ABSTRACT
TheknowledgewhichwepossessoftheAssyrian Herbalisderivedfromthebakedclaytabletsand fragmentswhichhavebeenfoundamongtheruinsof thegreatI...ibraryofthetemplesatNinevehandthe RoyalLibraryofAshurbanipal,KingofAssyria, B.c.668-626,atNineveh.Thiskingwasagreat patronoflearningandhesparednopainsinfilling hisLibrarywithseriesofwell-made,well-baked,and carefullywrittenclaytabletsdealingwithgrammar, history,religiousandprofaneliterature,magic,omens, incantations,divination,astrology,etc.Manyof histabletswerewrittenintwolanguages,Sumerian andAssyrian,andtheinformationderivedfromthem ispracticallythefoundationofthemodernscienceof Assyriology.Hadthesetabletscomedowntousin acompletestateweshouldhavebeenabletotranslate themedicaltextsandreconstructtheAssyrian Herbalwithoutdifficulty,but,alas,thenumberof completetabletswhichFatehassavedfromthe LibrariesofNineveharecomparativelyfew,whilstthe fragmentsoftabletsnumberabout40,000!Theseall havebeenbroughtfromNinevehbythelateSir HenryLayardandtheotherexcavators,whohave beensentoutbytheTrustees,andtheyarenowpreservedintheBritishMuseum.Theconditionof thesefragmentstellsthestoryoftheill-treatment whichtheyreceivedc:mthoseawfuldaysintheyear 612B.c.whenNinevehwascapturedbyherenemies, andherpalacesandtempleswerepillagedandburnt, andherpreciousliterarytreasuresweresmashedin piecesandtheirfragmentsscatteredinalldirections.
