70 JOiJMNAL AND FBOrEEDINGS 



identification of Abrani with Abraham is correct. This identifica- 

 tion has nothing in its favor. These two names must have belonged 

 originalh^ to distinct personages. Abraham was the collective 

 name of a group of Aramsean peoples, including not only the 

 Hebraic clans but also the Ishraaelites and a number of other 

 desert tribes. Abram (eight centuries earlier) was a local hero of 

 the region of Hebron." 



This statement of different views will be sufficient to show the 

 nature of the evidence that archaeology affords for the value of the 

 Book of Genesis as history. It is not as irrefutable as Sayce would 

 have us believe. It does, however, tend to confirm the historical 

 character of the book. 



I shall complete my sketch of Babylonian archaeology by a 

 short reference description of Ur of the Chaldees, t^^e early home 

 of Abraham. Babylon is the most important city historically of 

 Babylonia, but there was a time when the city of Ur far out- 

 shone it in splendor. It was a famous centre of commerce, religious 

 worship and political power two thousand years before the time of 

 Abraham, many centuries before it could have been called Ur of the 

 Chaldees. Temples were numerous and splendid, polytheism was 

 rampant. The political sway extended over a vast area. Ships 

 carried merchandise to all parts of the world. The idea that the 

 home of Abraham was a land of barbarism is about as far from the 

 truth as it could be. So much for Babylonia. 



Egypt. Very little need be said of archaeological discoveries in 

 Egypt. It is confidentl}^ hoped by archaeologists that documents 

 will be brought to light in Egypt which will give direct information 

 about the sojourn of Israel in Egypt, the Exodus and perhaps even 

 on the patriarchs. But so far the discoveries in Egypt have been 

 chiefl}^ valuable because they show that the historical setting of 

 Genesis is true to fact. Any inferences that can be made from read- 

 ing Genesis as to Egyptian customs, social ideas, government and 

 court life are found on comparison with the documents unearthed 

 by archaeologists to be quite correct. For instance, in the course 

 of excavations at Pitliom a building in the form of a parallelogram 



