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

DUEING 19TB CENTURY: ASSYRIA AND BABYLON IA 39
the central ruin by Sir Henry Rawlinson, the city whose
stage-tower is represented by 'Aqarquf was called Dur-
Kurigalzu. 1
Two days later Buckingham and Bellino — the former in
the disguise of a Bedouin acting as the guide of the latter —
were on their way to the ruins of Babylon. As soon as the
Mujeliba came into
view, they turned away from the regular
caravan road to Hilla, subjecting the whole complex of
mounds along the eastern bank of the Euphrates to a care-
Babii. West Face, as it appeared in 1811
ful examination. In every detail Buckingham was able to corroborate
the description and measurements ot Rich, also sharing
his view that this most northern pile of ruins could never
have represented the tower of Belus, as had been so vigorously
maintained by Major Rennell. He pointed out that
the appearance of walls and portions of buildings on its summit
apparently constructed at different periods, the small
quantity of rubbish accumulated around its base, and the
1
For a brief sketch of the history of exploration of the ruins of 'Aqarquf,
see Ritter, Die Erdkunde, vol. xi., pp. 847—852.