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T. G. PINCHES^ LT..D., M.R.A.S., OX VERSIONS 



period before the influence of the u merciful Merodach "attained 

 its full force — in other words, before Babylon, Merodach's city, 

 acquired its position as capital of the Babylonian confederated 

 states. The reference to Diir Kis and Zimbir (Sippar), however, 

 shows that the northern states had already acquired prominence, 

 though Babylon had seemingly not attained the renown of the 

 other cities mentioned. 



The Philadelphia Tablet referred to by Professor Langdon. 



The very important Sumerian inscription whose nature was 

 discovered by Professor Langdon, of Oxford, is a record of con- 

 siderable length. When first described by the learned Assyri- 

 ologist, only the lower part of the obverse and upper part of the 

 reverse was known to him. After he left Philadelphia, however, 

 the authorities at the University discovered and joined to the 

 portion in question almost the whole of the remainder of the 

 document, which, though much mutilated, adds considerably to 

 its completeness. It will, therefore, be easily understood that 

 Professor Langdon had to modify somewhat his first impressions 

 of the legend which he had published. 



The tablet, which is made of clay, seems to be about 4| 

 inches wide by 6J high, and is inscribed on each side with three 

 columns of somewhat archaic writing — six columns in all. 

 When complete, the record probably bore a total of about 240 

 lines, so that it is a composition of considerable length. In his 

 preliminary account of it, Professor Langdon describes it as a 

 hymn to the goddess Nin-hursag, " the lady of the mountain " — 

 probably some sacred spot in the Babylonian district or province 

 of Tilmun. As the " mother-goddess/' Xin-hursag was much 

 venerated by the Babylonians and Assyrians, and the remnants 

 of the first two columns apparently sing of her heroic deeds, 

 " and the events which took place in her city Opis." The text 

 chiefly treats, however, of the above-named holy place called 

 Tilmun, on the Persian Gulf — which, it is to be noted, then 

 extended much farther inland than now. The composition is 

 in poetical form, and there is a great deal of repetition, but as 

 the style is remarkably good, where we can make a satisfactory 

 rendering, the text reads well. 



The land of Tilmun] is [glorious], where ye are — 

 The land of Tiljmun is glorious. 



The land of Tilmun is glorious], where ye are — 



The land of Ti]lmun is glorious. 

 Tilmun is glorious, Tilmun is pure — 



