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of Edinburgh, Session 1879 - 80 . 
The survey of Upper Galilee was successfully and peacefully 
carried out by Lieutenant Kitchener, and as the population of the 
district was chiefly composed of Christians and Jews no further 
serious difficulties were encountered. The most valuable discoveries 
in this part of Palestine were the various cromlechs found by the 
survey party, — the first undoubted specimens of rude stone monu 
ments as yet discovered west of Jordan. 
The construction of a large scale map was not the only duty of 
the survey party. Information was also expected on all antiquarian 
and scientific questions which it might be possible to examine. 
Among these the principal results connected with the ethnology, 
geology, zoology, physical topography, and architecture may be 
briefly noticed, and a few words added in conclusion respecting some 
of the biblical sites discovered by the survey party. 
The great explorer, Dr Robinson, was one of the first writers who 
called attention to the conservation of ancient names and traditions 
among the Syrian peasantry. The collection of 10,000 local names 
during the course of the survey, not only resulted in the addition 
of many new sites to those already known, but served to throw 
light on the reason of the preservation of ancient Hebrew names 
almost unchanged in the modern nomenclature. The language of 
the peasantry proves to be much nearer to Aramaic or even to 
Hebrew than to the pure Arabic of Arabia proper. Hot only does 
the pronunciation of various letters and words reproduce the 
Aramaic sounds, but many words in common use among the 
peasantry are of pure Aramaic origin, and are not used, or even in 
some cases not understood, by the townspeople who employ the 
more modern Arabic equivalents. 
As a single instance the word Jurn may be noted. In Arabic it 
means a trough, but among the peasantry it signifies a threshing- 
floor, like the Hebrew Goran. The Arabic word used by the towns- 
folk and educated classes to signify a threshing-floor is Nadir , and 
it was not until after some time had elapsed that we discovered the 
meaning attached by the peasantry to the word Jurn. Many other 
instances might be quoted ; but the general result seems to be that 
the peasant language in Palestine is almost unchanged since the 
times of Jewish domination. The preservation of the ancient 
nomenclature is thus easily explained, and the explanation is 
