Explorations in Bible lands during the 19th century - H. V. Hilprecht

DURING l'JTii CENTURY: ASSYRIA AND BABYLONIA 239
made in the archaeological laws of the Ottoman empire ! at
Hamdy Bey's recommendation, the French minister deemed
it wise at first to ascertain the future attitude of the Porte
with regard to the ownership of other antiquities which
might be discovered, before he sanctioned any further exploration
in Southern Babylonia. After frequent and protracted
negotiations a
satisfactory understanding was finally
reached between the two interested powers. De Sarzec had
meanwhile been appointed consul at Baghdad.
In 1888 he
was authorized to proceed again to the scene of his former
labors, which henceforth were deprived of their private character
and conducted under the auspices and at the expense
of the French government.
Certain scattered fragments of sculptures and a few inscriptions
2 previously gathered had made it evident that the
mounds of Tello contained monuments considerably older
than the statues of Ur-Bau and Gudea, and reaching back
almost to the very beginning of Babylonian civilization.
The
question arose, Which of the numerous elevations of the very
extensive site most probably represents the principal settlement
of this early period and is likely to repay methodical
researches with corresponding important discoveries? Remembering
the very numerous ancient constructions which ten
years before had been brought to light by his trial trenches
in Mound B, De Sarzec now directed his chief attention
above) and in Ashurnasirapal's northwest palace at Nimrud (comp. p. 124.,
above). As we know, however, that Sargon (722—705 b. c. ) also restored
and for a while occupied the latter palace (comp. pp. 106 and ill, above)
the iron utensils found in it doubtless go back to him and not to the time of
Ashurnasirapal.
1
Comp. pp. 205, seq., above.
2
Among them inscribed monuments of Ur-Nina, Eannatum, Entemena,
and Enannatum.
Comp. the fragments of the bas-reliefs of Ur-Nina and " the
stele of vultures " previously referred to ; furthermore Decouvertes, pp. 59
and 68 ; and Heuzy, Les rots de Tello et la periode archaique de V art chaldeen,
in Revue Arch'eologique, Nov., 1885.