salty, at Babylon, as Pliny writes, was taken from the wells to the salt works
and heated by the great heat of the sun, and condensed partly into liquid
bitumen and partly into salt. The bitumen being lighter, floats on the top,
while the salt being heavier, sinks to the bottom. Liquid bitumen, if there
is much floating on springs, streams and rivers, is drawn up in buckets or
other vessels ; but, if there is little, it is collected with goose wings, pieces
called petroleum." Bitumen was used by the Egyptians for embalming from prehistoric times,
i.e., prior to 5000 b.c., the term " mummy " arising from the Persian word for bitumen, mumiai.
It is mentioned in the tribute from Babylonia to Thotmes Hi., who lived about 1500 B.C.
(Wilkinson, Ancient Egyptians I., p. 397). The Egyptians, however, did not need to go
further afield than the Sinai Peninsula for abundant supplies. Bitumen is often cited as the
real meaning of the " slime " mentioned in Genesis (xi., 3 ; xiv., 10), and used in building
the Tower of Babel. There is no particular reason for this assumption, except the general
association of Babel, Babylon, and Bitumen. However, the Hebrew word sift for pitch or
bitumen does occur as the cement used for Moses's bulrush cradle (Exodus n., 3), and Moses
is generally accounted about 1300 b.c. Other attempts to connect Biblical reference to
petroleum and bitumen revolve around Job xxix., 6, Deut. xxxn., 13, Maccabees 11.,
1, 18, Matthew v., 13, but all require an unnecessary strain on the imagination.
The plentiful occurrence of bitumen throughout Asia Minor, and particularly in the
Valley of the Euphrates and in Persia, is the subject of innumerable references by writers
from Herodotus (484-424 B.c.) down to the author of the company prospectus of recent
months. Herodotus (i., 179) and Diodorus Siculus (1) state that the walls of Babylon were
mortared with bitumen—a fact partially corroborated by modern investigation. The follow-
