Nevertheless, until the recent deciphering of many
Baby lonian mathematical tablets, Egypt was long the richest field for ancient historical research. The reasons for this lie in the veneration that the Egyptians had for their dead and in the unusually dry climate of the region. The former led to the erection of long-lasting tombs and temples with richly inscribed walls, and the later played a leading role in the preservation of many papyri and objects that would otherwise have perished.