A Popular Handbook
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A P O P UL AR HAN D B O O K A R Y S S Y I O L O G . A P O P ULAR HAN D B O O K OF USEFUL AND INTERESTING INFORMATION FOR BEGINNERS IN THE ELEMENTARY STUDY OF A Y R I L Y S S O O G . CO MP IL ED FR O M THE WR ITIN GS O F SO ME O F THE B EST AUTHO R ITIES F c . N R T . N O ! O . Price nett . P UB L ISHED B Y THE AUTH O R , . D I T.C H L I N G , SUSSEX 1 908 C O P YR I GHT . DEDICATION P f ss D . D . t . Sa c A. o th e R e v d . H y e ro e or b rm issi n , D edi cat ed y p e o t Wh m v ry m any ar gr at y at O xf o o e e e l o f As s yr i gy ord olo in th i a of Archa gy e r e rly a s w th e s d eolo i b t for h vin g o n ee nde ed i t i t in t r s t k m s f tak an n ell gen e e b m akin m any i y , e iv s th r y g l e el l e , e e b th e n ew and v r at th e W y e e 11 n ion s of old orld, C opy right . Elliott F ry . 0 H P R E F A C E . This little work is simply a hand -book of reference for very elementary students in the important and very fascinating study of Assyriology . There are very many intelligent people nowadays both in England and America , who take a great interest in the past of not history the land where only Abram , the of to Father the Jewish Nation , is said have come from , but which is also the probable cradle of the Human Race as recorded in the Old Testament . This book is not meant for those who are scholars of Arc o o . hae lo r advanced in the Science gy, but for very elementary students who wish to lighten their darkness by more knowledge of the great and ancient Nations of the Tigro -Euphrates Valley than can be acquired except by wading through a host of various large volumes bearing upon the subj ect . When we remember that some seventy years ago a single small case was sufficient to hold all the Babylonian and Assyrian Antiquities possessed by of the British Museum , and that most the Museums 2 in other countries did not even possess as many , while others had none at all , we are filled with amazement at the wonderful change which has taken s place in o Short a time . Now large halls and gal l eries are filled with all kinds of Archaeological evidences throwing extraordinary light on the great o- nations of the Tigr Euphrates Valley . The Museums of Paris, Berlin , Constantinople and University of Pennsylvania have as large and valuable a c oll ec tion as our own British Museum in fact in some cases far more valuable and extensive . The Science of Assyriology i s now advancing by leaps and bounds, not only in this country but n in also o the Continent and America . Expeditions for scientific exploration are now of frequent occur rence and are liberally supported , not only by pri of vate individuals , but (with the exception our own country) with State Grants . The result of all this is that a vast amount of new knowledge regar d of ing the history, religion , and languages the ancient nations of the near East has quite rev ol u tioniz ed our of modern ideas m any things, and caused us to alter our views and opinions on many points . But the Science of Assyriology is yet in its infancy, and many things are still in the dark which more light from the East will undoubtedly in the near future make clear . Many historical na mes and dates are still uncertain ; many religious ideas and Doctrines still disputed by eminent P ro fes s ors in this and other cou ntries ; many readings and translations of the cuneiform texts are Open to doubt by the Decipherer and Critic . The fact that Specialists sometimes disagree about matters of detail , does not as a rule interfere in the least degree with the truth of the evidence of the sub e is j ct under dispute . The real Scientist broad and liberal - minded and charitable in his views and opi is nions . With Experience for his Teacher , he ever learning and is not ashamed to ow n that wisdom and knowledge are granted only to those who seek after the truth in order to show forth the honour a nd glory of God and advance the welfare and o - happiness f man kind . The Opinions and views expressed in this book are not my own , (though I perfectly agree with most of them) but culled from the works of the best known and most reliable Authorities on the s ub ect j , in England and other countries . Should this little book, which I have tried to as make as popular possible , be the least means of kindling the flame of an Archaeological Spirit in the minds of the rising generation of English not speaking people, I shall venture to hope it has been compiled in vain . My best thanks are due to Mrs . Mc . Clure (of nd . the Egypt exploration Fund) a Dr T G Pinches , (the well known Assyrian scholar) for their kind 4 help and sugges tions during the preparation of this Work . At the end of this book will be found a small list of standard works on Assyriology which I have selected out of the vast number bearing on this subj ect . I venture to suggest to the beginner in this interesting study that small books like those in the series Of “ Ancient History from the Monu ” “ f ments published by S . P . C . K . and Bypaths o ” Bible Knowledge published by R . T . S . will be found most useful and better to commence with f than those o a more advanced character . F . C . N . Ditchling Sussex . AB R EVI ATION S USED IN THIS B OO K . ’ “ H estings Dictionary of the Bible “ ” Encyclopaedia Biblica 4 vols . “ British Museum Guide by Dr . Wallis Budge . ’ “ P . N . Peters N iffur O . T . The Old Testament . N . T . The New Testament . ’ “ R . H . B . A . Rogers History of Babylonia and Assyria ’ “ T . D . S . Thomson s Devils and Evil Spirits ’ T . R . M . A . Thomson s Reports of the Magicians ” and Astrologers . ’ “ P . O . T . Pinches Old Testament ’ “ P . R . B . Pinches Religion of Babylon ’ “ ” Pa . S . P . Paton s Syria and Palestine . B . M . British Museum . ’ “ S . G . L . Sayces Gifford Lectures ’ “ S . H . L . Sayces Hibbert Lectures ’ “ . lo . of B ab S R A B . Sayces Religions Ancient y ” nia and Egypt . 6 ’ “ S . H . C . M . Sayces Higher Criticism and the Mo ” nu m ents . ’ “ S . A . C . I . Sayces Archaeology of Cuneiform Inscriptions ’ “ K . F . S . A . King s First Steps in Assyrian ’ “ of K . L . K . King s Letters Khammurabi ’ “ ” K . T . C . King s Tablets of Creation ’ “ K . A . L . King s Assyrian Language ’ “ K . B . C . King s Babylonian Chronicles ’ K . E . W . A . King s Egypt and Western Asia . A Deity whose name is represented by the A a Aé &c . group , , Ea (Aos) The Deity known ’ or as Ya , Ya u Au (the Jah of the Hebrews) is identified wi th A a of which it was only another form . Prof. Hommel suggests that the god Ya is also another form of Ea the primitive Deity of the Babylonian Pantheon . ’ Ya u or Jah was worshipped not only by the Hebrews , but also says Dr . Pinches, by r the Assyrians , Babylonians, Hittites and othe s on nations of the East in ancient times . The Aé h of or Ea was Merodac , who in the Baby lonian Mythology became “ King of the Gods ” in place of his father . Aa or Aé had many names and titles . He was the god of handi e crafts , rivers and water, the sea and the lif therein . In the eleventh tablet of the Gilgames Series Aé containing the Story of the Flood , warns Pir - napis tim (the Chaldaean Noah) of the c o ming of the Flood and commands him to build “ a ship to save himself and family and the 8 of beasts the earth and birds of the air , and tells him what to s ay to the people who won d ered at his proceedings . See Ea , also P . O . T . - or . ABDI KHEBA , Taba Governor of Jerusalem , . 1 about B C 479 . Three Letters of his to the “ king of Egypt were found among the Tel el ” 1 88 . Amarna Tablets in 7 . See P O . T . : : s on ? ABEL (Heb Habel , Bab Ablu) See Legend ’ “ ” of or Ablu Kinu s on Tammuz , the true . Abel in figurative language represented the Nomad as or Shepherd Cain did the Agricultural . f ABESHU . King of Babylon and grandson o H m urabi I S t of , king of the dynasty Ba - l - of .