In 1855, more than 200 cases of the Assyrian antiquities which had been excavated by V. Place at the site of Khorsabad, containing the antiquities of Kuyunjik, Nimrud and Babylon, were sunken in the Tigris and the Chatt-el-Arab near Qurnah, where the Tigris conflicts with the Euphrates in Iraq, on the way to France. The Japan Mission for the Survey of the Under-Water Antiquities at Qurnah, under the auspices of the Society for Near Eastern Studies in Japan, the Directorate General of Antiquities of Iraqi Government and the Chunichi Newspapers, commenced the excavation of the first season on the first October, 1971 and continued it until 31 January, 1972.
In the first phase, we established, first of all, what seemed to be most fruitful area according to the thourough study of documentations in hand. The salvage group concentrated their work for the antiquities in the Tigris from joint-point with the Euphrates to the distance of 7Km upstream. We conducted our researches to the river-bed-layers, having attempted to cover the entire area from the surface of the water, by the use of what is known as “sonostrater”. Then according to the result of the record of the instrument, we excavated more than 20 points of the river-bed by a dredger and made sounding by divers with boring-sticks. However, unfortunately, we could not locate any antiquities for which we had been searching. Nevertheless we gained considerable amount of natural and artificial materials for studing the geology of the river-bed-layers and the archaeological analysis of their contents. These materials seem to be very important, since the result of studies might become one of the most useful detector for locating and salvaging the expected relics in the coming season.
In the second phase, the scholarly group made reseaches especially from the geographical, archaeological and historical points of view. In rather wide an area along the Tigris from Qurnah up to Azer, we made observations along the river-banks and collected stones, bricks and potteries found nearby. We visited the old men in the villages and gathered what seemed to be most important and valuable informations seemingly related to our project. On the other hand, we have tried to collect the air photographs, old maps and reports of explorations in the 19th century especially of the area of the lower Tigris. we attempted the best we could in order to obtain the related documentations until the end of our first season. However, contrary to our expectation, we could not procure them all in the shortage of time. Nevertheless, the results seem to be not small. Some maps and their scrutinizing study would undoubtedly give very important suggestions for the future researches of the sunken antiquities. So, we think, on the whole, our work of the first season might be regarded as successful, though we could not recover any antiquities.

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From the beginning of this field of studies, it has been often, and still now, pointed out that the Hittite Kingdom has, somewhat differing from other Ancient Near Eastern states, “feudal” character. I believe, this is the essential problem in the history of the Hittite Kingdom and the critical studies of cuneiform texts is the first step to solve this problem.
In consideration of the present condition of discovered cuneiform tablets, it seems that only two ways of approach are possible, that is, 1) the reexamination of the Hittite laws and 2) the investigation of “Tabarna texts” recently collected by H. G. Güterbock and others.
The Hittite laws has been furnishing basical data to the matter. The clauses relating to land-ownership (§§39-41, 46-47, 50-56, 112) uses “šahhan” and “luzzi” as the two terms which indicate the duties for land-holding. The reexamination of these terms in the above-mentioned clauses convinces me of that 1) “šahhan” was the obligations imposed by kingship or connected with royal estates and a form of tribute in kind, and that 2) “luzzi” was the official duties assigned to a house=“Gemeinschaft” as a whole and it accompanied the services of physical labour.
“Tabarna texts” are documents which record the distribution of land and give us informations about the actual figure of land-holding. The number of tablets is less then 30 and includes many fragments. But Bo 2004 is the longest and its reverse is in the state of almost perfect preservation. We can infer the actual condition of land-alloting prescribed in § 47 of the laws and its scale from this document. It records that the king Arnuuada, his Queen Ašumnikkal and his son Tudhaliia entrusted the priestess Kuuattalla with the land of 40 kapunu 14.5 IKU and 22 oxen, 105 sheep, 2 horses etc., which had held 11 families in total including the family of the scribe Šuppiluliuma.
I conclude the next points from the investigations of the laws and the “Tabarna texts”. 1) The Hittite kingship was based on “Landwirtschaft”. 2) Its basic element was a house (É=pír). 3) Its economy had garden and pastoral character. 4) The specialization in its economy had not been so much progressed. (It is Editors' painful duty to inform that sudden death caught Mr. Masakazu Maruta on Dec. 26, 1972.)

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In contrast to the wide-scaled cargoships, skin floats or boats in the ancient times were undoubtedly the most convenient means of transportation invented more than likely to suit chiefly the purpose of crossing relatively small streams and rivers.
Air was blown into the skin bags with the bundles of straws so that they would not give way and loose shapes half way in the river at the time of crossing by some careless and unexpected mischiefs. Boats must have been paddled either by wooden paddles or one's own hands.
With the animal-skin boats most rampantly utilized in the orient, as a means of most accessible and handy transportation system, slowly but surely the custom spread out into such areas as Asia Minor, Central Asia and China environ.

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The area generally called Yemen (Yaman) is situated in the southwestern part of the Arabian Peninsula. There now exist two countries: People's Republic of Southern Yemen and Yemen Arab Republic. The former became independent of the yoke of British colonial rule in 1967.
The latter acquired its independence rebelling against Imam's despotic rule in 1962. These newly born republics have a lot of old and unique features, having been unknown for quite a long time to the outside world since the decline of ancient kingdoms. We would like to introduce both the new and age-old faces of Yemen according to what we have seen and heard during our travels in 1970.
Firstly, we give a brief description of cities in Yemen in accordance with our itinerary. They are, in order, Aden, Lahej, Mukalla, Saiun, Tarim, and Shibam, in southern Yemen, and Taizz, Ibb and San'a in northern Yemen.
Secondly, we introduce a kind of grass named qat, which has some narcotic effects when chewed habitually. Qat has been chewed by Yemenies since 6th century and it is so closely related with the Yemeni's life that the description of qat may help to give more concrete information about their life.
Thirdly, we have come to the conclusion after travelling over this land that now in Yemen the time for expeditions has gone to be replaced by the time for academic surveys. Ruines of ancient cities along the spice-road are still buried under the sands and offer a great challenge to historians and archaeologists.
Fourthly, we take up the problem of education. Educational level in Yemen is so low thet they don't have enough school-houses, desks and chairs for the pupils of elementary schools, even to say nothing about the lack of qualified teachers in the country. Any educational aid will be very much appreciated by the authorities concerned.
Finally, we make mention of several fascinating places which we could not visit, because of the lack of time and transport facilities. They are Socotra Island and Mahara district in the remotest province in southern Yemen. As for northern Yemen, we could not visit Hujja and Sa'da liwa' (prefecture). Then we point out the stone-castles of the zaidi nobles on the inaccessible peaks, which had stirred our curiosity.

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