The table of contents and the chapter-headings were prepared by James McConaughy, Litt. D., Editor of the Publications of the American Sunday-School Union; the indices, by A. J. R. Schumaker, M. A., Assistant Editor. The writer is grateful to them, not only for this service, but for many helpful criticisms and courtesies while the book has been passing through the press. Valuable suggestions have also been made by Mrs. Barton, who has carefully read the proofs. Miss Bertha V. Dreisbach has given intelligent and painstaking service in preparing the manuscript for the press, and in proof-reading; Mr. V. Winfield Challenger and Miss Laura G. Leach have rendered a like valuable service in assembling and arranging the illustrations. The quotations of Scripture passages throughout are from the American Standard Revised Version. If this volume should bring to some remote worker or secluded young person a tithe of the inspiration and joy that such a book would have brought the writer in the rural home of his boyhood, he would ask no higher reward for the labor it has cost. GEORGE A. BARTON. BRYN MAWR, PA. MAY, 1916. PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION It is gratifying to know that this book has been found useful by so many students of the Bible and that a second edition is necessary. Minor errors, especially typographical, have been corrected throughout the volume. The chief feature of this edition is the addition of an Appendix, in which will be found some material that has come to light in the last year, and one or two items that were overlooked when the first edition was written. GEORGE A. BARTON. BRYN MAWR, PA. JUNE, 1917. CONTENTS PART I CHAPTER PAGE LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 1 TABLE OF SIGNS 9 INTRODUCTION 11 I. EGYPT 17 The Land. The Preservation of Antiquities. Egyptian Discoveries. Decipherment. Chronology. Outline of the History. Egyptian Discoveries which bear on the Bible. II. BABYLONIA AND ASSYRIA 40 The Land. The Preservation of Antiquities. The Discovery of Antiquities. The Decipherment of the Inscriptions. Chronology. Outline of the History. Discoveries which illumine the Bible. III. THE HITTITES 68 A Forgotten Empire. Hittite Monuments. Hittite Decipherment. Hittite History. IV. PALESTINE AND ITS EXPLORATION 83 The Land. Early Exploration. Early American Explorations. Palestine Exploration Fund. The German Palestine Society. The American School at Jerusalem. Samaria. Parker’s Excavations at Jerusalem. Latest Excavations.