George Smith and the Egibi Tablets

Abstract

In May 1874 Birch wrote to Fox Talbot that “The Arabs have tapped one of the Babylonian libraries and documents of the later dynasty of Nebuchadnezzar are finding their way to England, but they are all sale tablets, and therefore, of inferior interest.” One of George Smith's intentions during his ill-fated last expedition in 1876 was to inspect and acquire similar contract tablets offered by Michael Marini of Baghdad in June 1875. Such was his interest that his dragoman Mathewson reported that, although hungry and tired on arrival at Baghdad, he was so impatient that he went in search of Marini to see and arrange the purchase of antiquities which he had in store for him. He would never for a moment be put off looking at anything with cuneiform on it. Smith reported and commented on an initial purchase of “about 800 objects and have got them very cheap”.A cholera epidemic and unrest made conditions for his expedition such that he started down river to reach Kurnah on 30th April 1876 to take the advice of the Consul General. He returned through flood and sandstorm to arrive on 8th May when he noted “Difficulties, Plague, incomplete returns”; “Quarantine, disinfecting, dissatisfaction”; “riots at Baghdad two sects of Mahom(medans) dispute as to Shrines”. This was part of the wider political unrest of the time and he noted “rebelling on Hindiyeh, riot at Mosul, Salonica, Difficulty at Damascus fear of spread of plague”, and finally “give up expedition and return”.