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About this book

Zénaïde A. Ragozin’s Chaldea offers a sweeping, encyclopedic survey of the ancient Near East, beginning with a terse catalogue of topics that ranges from the ruin of Nineveh and the wanderings of Xenophon’s Ten Thousand to the intricacies of Chaldean architecture, religion and myth. The opening pages lay out a detailed itinerary: the author sketches the desolation of Mesopotamian plains, the early European excavations of Botta and Layard, and the subsequent analysis of temples, ziggurats, burial customs and the legendary Library of Nineveh. From these headings the work unfolds into a systematic exploration of nomadic origins, Turanian migrations, Cushite‑Semitic debates, and the evolution of Babylonian cosmology, all anchored in a rich bibliography of 19th‑century scholarship.

Written in the scholarly prose of the late‑19th century, the volume combines meticulous description with a narrative that moves from field anecdotes to theological speculation. Its tone is erudite yet accessible to readers accustomed to dense historical treatises. Those who relish detailed archaeological accounts, comparative religion, and the intellectual climate of Victorian Orientalism will find Ragozin’s methodical approach both informative and engaging.

Who appears in Chaldea

  • XenophonBearded Greek commander in bronze cuirass, short hair, leather sandals, 5th‑century BC
  • AlexanderYouthful Macedonian king, wavy hair, crisp cloak, golden laurel, bronze helmet
  • BottaMiddle‑aged French diplomat, dark moustache, frock coat, cravat, 19th‑century explorer attire

Opening lines

§ 1. Complete destruction of Nineveh.--§§ 2-4. Xenophon and the "Retreat of the Ten Thousand." The Greeks pass the ruins of Calah and Nineveh, and know them not.--§ 5. Alexander's passage through Mesopotamia.--§ 6. The Arab invasion and rule.--§ 7. Turkish rule and mismanagement.--§ 8. Peculiar natural conditions of Mesopotamia.--§ 9. Actual desolate state of the country.--§ 10. The plains studded with Mounds. Their curious aspect.--§ 11. Fragments of works of art amidst the rubbish.--§ 12. Indifference and superstition of the Turks and Arabs.--§ 13. Exclusive absorption of European scholars in Classical Antiquity.--§ 14. Forbidding aspect of the Mounds, compared with other ruins.--§ 15. Rich, the first explorer.--§ 16. Botta's work and want of success.--§ 17. Botta's great discovery.--§ 18. Great sensation created by it.--§ 19. Layard's first expedition. …

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