The Indianapolis journal., 1903-02-22
ExCAVATING BABYLON
PROF. HILPRECHT TELLS GERMAN
SCIENTISTS OF THE WORK DONE.
Americans Have Exceeded All Others
in Archaeological Exploits
Valuable Finds.

special branch Of knowledge has stirred up
&c rman scientists to such an extent as the
TEXTURES before the Anthropological Society,
delivered by Professor Hilprecht. of PhilE-
lohia, on the archaeological finds in and
about the Temple of Babel at Nippur
Tie very fact that number of distin-
guis he'd Philadelphians volunteered to pay
the great cost OF so improbable an UNDER
taking is deemed most extraordinary. Are
the United States TO rival US in disinterest-
ed and abstract research as well as in the
things practical?" asked the learned news
papers and high-class reviews when Prof.
Hilprecht announced his lecture shortly
after the spokesman of the German ORR
entail Society, DR.. Delitzsch. had created a
sensation by his talk on Babel (Babylon)
and Bible"
Among the 500 earnest men and women
who went to hear the American doubtless
not a few took their seats with profound
misgivings as to the scientific feast await
ing them-what good can come from the
land OF democracy, trolley cars and strikes?
but they were soon forced to change their
minds
The man who undertook to explain the
mysteries of an unknown period Of this
earth's existence-explain them with the
aid OF an unknown language done In un-
deciphs-ed letters and signs-proved thor
ough master of his subject and for two long
hours kept his audiences breathless atten-
ton. Professor Hilprecht first spoke OF his
several years travel in Babylonia, giving
quite a different account of the condition
of that country than those published by the
promoters of the German Bagdad Railway.
What a change" he said impressively.
.sThe territory once famous for it's fertility,
for emporia of commerce. great towns and
rich villages, the cradle of mankind, birth
place OF art and sciences. is place OF
devastation to-day, the lurking place OF
robbers and murderers.
Coming from land where industry
and progress are held in highest esteem.
/ was immeasurably panied to see the
canals intended to make the country
paradise, broken, stopped up and useless.
There is nobody to clean them. Euphrates
and Tigris no longer feed them. They
are dry. The ground Is covered with salt
peter and rubbish. only here and there
bushes bearing no fruit and trees not worth
cutting. In the fall and winter Babylonia
is desert, offering scant food for a hand
full OF uncivilized people; in spring and
summer IL Is a dismal swamp.
AN UNPLEASANT JOURNEY.
1--WE Travelled mostly by boat over roads
made to bear the laundering tread Of great
armies; shoals of frogs. turtles. snakes.
and other amphibia surrounded US; In our
wake came wolves, wildcats. jackals. once
in a great while we espied a buffalo graz
ing on an island, the burialpiace of some
town or village. These swamps are in
habited by half-naked men, women and
their ill-nourished offspring, turned into
blacks by the burning sun. I frequently
attempted to enter their low novels, but
found II impossible to remain longer than
a few minutes, dirt and insects driving
me thence. OF the ignorance OF this de-
generated race II is almost impossible to
give an adequate estimate. Suffice 1t to
say that they do not recognize even their
own photographs taken with their con-
sent.
I'm this matter adressed myself to some
OF their chiefs, the biggest men in the
tribe. They declared their own pictures
TO represent buffaloes. that OF their chill
dren to represent dogs. In the north and
south the heirs to the realms of Nebuchad-
nezzar are nomads. but the population of
the central province are too idiotic even
to seek to better their condition by roam
ing about. They simply vegetate, endur-
ing the worst of misery for the sake of
living in idleness. As to race, they are
Bedouins, but laughed at and despised by
more progressive tribes. Bagdad, too, is
swamp the greater part of the year.
I'm the interior of this devastated para
disc that was lie the ruins of Nippur, for
fifteen years the scene OF exploration at the
instance of learned and brave Americans.
The ancient city of Nippur is situated some
sixty miles to the southeast of Babylon,
and embraces about $50 acres OF ground,
divided in two by a canal. Rubbish and
earth now cover 1t one hundred feet high
in some places, sixty feet in others, and
thirty at still other points. The upper rub
bish and earth stratum belongs to the
Arabic period, the second to the ancient
Babyionian and Semitic period. the lowest
TO the times OF Sargon, who is known in
history as Usurpater."
Space forbids setting down Professor Hill
precht's interesting opinions and specula-
tions as to the great city OF Nippur: suffice
IL to say that the American explorers were
not disappointed in their survey of the
field of ruins. and, by going to work In
telligently and energetically, achieved all
they set out to do.
THE TEMPLE OF BEL.
Above all. Professor Hilprecht and his CO.
workers laid bare the mythical Temple of
Bel. the building in its entirety, with its
surroundings. This. like other parts of his
lecture. the speaker Illustrated by fine
photographs. many times magnifed.
1.-THE Sultan lent US all possible aid in our
explorations" continued Professor Hill
precht. "but Constantinople is far away.
and thu thieving and violent instincts OF
Abdul Hamid's subjects in these parts are
easily aroused. We dared work, eat aud
sleep only, cooked revolvers and rides in
hand. and many OF our workmen had to do
sentinels duty day and night.
THE main tower OF the Bel Temple rises
one hundred feet above the fundamental
walls. Entrance to the sanctum is had
on the east side. and near by is the priest
house. The Towel OF Babel, of which his
tory and even the children's story books
tell. was not found. 1 say beforehand, but
we are not half through with our work.
and may find 1t in time.
THE Temple OF Bel is formed by a COM
plex of buildings standing on two squares,
connected by a monumental gateway. In
the first square are the main buildings the
House OF Bel so-called. and the House of
the Father OF Gods. Near by is the treas
ure house. the building containing the
archives of the temple. and a number of