The Clay Tablets from Babylon 107
Y o u w i l l b e a s a s t o n i s h e d a s w e i n t h e
l a b o r a t o r y a t t h e s t o r y t h e y r e l a t e. O n e
e x p e c t s t h e d i m a n d d i s t a n t p a s t t o s p e a k o f
r o m a n c e a n d a d v e n t u r e. " A r ab i a n N i g h t s "
s o r t o f t h i n g s , y o u k n o w. W h e n i n s t e a d i t
d i s c l o s e s t h e p r o b l e m o f a p e r s o n n a m e d
D a b a s i r t o p a y o f f h i s d e b t s , o n e r e a l i s e s t h a t
c o n d i t i o n s u p o n t h i s o l d w o r l d h a v e n o t
c h a n g e d a s m u c h i n f i v e t h o u s a n d y e a r s a s o n e
might expect.
I t' s o d d , y o u k n o w , b u t t h es e o l d i n sc r i p t i o n s
r a t h e r " r a g " m e , a s t h e s t u d e n t s s a y. B e i n g a
college professor, I am supposed to be a thinking
h u m a n b e i n g p o s s e s s i n g a w o r k i n g k n o w l e d g e
of most subjects. Yet, here comes this old chap out
o f t h e d u s t-c o v e r ed r u i n s o f B a b y l o n t o o f f e r a
way I had never hear d of to pay of f m y debt s and
a t t h e s a m e t i m e a c q u i r e g o l d t o j i n g l e i n m y
wallet.
Pleasant thought, I say, and interesting to prove
w h e t h e r i t w i l l w o r k a s w e l l n o w a d a y s a s i t d i d
in old Babylon. Mrs. Shr ewsbur y and m yself are
p l a n n i n g t o t r y o u t h i s p l a n u p o n o u r o w n
affairs which could be much improved.
W i s h i n g y o u t h e b e s t o f l u c k i n y o u r w o r t h y
u n d e r t a k i n g a n d w a i t i n g e a g e r l y a n o t h e r
opportunity to assist, I am,
Yours sincerely,
Alfred H. Shrewsbury,
Department of Archaeology.TABLETONE