Trend of recent archaeological research--The study of origins--The Neolithic period in the Aegean area, in the region of the Mediterranean, and in the Nile Valley--Scarcity of Neolithic remains in Babylonia due largely to character of the country--Problems raised by excavations in Persia and Russian Turkestan--Comparison of the earliest cultural remains in Egypt and Babylonia--The earliest known inhabitants of South Babylonian sites--The "Sumerian Controversy" and a shifting of the problem at issue--Early relations of Sumerians and Semites--The lands of Sumer and Akkad--Natural boundaries--Influence of geological structure--Effect of river deposits--Euphrates and the Persian Gulf--Comparison of Tigris and Euphrates--The Shatt en-Nîl and the Shatt el-Kâr--The early course of Euphrates and a tendency of the river to break away westward--Changes in the swamps--Distribution of population and the position of early cities--Rise and fall of the rivers and the regulation of the water--Boundary between Sumer and Akkad--Early names for Babylonia--"The Land" and its significance--Terminology CHAPTER II THE SITES OF EARLY CITIES AND THE RACIAL CHARACTER OF THEIR INHABITANTS Characteristics of early Babylonian sites--The French excavations at Tello--The names Shirpurla and Lagash--Results of De Sarzec's work--German excavations at Surghul and El-Hibba--The so-called "fire-necropoles"--Jôkha and its ancient name--Other mounds in the region of the Shatt el-Kâr--Hammâm--Tell 'Îd--Systematic excavations at Fâra (Shuruppak)--Sumerian dwelling-houses and circular buildings of unknown use--Sarcophagus-graves and mat-burials--Differences in burial customs--Diggings at Abû Hatab (Kisurra)--Pot-burials--Partial examination of Bismâya (Adab)--Hêtime--Jidr--The fate of cities which escaped the Western Semites--American excavations at Nippur--British work at Warka (Erech), Senkera (Larsa), Tell Sifr, Tell Medîna, Mukayyar (Ur), Abû Shahrain (Eridu), and Tell Lahm--Our knowledge of North Babylonian sites--Excavations at Abû Habba (Sippar), and recent work at Babylon and Borsippa--The sites of Agade, Cutha, Kish and Opis--The French excavations at Susa--Sources of our information on the racial problem--Sumerian and Semitic types--Contrasts in treatment of the hair, physical features, and dress--Apparent inconsistencies--Evidence of the later and the earlier monuments--Evidence from the racial character of Sumerian gods--Professor Meyer's theory and the linguistic evidence--Present condition of the problem--The original home and racial affinity of the