New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-03-10
THE HILPRECHT TABLETS.


Keen interest is being shown by men of scientific
research, especially psychologists connected with
the various colleges in this and other cities over
the controversy between DR.. Peters, formerly of
Philadelphia, but now of Columbia University. and
Professor Hilprecht Of the University of Pennsy-
vanta. Under the auspices of the latter institu-
ton Dr. Peters had charge of two expeditions to
Babyonia one in 1888 and the other in 1ssS'9o. in
search of original material for in the museum
Of the university. In his book, Explorations in
Bible Lands Professor Hilprecht shows by illus
trations two tablets which he declares part
of a so-called Temple Library" found at Nippur.
Dr. Peters asserts that they not found at Nip
pur, but were purchased. one in London, and the
other at Abou Habba, in Syria, the money for the
purchase of the latter being furnished by Profess
Professor Prince last night said that this
true He declared that he accompanied the first
expedition in 1885, and was then, a young man, ap
pointed as assistant TO DR. Peters. He taken
i'll while at Nippur and had to leave the party, but
before doing he gave it money to buy
eighty tablets, to be presented to the University
Museum. Professor Hilprecht has stated" said
he, that I gave him some of the tablets re-
ward for nursing while ILL., but he Is mistaken,
for the British Consul took entire care OF me at
that time. At the request of DR.. Peters went to
Philadelphia month ago, to Identify some of the
tablets I found that my tablets were discovered
three years before the expedition started; in fact.
while the Temple Library was twenty feet under
the ground"
Daniel q. Noorian of No. 267 5th-ave,, who ac-
oCmpanied both expeditions, as overseer and in
terpreter, had charge of three hundred
Arabians, who did the excavating at Nippur. de
told interesting story of the work yester-
day. He said that the party was made UP or
DR.. Peters Professor Hilprecht, Professor Harper
a brother Of President Harper of Chicago Uni
versity; Perez Field, an architect Mr.. Haynes and
himself. They had two years permit from the
Turkish government to excavate at Nippur After
the first years work which was largely expert
mental, resulting only in the removal of the top
strata of the mound over the city, which was
about a mile in circumference. there was an up
rising OF the Arab worlmen, due to the shooting
of of them by Of the soldier guard They
set fire to the camp and this frightened Harper
Hilprecht and Field so, that they quit at once DE-
Peters and remained" said Mr.. Noorian.
Hilprecht was there altogether about twenty
weeks" Mr.. NoOrlan went The second year
dug trench through the mound and made
valuable discoveries although Hilprecht had told
me that he could prove that Nippur had been
laid waste by the Eamite kings 900 years before
Christ. and that they had taken with them all the
valuable recordse and that there was nothing IN
it. The final Of the expedition was wholly
due to the persistent efforts of DR.. Peters After
the fire I bought a collection of tablets at Abou
Habba. One of these is in Professor Hiiprechts
book. claimed by him as one of the 'Iempie
Library Another collection of tablets was pur-
chased by Harper in London, en- route to the
Orient of K. HabaZar in Bagdad."
DR. w Hayes Ward of 1.-The Independent" who
made the original exploration about 1SSf-'&. and
recommended Nippur the place TO eXeaVate'
said, yesterday:
have such personal kqSwedge q r, this a Hn
happy matter as Dr. eS t ISa expedton
with Professor Hlprecht, or as the gentlemen con
terest in the matter comes from the fact that IT
was at my advice after me 5 save kent
close interest in all that was done ,,,,,.,, o a
digent aborer in the field of decipherment This Is
his work and not that Of exploration: ne was o.
Dr. Peters 1t is not strange that with the com
resigned declaring that it was of use to dig
there But Dr. Peters was not discourage, anu NTr
rood fortune 70 md abundant material which DR..
AiIprecht and Dr. Clay nave since been publishing
Then DR. Peters returned, and MI haynes car ar
DR. Peters's direction. Then, when DR.. Peters de-
cned to take further Or beTa pr r
mained in charge for about TWO months before the
Dr. HAYNES had the good fortune to discover
large quantity Of tapiefs amen Tbs coection Dr.
Hilprecht called a temple library" and has de-
Other valuable material but, unfortunately none of
has been since publlshed or seen 0y teoe
library or merely a collection of business doeu-
HGp5s h as Corning T from this library now are
shown to have been obtained before any dlgglhg
W." Ny Interest in the matter is chiefly in the free
dom that ought 10 f Pc g stv TO In the British Nh
scum, in the Louvre. in the Bibliotneqqe Nationae
at Paris and in the Berlin Museum have 0e ad
But during the years that DR. Hpreeht has 81 been cen
University of Pennsylvania not a tablet has neen
allowed to be published except under his editor
and nothing appears from the library because
work on hand to keep him busy for twenty years;
But we don't want to wait twenty years. some OF
MS will not be here then. We do not believe TINS
way to be generous or scholarly. 1t Is too much
in the lire with the attempt of DR.. Hllprecht, IN
his various writings, claim for himself the credit
for explorations which belong wholly TO other men
and to belittle and discredit the scholarly Judg-
Inent of Dr. Peters, to whom he is SO much lndebt-
ed But | would not have 1t thought that / ques-
ZION the diligent scholarship of DR. Hilprecht, who
has done much for Babylonan geography and his