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

DURING 19TB CENTURY: ASSYRIA AND BABYLONIA 489
Our excavations along the northwest section of Nimit-
Marduk had shown that in the first half of the third millennium
a row of magazines, booths, and closets occupied the
space along the inner face of the long wall. In one case a
room had been built even into the latter. Our continued explorations
in that neighborhood confirmed this result in all
particulars. Near the northern extremity of the large enclosure
we uncovered a small fireplace with ashes on its
top and
around its base (No. 9). It was a very simple affair, being
merely a hard clay platform surrounded by a row of burned
bricks set on edge. A much more elaborate concern (No. 8)
was discovered a little to the north of it. Our Arabs identified
it at once as a large oven or the same tvpe as is used
Baking Furnace.
About 2-:oo
to-day in
the large native restaurants of Baghdad, Hilla, and
other places of the lower Euphrates and Tigris valleys, or
employed in connection with the burning of pottery. This
is another striking illustration of the tenacity with which