Introduction
Archaeology is an integral part of understanding world history through viewing material remains such as artifacts, ecofacts, features, and human and animal remain. The subject of research is crucial because it can shed light on how humanity first evolved and the way their predecessors managed to live for more than a million years. The available archaeological documentation is the only way that the world gets answers to questions about the evolution of species and the developments in culture and society. Archaeologists explain the revolution and changes between the old age and modern civilization.
Biblical archaeology is more vital to the history of Christianity, and it gives those who believe in the Bible a chance to get history and relate it to what is written in the Bible. Having this information is critical for believers because they get to see things from a more comprehensive perspective. This study intends to discuss the archaeological excavations of Sir Charles Leonard Woolley at Ur in Mesopotamia.
History of Sir Charles Leonard Woolley
Woolley was born on the 17th of April 1880 and passed away on the 20th of February in 1960. The man was a British archaeologist popularly recognized for his discoveries while working at Ur in Mesopotamia. He was identified as among the pioneers of “contemporary” archaeologists who exhumed with a systematic approach, documenting his findings in various books he wrote. He used what he discovered to recreate prehistoric life and history. Through his works, people got an idea of how life was in the ancient days. His contribution to archaeology made him very popular, especially in excavating the royal tomb. He married a fellow archaeologist known as Katherine Woolley.
In 1905, the scientist took a job as an intern at the Museum of Ashmolean, which was situated in Oxford. He commenced his career in 1906, after Arthur Evans hired him to supervise Francis Haverfield’s research at the Roman site of Corbridge. Woolley had not attained any education on archaeology when he started his excavations, instead he only utilized the experience he had acquired working with archaeologists. However, the man later went to school and studied archaeology.
After completing various excavations in the Ur, Woolley went to Nubia. While there, the archeologist collaborated with David Randall-MacIver and undertook the Eckley Coxe Mission. They did it in conjunction with the Museum at the University of Pennsylvania. Thus, the group mined and surveyed various locations such as Areika, Buhen, and the Meroitic city of Karanog between 1907 and 1911. From the year 1912 to1914, he exhumed the Hittite township of Carchemish; T. E. Lawrence was his aide at the time.
Sir Charles Leonard Woolley’s Contribution to Archaeology
The Royal Tomb
The excavation of the royal tomb was one of Woolley’s discoveries that made him famous among the archeologist of his time. His excavation led to the discovery of the highly expensive tomb of Queen Pu-Abi. The grave had exceptional items of high quality, which were highly well-maintained. Woolley revealed that Queen Pu-Abi’s grave stayed undamaged by burglars through the millennia. The things found inside the tomb included a cylinder-shaped cover inscribed with the Queen’s identity in Sumerian, a gold crown formed with gold leaves, ornaments, and tableware.
Additionally, there was an excellent lyre made of gold as well as lapis-lazuli coated bearded bulls head and an abundance of cutlery made of gold, among additional artifacts. Further, Woolley’s discovery showed that the Queen’s remains were buried alongside her servants. It was found that the two of her servants were buried with her. The findings revealed that workers were poisoned to die and join their lord in death and carry on with service to her in the world beyond. Overall, the tomb contained the remains of five warriors and twenty-three maiden workers alongside the Queen.
Through the items and people discovered in the tomb, Woolley was able to reconstruct the Queen’s funeral ceremony. Via his documentation, people can understand the culture and beliefs of people who lived in Ur before civilization. Additionally, people can see things that existed in the ancient days. Most of the items gathered from the tomb, including the crown, cylinder-shaped cover, and Queen’s remains, have been placed on exhibition in Philadelphia at the University of Pennsylvania.
The Ur Standard
An additional significant excavation done by Woolley was the Standard of Ur. It was a Sumerian artwork estimated to date from 2600 B.C.E. However, its primary purpose is yet to be categorically stated; the findings indicated that it was supported on a rod, borne as a standard. It was further assumed that it was the soundbox of a musical apparatus. Woolley found the artifact fascinating because it had two primary pieces, with photographs on every side. The first image had conflicting scenery, while the other pictured scenery of regular natural life with a dinner feast. The pictures were labeled accordingly, one as battle and the other as harmony.
Consequently, the fullness of the specifics of the photographs aided in the comprehension of how people lived in primordial Sumer. Through this kind of discovery, a person can be able to tell how people lived in the B.C.E. error. This discovery is an excellent contribution to the fields of archaeology and history. It also helps the people in Iraq, which was Ur, then understands their origin and evolution. However, the Standard of Ur needed renovation because the impact of time had decomposed the timber frames. The remodeled Standard was then taken to London’s British Museum so that people could see it. Through this discovery, the world understands that the fight for world peace did not begin with civilization but existed even in ancient times.
Evidence of the Great Flood
Another discovery by Woolley was the substantiation of the great flood. During the excavation in Ur city in 1929, Woolley witnessed a dense coating of residue that had covered the entire valley. Woolley thought the coating was a confirmation of the Bible narrative of the Great Flood. According to Woolley, the flood was not widespread as it did not basically conceal the entire globe but solely the valley of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Moreover, the book of Genesis in the Bible describes the great flood God created to destroy the universe after being angered by how people had sinned. God had instructed Noah to build an ark to shield those who listened from the flood. Those who have faith in the Bible believe that this story is accurate and that it happened during the B.C.E. error.
Woolley’s records of the great flood indicate that there is evidence of several towns that remained in the valley after the flood. Woolley’s excavation was further supported by later similar findings, mainly the remnants of the town of Kish. Since then, Bible teachers and individuals who believe in the Bible have utilized these findings to substantiate the flood story in the Bible. Nevertheless, some critics argued that residues Woolley discovered were minimal and did not even cover the entire city of Ur. Though the confirmation of the great flood remains debatable, bible believers believe in the story, and the excavation like that of Woolley was just a confirmation of their existing faith.
The Copper Bull
Another excavation made by Woolley was the Copper bull, a statue discovered with other objects at the bottom of a foundation in Tell al-‘Ubaid. During the copper bull excavation, Woolley worked with the British Museum as well as the Museum of the University of Pennsylvania in the Department of Archaeology and Anthropology. The substance which concealed the statuette was made of brick and mud that formerly held a shrine to the goddess Ninhursag. The bull statue was crumpled by the dropping bricks and mortar of the damaged temple. Ninhursag was a goddess of the pastures, thus, it was not a strange thing for cows to be found around her temple.
When Woolley discovered the bull, the logs that made various parts of the bull had decomposed, and the bull was exhumed solely through casting wax across what had remained. Woolley recreated that bull to its original structure to preserve it for future archaeological purposes. The copper bull was then stored in the British Museum. The excavation of the copper bull revealed the kind of worship practiced by the people of this area. It showed that animals were an essential aspect of religion. This discovery provides a piece of great information for theologians and historians.
The Port of Al Mina
Further, Woolley excavated Al-Mina during two campaigns in 1936 and 1937 and promptly published two preliminary reports. Woolley did documentation on the mound, which instituted the site that occupied the northern banks of the Orontes River and consisted of ten building layers. These strata were referred to as levels, covering a period ranging from the late 9th century B.C. to the medieval period. Woolley allocated the recovered materials of various strata to one specific level signifying a specific historical stage of the town. Consequently, to this approach, pottery from chronologically distinctive layers ended up together on one level and could no longer be alienated. Woolley and his team marked the sherds containing several collections partly with ink and were allocated different numbers on them.
The discovery of Al-Mina indicated the culture and the main activities practiced by those who existed during that time. It shows that pottery was the main activity while at the same time indicating that there was a trade that took place during that time. The port of Al-Mina unquestionably belongs to one of the most controversially debated sites in archaeology since its excavation. It continues to get the attention of researchers from numerous fields. The above is one of the primary reasons for the immense interest in the amount of recovered Greek pottery. The understanding of the discovery of this site can be used to compare different ages of existence and help gauge what kind of people lived at which age, which is an excellent contribution to research and history.
Conclusion
Woolley’s discoveries in the city of Ur had a long-term impact on archaeology. The excavations cleared the path for a comprehension of the prehistoric evolutions of Mesopotamia, their artworks, structural designs, languages, leadership, and spiritual approaches. From Woolley’s findings, researchers were capable of recreating the past of the town of Ur, beginning from its foundation in the prehistoric period to its last moments during the 4th C B.C.E. Subsequently, the pieces recovered from the excavation were among the highly precious and well-maintained from that ancient time.
Woolley’s excavations were divided among three institutions, the first being the British Museum in London. The University of Pennsylvania gallery, which is located in Philadelphia. The third facility is the National Museum in Baghdad, Iraq. Numerous spectacular items from the royal tomb have been featured in History Museum tours throughout the United Kingdom and America. Through Woolley’s discovery, people can not only read history about the existence of ancient cities but also look at the remnants of the cities through the pieces kept in the museums. Therefore, it is safe to conclude that archaeology is critical in understanding past life and comparing it with civilization. It is also essential to conclude that Sir Charles Leonard Woolley contributed significantly to archaeology and that the history of Ur the present Iraq cannot be told without his mention.
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