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

534 EXPLORATIONS IN BIBLE LANDS
a manner as to have the central part the strongest, and the
sections flanking it on both sides successively decreasing in
thickness.
Another characteristic feature of this structure is the
remarkable fact " that the various sections of the wall are
not built in a straight line or from a uniform level." The
lowest course of bricks in some places lies about six feet
below the average level of the present plain, in others five
and a half, in still others only four and a half. In other
words, there is a decided difference of from six to eighteen
inches between the levels of the lowest courses of bricks.
It is very evident, therefore, that the builder of the wall
did not dig or level a special foundation for it, but placed
his bricks directly on the undulating surface of the ancient
plain.
What was the purpose of this wall ?
We remember that
everywhere in the lowest thirty feet of the ruins, even on
the west side of the canal, Haynes had discovered nothing
but ashes, bits of charcoal, an occasional decayed bone,
lumps of clay worked by the hand, crude and baked planoconvex
bricks, etc., mixed with earth and sand, and a complete
tomb of the general period of Naram-Sin (comp. pp.
419, seq.). Our excavations immediately behind and before
the wall led to a similar result. We did not excavate
enough to reveal an intact burial vase, but we found sufficient
evidence to show that the western half of Nippur, like
the eastern section grouped around the ziggurrat (pp. 434,
seqq.) y
consisted largely of pre-Sargonic burials. Everywhere
we came upon traces of cremation, such as ashes and
earth mixed, small pieces of charred wood, potsherds, fragmentary
walls and pavements of funeral chambers. 1 The
portable results accordingly were but few, consisting chiefly
1
The places marked Nos. 2 in the diagram represent pavements ot baked
bricks.
Remains of cross-walls meeting the long wall at right angles are seen
near the two ends of the latter.