other, consisting Of two layers of burn
ed bricks. They were 20 inches square
by 1 thick, most of which was stamp.
ed with the legend 'Nhram- Sin, builder
of the Temple of Bel while few
were stamped with his father name,
'Sharganishar-Ali (Sargoo) King
of Accad, builder Of the Temple Of
Bel
Until recently these rule,s, who
lived about $500 B. c.. we're regarded
as legendary characters. largely on ac-
count of their great antiquity, but the
excavations revealed the fact that the
founding of the temple was several
thousand years prior cven.to their
time.
Among the most interesting dis.
cOveries in these ruins ia the Ehrary