NEW FINDS IN SYRIA

Greymouth Evening Star, 7 September 1938, Page 9

NEW FINDS IN SYRIA

OLD TESTAMENT ACCURACY. Sir Leonard Woolley, the archaeologist, who with his wife has returned to England from an expedition to Syria, told of some interesting finds, says the “Daily Telegraph and Morning Post." ( “The most important,” he said, ‘ was the discovery of definite evidence that, we were working on the site of a city that was once the' trading centre of (lie world, Asia Minor, Mesopotamia, Syria, and Cyprus sent thengoods there and all roads apparently converged. “We found seals, signets, lovely pottery, and other. evidence that told their own stories of life and trade in those times. We were digging on an area of about 100 yards by 50 when we struck a shaft going down 15 feet. It was the entrance to a palace about 3400 years old. In addition to the seals and potteries we found masses of lovely inlaid gold and ivory that had apparently fallen from furnituie in a fire that had reduced the place nearly to ashes. . “The influence of the arts in EgyP L and the Aegean Islands could easily be seen too, in the- international trading of those days.” Written on clay blocks burnt, almost to terra-cotta, wore messages m Babylonian. Sir Leonard collected about 250 of these. “There is little doubt that the Old Testament is historically accurate regarding old customs and civilisations, and this becomes more, apparent to me every time I go out,” he said. “The statement that the Hittites lived in North Syria in 1900 B.C. is likely to be confirmed before long. Already our work has enabled us to establish that they lived there as late as ItiOO 8.C.”

Because of llic weather. iuvestigators can spend only three months yearly in Syria. They are sponsored to some extent, by the British Museum which, after the .Antioch Museum receives half the finds, has first choice of the. remainder. Other museums in Britain benefit afterwards. It. was announced recently that, Sir Leonard has accepted the invitation of the Government of India to go to that eouutrj' in the winter to advise as to llic most promising sites for exploration.