[36] See Loftus, "Chaldaea and Susiana," p. 268 f., who describes all the objects as of copper. One of the knives excavated by Loftus was subsequently analysed and found to be copper (see "Report of the British Assoc.," Nottingham, 1893, p. 715); this analysis was confirmed by that of Dr. J. H. Gladstone (published in the "Proc. Soc. Bibl. Arch.," vol. xvi., p. 98 f.). A careful analysis of the metal objects found by members of the Deutsche Orient-Gesellschaft at Fâra in 1902 and 1903, and styled by them as bronze (see "Mitteilungen," No. 17, p. 6), would probably result in proving the absence of any alloy. [37] See the blocks on p. 256. [38] See the plate opposite p. 272. [39] See "Déc. en Chaldée," pl. 45, Fig. 1. [40] See Fig. 27, and cf. Hilprecht, "Explorations," p. 539 f. [41] Like the brick-stamps, they may sometimes have been made of clay burnt to an extreme hardness. [42] See the stamped figure published on the plate opposite p. 72 from a terra-cotta in the British Museum. [43] The ringed staff occurs as a sacred emblem upon cylinder-seals, and is sometimes carried by heroes (cf. p. 82, Fig. 34). A colossal example of one, made of wood and sheathed in copper, was found at Tello by De Sarzec (see Heuzey, "Rev. d'Assyr.," IV., p. 112, and "Déc. en Chaldée," pl. 57, Fig. 1), but the precise use and significance of the object has not been determined. [44] See the plate opposite p. 76, and see below, p. 174 f. [45] It should be noted that a few of the early cylinder-seals found at Fâra Andrae considers to have been engraved with the help of the wheel (see "Mitteil. der Deutsch. Orient-Gesellschaft," No. 17, p. 5). The suggestion has also been made that, on the introduction of harder stones, the cutting tool may have been tipped with a flake of corundum; cf. Hayes Ward, "Cylinders and other Oriental Seals," p. 13. [46] For early examples, see above, p. 49. [47] See further, Chap. XII. [48] See below, p. 175. [49] See the plate opposite p. 124. [50] See Heuzey, "Catalogue," p. 387. [51] See above, p. 79, Fig. 30. [52] See above, p. 78, and below, p. 167 f. CHAPTER IV THE EARLIEST SETTLEMENTS IN SUMER; THE DAWN OF HISTORY AND THE RISE OF LAGASH