A Hillah Workman At Niffer : Nasir El-Hussein

BY
NILE & EUPHRATES
 

A RECORD OF
DISCOVERY & ADVENTURE

By:
 H. VALENTINE GEERE
 

EDINBURGH:     First Edition  1904

Publisher/Year: EDINBURGH, T. & T., First Edition 1904. Binding: Original Cloth Hardcover, 22x14 cm. Pages: 355 Illustrations: 34 illustrations & maps. жжж    Please see book CONDITION at end    жжж

Henry Valentine Geere (1874-?)

Architect to the University of Pennsylvania Expedition at Nippur, Iraq

Mr. Geere is the only Englishman who has served on the American Expedition, and, owing to his detached and independent position, he has been able, in this book, to present the first correct history of certain phases of the work. Besides throwing some interesting side-lights upon the Nippur excavations under Dr. Hilprecht, it deals with the work of Professor Flinders Fetrie, and Doctors Grenfell and Hunt, when the author assisted them at Oxyrhynchus and Deshasheh.

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SCARCE

ORIGINAL 1904 FIRST EDITION

FASCINATING ACCOUNT

UNIVERSITY of  PENNSYLVANIA  

Excavation at NIPPUR

BABYLONIA (IRAQ)

With
Many Photograph Illustrations
from over 100 Years Ago

From Preface ...

IN the following pages I have tried to give some idea of life in an excavator's camp and to sketch certain out-of-the-way places and their inhabitants. If they succeed in interesting the reader in the life and scenery of the Euphrates, and in showing that it has charms quite equal to the better known ones of the Nile, they will serve their purpose. I hope, however, that they will arouse some interest in the cause of Babylonian research. The example of America, and the success which has attended the excavations at Nippur, should surely encourage England to despatch an expedition to investigate one or other of the sites which are so numerous on the banks of Euphrates and Tigris. In my last chapter I have set out some of the reasons which may be urged in favour of her turning her attention once more to the field in which she has already won so many laurels, and I need say no more upon the subject now. For the rest, I trust the descriptions of the present-day aspect of the tels, the Bedouin, the fellahin, and the scenery of desert and river may serve to convey some impression of their fascination to the reader who has never made acquaintance with the realities themselves, and to recall pleasant memories to those who have.
To Dr. Hastings and Dr. Selbie I tender my most sincere thanks for their kindness in correcting the orthography of Arabic words and names throughout the book, and for many helpful suggestions.
The illustrations facing pages 25, 32, 176, and 320 are from photographs by the Babylonian Expedition of the University of Pennsylvania ; and for permission to use them I am indebted to the kindness of the Committee and Dr. Hilprecht. The portrait of Ali Suefi is from a negative by Professor Petrie. The illustrations facing pages 9, 17, 105, 113, and 240 are from photographs by my friend, the late Mr. George Cowley, whose untimely death left a sad gap in the little British colony at Baghdad.
The plan of a house in Baghdad and that of the khan at Haswa are chiefly due to Mr. C. S. Fisher, who helped me in the preparation of the former, and inspired me with sufficient energy to help him in the measurements for the latter at a time when I felt inclined to "take things easy" after a long ride. The sketch of Persian pilgrims facing page 256 was made by Mr. Palmer from some indifferent photographs ; and for the remainder of the illustrations I and my camera must accept all responsibility.

H. V. G.
Southampton, 1904.

   

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An Antiquity Dealer Of Baghdad: Ali Kurdi

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Contents ...

Book has no detail of contents. It comes in 19 chapters of 350 pages, the first 3 chapters cover the journey preformed in 1895 from England to Baghdad and to the area of excavation at Niffer, south of Hilla. When author arrived at Niffer there were some security problems in the excavation area, resulted the suspension of the University of Pennsylvania Expedition work in Iraq. Author returned to Baghdad and through the Desert route to Damascus and went home to England. He was invited to join Professor Petire work in Deshasheh in Egypt, chapter 4 & 5 cover works in Egypt on pages 49 to 83. In autumn of 1898 the Pennsylvania Expedition returned to work at Niffer after solving the security problems. The author returned to Baghdad, but he was seriously ill at arrival and has to stay in Baghdad for his recovery, he could not join work until end of summer of 1899. Chapters 7 to the end covers the journal and description of Baghdad and excavation works at the field in Niffer for the Pennsylvania Expedition.
 

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Illustrations ...
 

1. THE EUPHRATES VALLEY AT SALAHIEH: FROM THE BLUFFS

2. A TYPICAL BIT OF THE TIGRIS

3. A SCENE ON THE RIVER'S BANK, BAGHDAD

4. TWO ZAPTIEHS

5. ARAB CRAFT ON THE EUPHRATES

6. MARKET SCENE AT SANDAFEH

7. EXCAVATING AT THE BEHNESEH " RUBBISH HEAPS"

8. SKETCH MAP OF PART OF THE NILE VALLEY, SHOWING SITES EXCAVATED, ETC.

9. ALI: PROF. PETRIE'S RIGHT-HAND MAN

10. A FARMSTEAD ON THE BAHR YUSUF

11. A DHOW AT BUSREH

12. PRINCIPAL FLOOR OF A HOUSE IN BAGHDAD

13. THE BRIDGE OF BOATS AT BAGHDAD

14. A PROCESSION (AT A CIRCUMCISION), BAGHDAD

15. PLAN OF KHAN HASWA, ON THE BAGHDAD-HILLAH ROAD

16. THE MOUNDS OF NIPPUR

17. A DOOR SOCKET (INSCRIBED) AT THE INNER GATE OF THE TEMPLE OF BEL

18. THE PLAIN AT NIFFER, WITH EXCAVATED PART OF THE CITY WALL

19. HUT BUILDING AT NIFFER : OUR HOUSE IN BACKGROUND

20. A HILLAH WORKMAN AT NIFFER : NASIR ELHUSSEIN

21. ABD EL-KADER EFFENDI: OUR "COMMISSIONER"

22. SCENE IN HAJJI TARFA'S MUTHIF DURING OUR VISIT THERE

23. SKETCH MAP OF EUPHRATES VALLEY, ETC., SHOWING NIFFER AND THE PRINCIPAL TOWNS AND RUINS ON THE OVERLAND ROUTE FROM BAGHDAD

24. A CHURD ON THE EUPHRATES

25. PERSIAN TRAVELLERS IN A KHAN AT NEJEF

26. A STREET IN THE "EUROPEAN QUARTER," BAGHDAD

27. SMOKE SWATHED HIT

28. A BACKWATER AT ANAH

29. THE CITY GATE AT SALAHIEH

30. PART OF THE CITY WALL AT SALAHIEH

31. COURTYARD OF A EUPHRATES KHAN

32. THE VILLAGE OF DEIR HAFR, SYRIA

33. AN ANTIQUITY DEALER OF BAGHDAD: ALI KURDI

34. BUNDIR ABBAS, PERSIAN GULF

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A Dhow at Busreh
 

A Street In The "European Quarter," Baghdad
 

Scene In Hajji Tarfa's Muthif During Our Visit There
 

Abd El-Kader Effendi: Our "Commissioner"
 

Hut Building At Niffer : Our House In Background
 

Plan of Khan Haswa, on the Baghdad-Hillah Road
 

The Mounds of Nippur
 

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Condition ...

Library copy with only one stamp at verso, residual of small pocket removed from inside cover, book in very good condition.

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