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

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

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DURING 19 CENTURY: ASSYRIA AND BABYLONIA 55<br />

After a brief visit to <strong>the</strong> ru<strong>in</strong>s of Ctesiphon and Seleucia,<br />

<strong>the</strong> little cavalcade, number<strong>in</strong>g fifteen persons, all <strong>the</strong><br />

servants <strong>in</strong>cluded, proceeded to Babylon and Birs (Nimrud),<br />

whence by way of El-Ohemir <strong>the</strong>y turned back to<br />

<strong>the</strong> Tigris, which <strong>the</strong>y reached not very far from "Fell<br />

Iskharie, a peculiar and most <strong>in</strong>terest<strong>in</strong>g group of stonecovered<br />

mounds extend<strong>in</strong>g for about two miles on both<br />

sides of <strong>the</strong> bed of an ancient canal. With <strong>the</strong> assistance<br />

of two ill-qualified Arab guides, <strong>the</strong>y pushed from <strong>the</strong>re<br />

through <strong>the</strong> Babylonian pla<strong>in</strong>, to-day often <strong>in</strong>cluded <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

general term of Jezire ("island"), passed Tell Jokha and<br />

Senkere at some distance, crossed <strong>the</strong> Shatt el-Kar, and,<br />

soon afterwards, <strong>the</strong> Euphrates with considerable difficulty,<br />

exam<strong>in</strong>ed <strong>the</strong> conspicuous mounds of Muqayyar, which had<br />

attracted <strong>the</strong>ir attention as soon as <strong>the</strong>y reached <strong>the</strong> western<br />

bank of" <strong>the</strong> great river" (<strong>the</strong><br />

so-called Shamiye), and<br />

f<strong>in</strong>ally arrived at Suq esh-Shiyukh, <strong>the</strong> most sou<strong>the</strong>rn po<strong>in</strong>t<br />

of <strong>the</strong>ir remarkable travels. After an unpleasant stay of<br />

several days with <strong>the</strong> shaikh of <strong>the</strong> Muntefik(j), <strong>the</strong> party<br />

returned to Baghdad <strong>in</strong> n<strong>in</strong>e days, for <strong>the</strong> greater part<br />

nearly follow<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>ir old track, but stopp<strong>in</strong>g at Senkere for<br />

a little<br />

while, pass<strong>in</strong>g Warka on <strong>the</strong>ir left, and observ<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong><br />

lofty ru<strong>in</strong> of Tell (J)ide far away <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> distance.<br />

Before his<br />

f<strong>in</strong>al departure from Baghdad, Fraser also paid a visit to<br />

<strong>the</strong> impos<strong>in</strong>g ru<strong>in</strong> of 'Aqarquf, which had been so often<br />

described by previous travellers.<br />

Fraser was <strong>the</strong> first<br />

who boldly entered <strong>the</strong> <strong>the</strong>n unknown<br />

regions of <strong>the</strong> Babylonian marshes and pasture grounds<br />

occupied by roam<strong>in</strong>g Bedou<strong>in</strong>s and <strong>the</strong> half-settled thievish<br />

and uncouth Ma'dan tribes.<br />

In this fact lies his importance<br />

for <strong>the</strong> history of Babylonian exploration. From his<br />

graphic account of <strong>the</strong> character and manners of <strong>the</strong> present<br />

Arabs and <strong>the</strong> nature of <strong>the</strong>ir desolate country, from his<br />

constant references to <strong>the</strong> manv ancient canals often <strong>in</strong>terfer<strong>in</strong>g<br />

with his progress, and <strong>the</strong> numerous sites of former

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