[Illustration: REVERSE OF A TABLET IN THE HITTITE LANGUAGE FROM BOGHAZ KEUI. _Frontispiece._ [_See Preface, p._ vi.] The Archæology of the Cuneiform Inscriptions BY THE REV. A. H. SAYCE PROFESSOR OF ASSYRIOLOGY, OXFORD PUBLISHED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE GENERAL LITERATURE COMMITTEE _SECOND EDITION--REVISED_ LONDON SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE NORTHUMBERLAND AVENUE, W.C.; 43, QUEEN VICTORIA STREET, E.C. BRIGHTON: 129, NORTH STREET NEW YORK: E. S. GORHAM 1908 RICHARD CLAY & SONS, LIMITED, BREAD STREET HILL, E.C., AND BUNGAY, SUFFOLK. CONTENTS CHAP. PAGE PREFACE v I. THE DECIPHERMENT OF THE CUNEIFORM INSCRIPTIONS 7 II. THE ARCHÆOLOGICAL MATERIALS; THE EXCAVATIONS AT SUSA AND THE ORIGIN OF BRONZE 36 III. THE SUMERIANS 67 IV. THE RELATION OF BABYLONIAN TO EGYPTIAN CIVILIZATION 101 V. BABYLONIA AND PALESTINE 135 VI. ASIA MINOR 160 VII. CANAAN IN THE CENTURY BEFORE THE EXODUS 187 INDEX 215 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS _Facing page_ REVERSE OF A TABLET IN THE HITTITE LANGUAGE FROM BOGHAZ KEUI (_Frontispiece_) MAP--THE EASTERN WORLD IN THE SEVENTH CENTURY B.C. 7 THE TOMB OF DARIUS 16 BLACK OBELISK OF SHAL-MANESER II 21 CHALDÆAN HOUSEHOLD UTENSILS IN TERRA-COTTA 21 THE TELL OF JERABIS (PROBABLY THE ANCIENT CARCHEMISH) 40 THE TUMULUS OF SUSA, AS IT APPEARED TOWARDS THE MIDDLE OF LAST CENTURY 46 HEAD OF ONE OF THE STATUES FROM TELLO 58 VASE OF SILVER, DEDICATED TO NINGIRSU BY ENTENA PATESI OF LAGAS 58 THE TELL OF BORSIPPA, THE PRESENT BIRS-NIMRUD 78 THE SEAL OF SHARGANI-SHAR-ALI (SARGON OF AKKAD): GILGAMES WATERS THE CELESTIAL OX 88 BAS-RELIEF OF NARAM-SIN 88