Sykes' History of Persia - Heritage Institute

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GlLC.A.MES AND EaBANI IN CONFLICT WITH BuLL AND LlON.
(Cylinder seal in British Museum.)
CHAPTER IV
ELAM AND SUSA, THE CAPITAL
The children of Shem ; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and
Aram.— Genesis x. 22.
Recent Study of Origins.— Nothing is more striking
in recent archaeological research than the scientific and
successful manner in which the origins of civilization
have been studied, and nowhere is this more noticeable
than in the Near East.^ To-day the three great civilizations
of Greece, Egypt, and Babylonia have been traced
back, the two former to the Neolithic age and the last
named to the
primitive race which then occupied the
lower plains of the Tigris and Euphrates. Nor is this
all ; as a fourth civilization of the Hittites, differing in
some aspects from the other three, is shown to
existed in Central Asia Minor at least as early as
have
1500
B.C. In the case of Elam, which was closely connected
with Babylonia, a Neolithic period has been discovered :
and, although no Neolithic remains have, as
yet, been
found in Babylonia, this is due, in all
probability, to the
incessant activity of its rivers, which not only make,
but destroy, and above all cover up. A Neolithic period
can therefore be reasonably assumed, notwithstanding
absence of remains. It is impossible to fix even an
^ This chapter was written in 19 11, but I have had the advantage of consulting
Hall's Ancient History of the Near East, published in 19 13, during revision.
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