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
Sumerians--Path of the Semitic conquest--Origin of
the Western Semites--The eastern limits of Semitic
influence