220 DK. E. W. G. MASTEEMAX, ON RECENT DISCOVEPJES 



And vet though Palestine would at the first thought appear 

 to be the most important laud for tliose investigations which 

 should illuminate the Scriptures there undoubtedly has been a 

 tendency among archcneologists to belittle the results of investi- 

 gations there as compared with those of Egypt, Greece and 

 Mesopotamia. It may be admitted at once that the contribu- 

 tions to the general liistory of mankind from these three latter 

 sources are vastly greater than have been obtained by the 

 comparatively scanty excavations wliich have been carried out 

 in Palestine. But the light thrown directly on the Bible by 

 investigations in the Holy Land ha^'e been out of all proportion 

 to the extent of the excavations, and without doubt most 

 important discoveries yet lie hidden there under the heaped up 

 dust of many " tells." The earlier scientific explorers concerned 

 themselves with surface surveys, and as a result of their labours 

 the majority of place-names in the Bible has been identified 

 through, in many cases, ihe survival of ancient Hebrew or 

 Greek names, often under an Arabic form, and even at times 

 translated into Arabic. It may, however, be added that the 

 situation of several of the most important places such as 

 Lachish, Gath, Gezer, Megiddo, Taanach and Mareshah which had 

 been thus tentatively fixed, liave through the work of excavators 

 been now rendered certain. Thanks to this brilliant group of 

 military engineers employed Ijy the " Palestine Exploration 

 Fund," the course of the great trade routes, and of conquering 

 armies, and the sites of ancient battles are now carefully 

 mapped out. The climate of Palestine is now known as well as 

 that of England, and is much more easily comprehended ; its 

 study has thrown considerable light on many Scripture 

 passages as it is substantially the same as in Old Testament 

 times. The customs of the people of the Holy Land have been 

 recently studied as never l)efore. Xo people have kept up the 

 primitive type of Oriental habits and customs so unchanged as 

 have the Syrian bedawin — and at least a large proportion of the 

 fellaliin. For our new knowledge of ancient custouis and habits 

 of life we are indebted to the recent explorers, Bliss, Macalister, 

 Sellin, Schumacher and Benzinger ; for recent information on 

 the modern customs of the fdlahin and bedawin we are indebted 

 to a host of workers. Among them the late Professor S. Ives 

 Curtiss may be particularly mentioned for his special line 

 of research on the survival to-day of Primitive Semitic 

 Religion.* 



* Primitive Semitic Religion To-day^ Prof. Ives Curtiss, of Chicago. 



