THE LATEST DISCOVEKIES IN BABYLONIA. 



179 



From a tablet preserved in the British Miiseuiii we see that 

 the three principal personages — the governor, deputy-governor, 

 the mayor (?) of Erech, the priest of Ur, and r>el-uballit, 

 " Governor of the other side," had all been at Babylon two 

 years previously, probably in connection with some other public 

 Inisiness, or, perhaps, as attendants on the king. Travelling 

 backwards and forwards in ancient Babylonia was therefore 

 common, especially on the part of othcials. Evidently Nebu- 

 chadrezzar's reign was one full of life and activity, but already 

 many then alive were to see its downfall and the beginning 

 of its deca^^ 



But, it may be asked, whence did the temples of Babylonia 

 obtain their great riches ? To all appearance — indeed, there is no 

 other explanation — they came from the offerings of the faithful, 

 either of produce of the earth, from tithes and dues, or from 

 lands donated to the shrines and temples. The date plantations 

 of " the Lady of Erech and Nana " were therefore very exten- 

 sive, and were in all probability let out to farmers and orchard- 

 men, whilst the produce of those cultivated under the priests' 

 directions was loaned at interest, or for work to be performed, 

 or else was sold. It was in this way that the temples obtained 

 their enormous wealth — wealth which had practically been 

 accumulating for thousands of years^ unless unfavourable con- 

 ditions at any time interrupted this accumulation, and caused, 

 as is possible, a lessening of the temple's funds. The histories 

 of the Babylonian temples have yet to be written, but if tlie 

 material accumulates as it is now doing, this will be possible 

 oefore long, and many will be the revelations as to their 

 resources. jSTot only had they lands and plantations, but also 

 they possessed a considerable number of cattle, both small 

 and large, as more than one of the inscriptions which I have 

 seen indicate ; and these animals were marked with the special 

 mark {sindutu, adj., masc. plu.) of the temple. 



Like the rest of the Babylonians, the Erechites worshipped 

 '' gods many and lords many Addu or Hadad, Amar, Amurrii 

 (Aw^urrii), " tlie Amorite god," Ea, the god of the sea, liabu or 

 Bau, the " glorious " goddess of healing ; Bel ( ]\Ierodach) ; Gula, 

 a name of Bau ; Dannu, " the strong one " ; Nebo, whose great 

 popularity was increased by his name being compounded with 

 that of numerous Babylonian kings, including Xabopolassar and 

 Nebuchadrezzar ; Nergal, the god of war, disease, and death : 

 Ninip (Anusat, according to Pognon) ; Samas the sun-god ; Sin 

 the moon-god ; Zagaga, god. of battle: and others, besides the 

 patron-deities of the city, Anu, Antu"', Istar, and Nana. All 



