ABSTRACT
DHEtriumphoftheKushito-Semiticreligionisstillmoreancientthanthetriumphofthe AssyrianovertheAccadianlanguage.Onlyinthe formulreandhymnsofthemagiccollectionwhich musthavebeengatheredfromoraltraditions,do wefindtheoldreligioussystempeculiartothe Accadianswhichwassothoroughlyconformableto thecharacteristicsoftheirrace,andsoconnected withthebeliefsoftheFinnsandotherTuranians astosuggestthatitwasderivedfromthem. AlthoughtheaffinityoftheChaldaio-Babylonian officialreligionwiththatoftheSyrian,Canaanitish andArabpopulations,provesthatthisreligionmust havebeenoriginallypromulgatedbytheKushites ofBabylon,yetitwasthesamereligionastheold kingsofUrprofessedinspiteoftheirpurely Accadiannames.TheAccadianinscriptionsof theLikbabi(orLikbagas,thereadingofthisname isstilldoubtful)andtheDungi'arededicatedtothe godswhoremaintothelastdayofBabylonthe
objectsofpublicadoration,andwhomthegreat sacerdotalsystemofclassificationplacesinthe highestranksofthecelestialhierarchy.Evenat thispointthegodspeculiartothemagicalbooksare nolongermentioned.
