Ur of the Chaldees. A Problem of Identification

Abstract

The question of the geographical position of the biblical “Ur of the Chaldees” is one that has recurred from time to time within the last century since H. C. Rawlinson in 1850 first provided assyriological evidence to cast doubt upon the traditional and commonly accepted identification of the city with the site of Urfa. The basic facts and arguments have been restated many times: to recapitulate for the benefit of the non-specialist it may be said that the main points hitherto urged in favour of identification of Ur of the Chaldees with Urfa have been the similarity of name, classical and Arab tradition, the total ignoring of Babylonia in Abraham's quest for a wife for Isaac, and the reference in Josh. xxiv. 2 to “Beyond the River” (a term which in many cases means “Syria”) as the place of origin of Abraham.The excavation of Tell el Muqayyar by Sir Leonard Woolley re-awakened interest in the problem, which was subsequently referred to by a number of writers, the general consensus of informed opinion being that archaeological evidence favoured the view that Ur of the Chaldees was indeed Ur in southern Babylonia; and in certain of his works Sir Leonard Woolley himself lent the weight of his learning to the view that the Ur with which Abraham was associated was none other than the famous cult-centre the ruins of which he had excavated. The view taken by Sir Leonard has been generally accepted since.