The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1916-12-29

sition is by no means primitive. The date of this
book IS $500 B. c.
Geography was taught as were astronomy and
history. In the collection is the oldest history yet
found, tablet giving the list of Babyonian kings
going back to the flood. The claim is that it is
record Of $4,000 years: but this may be disputed,
since the names Of the monarchs, which seem to
be those Of men who regned successfully, may be
of men who ruled simultaneously, in Kingdoms
that were adjacent. conservative estimate Is
that this history covers 14,000 years.
There is book on botany, teaching the people
how to raise the date palm, an important crop Of
the times Agricultural books abound, for the
temple had collegiate department, just as have
Cornell and other American universities, where
scientific farming was taught The BahylOnians,
as is well known, were remarkable engineers and
past masters in the field Of irrigation. 1t is not
surprising that Doctor LangdOn has found many
records of this in the museums Babylonian col
lection. We learn, again, of canals being dug
and of a tablet that chronicles the opening of
great waterway, like the Panama canal-the cele-
braton over it, the presence of the king and the
pride felt in the great skill of its engineers.
Further documents are reported verifying prev-
Gus assertions that the Babylonian woman re-
ceved an education equal to mans, took her place
with him in certain lines, and was compensated
with the same wage as he.
"Books" had no cases and when found are often
crumbled broken, cracked or so badly Clipped
that parts Of the translation must be guessed at
or omitted entirely. Others. fortunately, are found
intact.
Letters on the other hand. We're sent in en-
yelopes also of clay. When the tablet letter had
been duly inscribed and signed it was rolled in
fine clay powder and slipped into hollow clay
pocket More clay dust was then shaken in, so
that layers of powder were packed about the con-
tents of the pocket and the letter could not get
rubbed or scratched The clay opening was then
sealed and stamped with the senders ring
Afterwards the address was added and slave
dispatched with it. Later, we know that Baby
lonion and Slmerian governments supported regu
lar postal systems. 1t IS quite possible that that
regime was in existence in 23oo 3. {.
Many letters are found with seals unhroken
and these are marvelously preserved in their soft
nowdered pads We can only surmise the reason
for their sealed state. Perhaps a man kept sealed
comics of the most important letters he had to
vr;to Dmcate cOpes of records and transac-
tions have been unearhed, sometimes miles apart :;
and the same practice could have held, nationally,
Of letters.
Some of these letters may never have been
delivered. thanks to an inefficient postal service
in some particular locality; or, and this is more
nlousible the breaking out of frequent revolutions
could have conceivably crippled the Babylonan
most offices and left many letters forever unde-
livered
Individually the oldest undelivered letter in the
world is in the Babylonian collection Of the Uni
versitv of Pennsylvania museum. Its date would
bo 1000 B. c., and Doctor Langdon opened ana
roed If only last week!
Il is from master to his slave or to some I'M
dorng or employee. obviously, it is only one OF
several letters since it refers to previous CORE
snondence and to previous transaction over
which the writer is perturbed, Its archaic Su
merriam is dictatoral, overbearing and peeVish
and rants of some unsatisfactory flour deal Una
the underling has undertaken. One wonders
whatever became of that flour!
Other tablets now being catalogued nave PIC
lures on tn m One, a hunting scene remlhn'
one of the Amehstoric cave drawings fouhu /.
France TIL ae is another of battle scene very
much broke Fmt rare and interesting.
The conf IA Doctor Langdon to the OnlVersl
ty Of Penn Nsnia museum is timely and Tor
tunate. Td ishAyonian division has had no Gu