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

DURING 10 CENTURY: ASSYRIA AND BABYLONIA 339
covery of inscribed objects or failure to discover them," and
'
nervously endeavoring to secure them at all hazards, he
unfortunately adopted the injurious and antiquated methods
of Layard and Rassam, which I have characterized above, 2
also for the exploration of the west section of the ruins.
Instead
of removing layer after layer of all the superincumbent
rubbish, he excavated only portions of seven rooms with
their adjoining corridors by digging along their walls and
leaving the central mass untouched.
And when even this process
proved too slow and tedious, he drove tunnels into the
mound above and below the floor of the building, which
afterwards caved in, ruined part of the construction, and
caused infinite trouble to himself and his successors. 3 At
the same time the excavated
earth was not carried to a previously
explored place at a safe distance, but was dumped on
the same mound, and in part on an unexplored section
of the very ruins which he was desirous to examine, and
whence the present writer had to remove it ten years later.
We cannot, therefore, be surprised that the results finally
obtained were correspondingly meagre and unsatisfactory.
Peters ascertained that a building of considerable extent
and importance, constructed " of unbaked brick in large
blocks," was buried there ; he determined its west corner,
1
On p. 202 of his "Nippur," vol. ii, Peters makes the committee in
Philadelphia responsible for his methods of exploration. As I was secretary
of that committee, I should know of " the constant demand of the home
committee" for inscribed objects. But there is no such "demand" contained
anywhere in our minutes, nor do I remember any such order ever
having been sent through me to Dr. Peters. The true attitude of the committee
is illustrated by the fact that it was " favorably impressed with the
results accomplished by the first year's campaign " (comp. Peters, /. c, vol.
ii, p. 5), and that ten years later it supported me energetically in my efforts
to change the obnoxious methods of excavation inaugurated by Peters and
adopted by Haynes.
2
Comp. pp. 103, seq., 194, seq., 321, seq., 328, seq.
3
Comp. Peters, /. c, vol. ii, pp. 179, seq., and the plan facing p. 178.