Image Gallery
Nebuchadnezzar's Inscription plaque
In this photo, part of the so-called the inscription plaque (or building inscription) of the Ishtar Gate appears. The cuneiform inscriptions of the whole text read:
"I (Nebuchadnezzar) laid the foundation of the gates down to the ground water level and had them built out of pure blue stone. Upon the walls in the inner room of the gate are bulls and dragons and thus I magnificently adorned them with luxurious splendour for all mankind to behold in awe."
These glazed bricks were found near the main Ishtar Gate during the German excavations of the area, 1902-1914 CE. Neo-Babylonian period, circa 575 BCE. From Babylon (modern Babel Governorate), Mesopotamia, Iraq. (The Pergamon Museum, Berlin).
Questions & Answers
What does the name Babylon mean?
- Babylon comes from the Akkadian word "Bav-il" meaning "Gate of the Gods."
Were the Hanging Gardens of Babylon real?
- Most modern-day scholars believe the Hanging Gardens were actually located in Nineveh during the time of the Neo-Assyrian Empire.
What was Babylon most famous for in ancient times?
- Babylon was famous as an intellectual, religious, and cultural center. It was also known for its great walls and the Ishtar Gate.
Who was the patron deity of Babylon?
- The patron deity of Babylon changed with the times but, primarily, was Marduk or Ishtar.
