Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-07-24
TABLETS FROM NINEVAH.
ExcnNatOrs Find Ancicnts Possessed
Marked Literary Ability.

Excavations have revealed some aston
shing facts with regard to the literary
attachments OF the ancient peoples of
the East. The most Interesting Of these
finds were those encountered in the ruin
ed palace of ancient Ninevah, says Har-
pcr's Weekly.
1t was no more religious literature that
was there discovered 1t possessed far
more solid elements. The tablets found
on the site of the city that long ago
crumbled into dust show that the scribes
studied their literature TO advantage
Commentaries dictionaries and critical
works evidence love Of literature, not
the mere making of books. The Nnevite
library presents several curious features
that for some time the archeologists
found It difficult to explain.
CREATION LEGENDS.
In the first place, It Is pointed out
there are no tablets. except State docu-
ments or historical inscriptions, prior to
the reign OF Assurrbanipal CB. c. 6fs-665)
circumstance that indicates that the IL
brary was founded in hrs reign. Then,
too, the careful ARRANGEMENT of tho tab
let's in groups and sets with an index or
catalogue In many cases. shows that II
was formed on a definite plan ana was
not a gradual growth during a long period
OF time Finally very large numbers of
the tablets have an endorsement to the
effect that they We're like the old COPY"
The question arises, What was the or
igin of these older works? The first IN
d!cauon was afforded by the statement
~ hp n u
cities and the discoveries In the Libraries
OF Babylonian temples of duplicates OF
tablets already known to the archaeol-
ogists from the Assyrian library proved
that the Babylonians had similar liter
AZURE Copies of the creation legends
have been found at Borslppa and the
Assyrian library had copy of the Code
OF Hammurabi transcribed into the AS
syrian script. 1t is clear, then. that It
was BAhylonia that furnished the "old
copies"
ROYAL LIBRARY.
All doubt az to the ChaIdean origin of
the literary treasures OF the royal H.
braTy at Nnevah Is removed by a tab
let In the British museum This consists
of Il letter written, apparently by Assur-
phiiI'"I' b"l probdhlN by the priest scribe
who acted as the royal librarian II was
addressed to a certain Shadunu. who was
man Of considerable Importance. and
~ IL now ascertaincd the head of n
manuscript commission despatched to
search for tablets in the BabyIonian H.
braries. 1t has been translated thus:
The word Of the king TO Stadium;
am WELL mayst thou he happy The dav
thou seest this letter Of mine take Ger
tain persons) and such persons OF Dor
sippa, as thou knoWest. and seek out all
the tablets laid up In the temple E-zida
Seek out the rare tablets such as may
he found on your journey which do not
exist In Assyria, and send them to me.
| am giving orders to the treasurers
and projects. Thou shall put them in a
strong box. No one shall withhold tab
let's from thee and If there be any tab
let or STEELE of which | have not made
mention to you, and thou shall learn of
it. and It is good for my palace search
for 1t and get it and send it TO me"
1t thus apears that n commission with
unlimited powers was dispatched by the
Assyrian king to search both the temple
and private libraries OF Babvonia and
take from them works suitable for tia