'Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society, from September 1850 to June 1852. Edited by the Secretary. Volume X.' [‎61] (194/458)

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MEMOIR ON THE “ TIGRIS.'’ ^
Keeping now a course of NW. by N., to the left of the line of
canal) we crossed a country without a blade of vegetation beyond
occasional patches of a reed-like scrub indigenous to marshy tracts.
In fact, the extensive marshes now in the neighbourhood of Akr-Kuf
have but slowly receded from this position since the inundation of
last year. An hour, less three minutes, was occupied in reaching a
place where a deep hollow shows that excavations have likewise been
carried on to some extent for the sake of building materials for the
modern Baghdad. The place is known now as Hammamat, “the baths/’*
and from the depth of the foundation, there would appear to have
been originally some large building erected on the spot. Beyond
some well-baked bricks, and the destruction of a thicker cement of
a very fine lime, it differs not in character from the other ruins. It
derived its water from the Suk or Seraka Canal, as did also, I think,
a high mound of ruins known as Tei Abdar, f about a mile to the
SW. of it, (which we did not visit, for we passed two large ducts
emanating from the Suk on our way here.)
Leaving Hammamat we crossed to the N E., over a country of the
same uninteresting character. In thirty-one minutes we again stood on
the Ser&kha, or rather the Suk as it is now called, among heaps of ruins
denoting the situation of another large town in the days of the country’s
prosperity. The surface of these mounds, perhaps from being more
elevated at this part, exhibits broken pottery in great abundance, as well
as pieces of glass and other scoriae. We continued onwards after a few
minutes’ halt, and in thirty-eight minutes from the upper Suk,f reached
a large mound, on the West bank of the Tigris, that bears an appear
ance of a greater antiquity, and perhaps, were it excavated, would,
like Tel Mahomed and other mounds of similar aspect, yield some relics
of a Babylonian age and character. It is known as Tel Gfoosh at the
Arab ic plural of hammam “ a bath.” See Appendix E for deter-
ni ng its position and that of Tel Abdar. '
annpii^ 01 * n ^ ne< ^ < i > v ! ew ^his narae as an old one in the country ; Abdir or Ab&dir was an
earlv atl °” o^he deity in olden times, when “ serpent worship” formed the religions creed of
snn!i/ nan ^l • Bryant, in his Analysis of the Ancient Mythology, makes Abdir the same per-
ge as Opis under a different denomination. See vol. I. page 476. The Arabs &t present
either «° term, though if it be the superlative of bedr, it will signify
either most plentiful” or «completest. ,,
$ The upper Suk, see Appendix G.