120 



THEOrHILUS G. PINCHES^ LL.D._, M.R.A.S.^ ON 



promise to change our ideas concerning the pronunciation of 

 Egyptian entirely, and many familiar forms with which Egypt- 

 ologists have presented us will have to disappear from our 

 histories. 



The first great document found was the text of a contract 

 between Hattusilu and llia-mnsesa mai Amaiia mar Mimmnaria 

 hin-hin Min-pahritaria, that is " Eamesses beloved of Amnion, 

 son of Seti I., grandson of Men-pehti-ra " (to adopt the common 

 spelling), or IJamesses 1. Both parties call themselves either 

 " great king, king of Misri (Egpt ) " or " king of Hatti," as the 

 case may be, and the whole text of the contract is practically 

 the same as that found in Egyptian at Karnak. In this new 

 version of the celebrated treaty there is also reference to the 

 text of the silver tablet {set ina rikilti mvhhi diij^^pi sa sarpi). 

 The list of Hittite gods, however, is unfortunately wanting. It 

 is noteworthy that the Hittite kings, like their brothers of 

 Egypt, called themselves " the sun." 



In fulness of time we shall probably come to know not only 

 how to translate the so-called Hittite characters, but we shall 

 also learn the names of their deities, of which so many interesting 

 figures exist. We may even find the identity of the so-called 

 pseudo Sesostris, and that elegant little Hittite king from Bir 

 (Birejik), whose relief has been so many years in the Britisii 

 Museum. There are also numerous Hittite seals, which ought 

 to be of interest when we can read the strange inscriptions with 

 which some of them are engraved. 



I have had so much to report upon that I have at present 

 neither time nor space to say anything about the interesting 

 discoveries made at Qal'ah Shergat (Assur), the old capital of 

 Assyria. All being well, however, this will serve for another 

 occasion, should a communication thereon be desired. It is 

 needless to say that the discoveries on that site, wdiich the 

 all-favoured Germans have likewise excavated, are of con- 

 siderable importance. But in order to understand thoroughly 

 the explorations made at Assur, excavations at Nineveh in its 

 larger sense are needed as well — that Nineveh which Jonah is 

 described as having taken three days to traverse. All the 

 points showing traces of ancient towns and cities ought to be 

 explored, and then, perhaps, we should find something which 

 would enable us to understand that statement. In any case, 

 much would probably be added to our knowledge, whether 

 excavations were made there or at any other site or sites in 

 Babylonia and Assyria ; and it is to be hoped that this country, 

 which has done so much i'or Assyriology in the past, may be 



