In one of the earlier excavations at Babylon a peculiar building was uncovered which at first sight appeared to be a firing kiln in which bricks or pottery might be baked. It was rounded in the typical shape common to the ancient beehive, which is preserved even among some of our kilns of the present generation. When the inscription was deciphered that designated the purpose of the building, however, it was startling to read, “This is the place of burning where men who blasphemed the gods of Chaldea died by fire.” The tremendous significance of this discovery becomes at once apparent. The tendency would be to explain with delight, “We have discovered the fiery furnace where Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego walked with the Son of God.” Such an application of this fact, however, would not quite be warranted. This may or may not have been the Scriptural site of that great miracle. We can say, however, that the three Hebrew children in the fiery furnace can no longer be consigned to the columns of mythology and dismissed as simple folklore. This discovery has showed us without doubt that there _was_ such a furnace as Daniel depicts. It was customary to punish blasphemy in this fashion, and the Chaldean monuments and annals are replete with instances of men being burned alive, who had angered the king or rebelled against his sovereignty. So, then, the implacable, unrelenting voice of archeology penetrates the innermost retreats of higher criticism to destroy, in this instance, their familiar and favorite argument of folklore and mythology. No less dramatic and interesting was the accidental experience of the famed excavator Dieulafoy, who fell into what at first sight would have been called an ancient well. Being rescued by his companions from his uncomfortable, but in nowise dangerous, situation, they proceeded with their work to the point of identification. The well turned out to be a pit which was used as an open cage for wild animals, and upon the curb was found the inscription, “The place of execution where men who angered the king died torn by wild animals.” Once again we must tread cautiously, for we cannot say with dogmatic finality, “This is the place of Daniel’s experience.” We _can_ say, however, with positive assurance that _there was such a pit of execution_, and the only unusual feature in Daniel’s experience was that he came out alive under the defense and protection of the God whom he served. In the excavation of the palace at Shushan, an ancient record was uncovered giving a list of four hundred eighty-four men of high degree who thus died in a den of lions. The name of Daniel was not found among them. This might be accepted as collateral evidence that Daniel escaped alive from that place of execution.