F. C. Payne

The Birth Of Civilization

"Excavating near Ur of the Chaldees, Sir Leonard Wooley of the British Museum, found evidence of a high state of civilisation from the earliest of times. 

A tablet with the names of two Sumerian rulers, period 5,000 years ago, and massive brick buildings with the builders mark stamped on the bricks period 2,000 to 3,000 years ago. He unearthed a large cemetery, finding many golden head-dresses and necklaces and a golden helmet of Mes-kalam-dug of about 3,500 B.C. and, Professor Langdon, Oxford University, working at Kish, about 250 kilometres from Ur, found tablets of ancient writing. 

The Pennsylvania University expedition found large numbers of inscriptions, including a series relating to the Creation and the Flood, and excavations at Warka reveal remarkable evidence of the advanced state of civilisation while, In many places, the strata of civilisation has been traced back to the very twilight of history reaching down to virgin soil before any habitation existed. 

Eight separate expeditions working for the chief purpose of bringing to light the earliest traces of man has laid bare the culture and writings of men who lived over 5,000 years ago. The results have revolutionised thought concerning early civilisation, and it has revealed much that before was blank, and many things which were once thought to be legendary. 

In their own words their finds have exceeded their highest hopes. One of the most surprising things, and contrary to general belief, and world-wide accepted theories, is that whenever man appears he is already full grown. 

In other words, aboriginal man is a product of today, not of the dim ages as was supposed. 

All the evidence points to the Mesopotamian plains being the very cradle of man, yet notwithstanding this it has found impossible to push man back beyond a few thousand years."