[Pharmboy]

No wonder Abraham left...

"Hey...what're you going to do with that pike in your hand...hey...I'm talkin' to you..."

[Pharmboy]

An Ur-ping...

[Bulldawg Fan]

I believe Emperor Obama when he indicates our civilization is on an equal basis with every other society. No difference, right Mr President? Right??????????

[caver]

“Hey Joe, where you going with that gun in your hand?”

[Madam Theophilus]

For the absolute best history of the ancient world in regard to personal liberty, read Lord Acton’s masterful essay, “The History of Freedom in the Antiquity.”

[Prospero]

No wonder Abram left

First thing that went through my mind, as well. I'd always hoped for a better idea of what went on at Ur than we have. The Bible is mostly silent except that Abram was commanded to leave, and We have the ancient traditions as briefly hinted at by Josephus from the First Century (even then it was at least two thousand years in the past.)

I'd begun to see the "Astrologers," the Chaldees of Ur 4,000 years ago much like the Mayans. Over the long course of history that happened there at the original Babylon, there had to have been a variety of periods both good and bad. We just don't have enough information. Though, we certainly have more than we had a century and a half ago.

[FourPeas]

Thanks for this article. Because of its biblical tie, information on Ur is especially interesting.

[PapaBear3625]

The recovery of about 2,000 burials attested to the practice of human sacrifice on a large scale. At or even before the demise of a king or queen, members of the court — handmaidens, warriors and others — were put to death. Their bodies were usually arranged neatly, the women in elaborate headdress, the warriors with weapons at their side.

The practice does provide the members of the court with a big incentive to do everything they can to ensure that the king stays healthy. This may have contributed to the system's beginning.

[SunkenCiv]

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[Billthedrill]

Well, they don't know that their deaths weren't serene, but I guess it's a little tough to picture sliding sweetly into oblivion when somebody's hammering a metal spike into yer noggin. That's probably why I'm not a cultural anthropologist.

[blam]

"No wonder Abraham left... "

When Abraham lived in Ur, it was a seaside town. It has silted up all the way to Basra since.

Futhermore, the Persian Gulf was completely dry during the Ice Age.

[xzins]

The stories of Abram, Isaac, Jacob in their dealings with extended family in their land of origin seem to indicate that they did not come from impoverished people. And as descendants of Shem, they might well have occupied some important station in life.

[Ken H]

Instead, a sharp instrument, a pike perhaps, was driven into their heads.

A nice, pithy explanation.

[wildbill]

On the other hand, they could have been drugged enough to sedate them so they could be led quietly to their places in neat rows.

“Yes, Sir, your honor, right this way I have a nice place for you in the front row. All Comfy?

SMACK!

NEXT!