23G OLD BABYLONIAN INSCRIPTIONS 



The construction of so gigantic a fortification by Naram-Sin proves the political 

 importance of Nippur at an early time, and reveals, in its own peculiar way, the relig- 

 ious influence which Ekur exercised in the ancient history of the country. A number 

 of scattered references in the oldest cuneiform inscriptions extant — as, e. g., the fact 

 that the supreme god of Lagash is called gad Inlil by several kings and governors of 

 Tello, 1 that Edingiranagin 2 bears the title mupadx Inlila-ge, that Urukagina 3 as well as 

 Entemena 4 built a shrine to Inlil, that the rulers of Kish, 5 Erech 6 and of other early 

 Babylonian centres, 7 who lived about the period of the kings of Shirpurla, paid their 

 respect to Bel, repeatedly making valuable offerings and numerous endowments, and 

 claimed as patesi gal Inlila 8 the right of chief officer in his sanctuary and domain — 

 and the interesting passage in the bilingual text of the creation story, 9 where Nippur 

 seems to be regarded as the oldest city of Babylonia, find a welcome confirmation in 

 the results obtained by our systematic excavations. 



A comparatively small portion of the enormous temple area has so far been thor- 

 oughly examined, although for more than five years the constant hard labor of fifty to 

 four hundred Arabic workmen has been devoted to its exploration. The results have 

 already been extraordinary ; they will become more so when our work shall be com- 

 pleted. That no independent buildings of Sargon have as yet been discovered will be 

 partly explained in the light of the statement just made. The large number of Sar- 

 gon's brick stamps 10 excavated at different times chiefly within the temple enclosure, 



connected with his theory as to the use of the court, above referred to. "In a hot country, infested with robbers and 

 swarming with insects, the rooms on the wall and the terrace in front of them would have offered admirable sleeping 

 quarters for the hosts of pilgrims at Bel's most famous shrine (ibidem)." 



1 E. g , by Urukagina [De Sarzec, Decouvertes en Chaldee, p. XXX, squeeze (cf. p. 109f.), col. I, 2 ; and PI. 5, 

 No. 1, 2f. (also Amiaud, on p. XXX)], Enanatunia I [inscription published by Heuzey in Revue d' Assyriologie 

 III, p. 3', 2], Entemena [De Sarzec, Z. c, PL 31, No. 3, col. I, 2 ; and Revue d' Assyriologie II, p. 148, col. I, 2], 

 Enanatuma II [De Sarzec, I. c, PL 6, No. 4, 2]. 



2 De Sarzec, I. c, PL 31, No. 2, col. I, 5f. (cf. Revue d' Assyriologie II, p. 81). 



s De Sarzec, I. c, PL 5, No. 1, 35-38 ; PL 33, col. Ill, 1-3 ; squeeze (p. XXX), col. Ill, 7-9. 



i De Sarzec in Revue d' Assyriologie II, p. 149, col. IV, 4-7 (to be supplemented by De Sarzec, Decouvertes, pas- 

 sages quoted in the preceding note). 



6 Hilprecht, Old Babylonian Inscriptions, Part II, PL 43, No. 3. Cf. PL 4G, No. 108. 



6 Hilprecht, I. c, Pis. 38-42, No. 87. 



' E. g., Ur, cf. Hilprecht, I. c, Pis. 36f., No. 86 ; PL 42, No. 88 and No. 89. Cf. also PL 42, No. 90 ; PL 43, 

 Nos. 91f. 



8 Lugalzaggisi. Cf. Hilprecht, I. c, PL 38, No. 87, col. I, 15f. 



9 Pinches in Records of the Past 2 , Vol. VI, p. 109, 6. 



10 Not less than eighteen (either whole or fragmentary) terracotta stamps have been unearthed, seven of them 

 within one fortnight in December, 1895. Most of them are without handles. Apparently several broke while in use 

 at Sargon's time and were then thrown away. Others were doubtless broken intentionally in connection with the 

 disastrous event mentioned below, p. 244. 



