1
PMS 3155100/0/30/40
PMS 4660/15/50/20
Contents
PMS 3155100/0/30/40
PMS 4660/15/50/20
Contents
2 Background information for teachers • HistoryofBabylon• OldBabylonianperiod:c.2004BC–c.1595BC• Assyrianperiod• Neo-Babylonianempire:625–539BC• Laterhistory• Religion• Ziggurats• Writing• Learning
6 Visiting the exhiBition
7 exhiBition Briefing sheet for adults and older students •TherealBabylon •StoriesaboutBabylon •Babylontoday
8 curriculum links
9 classroom actiVities
11 BaBylon PowerPoints • ObjectsfromBabylon• ArtistsandBabylon• Babylonasaheritagesite
14 further resources •BritishMuseumwebsites •Books
FRONT COVER IMAGE: Glazed brick relief of a lion from Babylon’s Processional Way. Reign of King Nebuchadnezzar II (605–562 BC).On loan from the musée du Louvre, Paris. © Photo RMN / Franck Raux.
ExhibitionsupportedbytheBlavatnikFamilyFoundation
ExhibitionorganisedbytheBritishMuseum,themuséeduLouvreandtheRéuniondesmuséesnationaux,Paris,andtheStaatlicheMuseenzuBerlin.
PMS 3155100/0/30/40
PMS 4660/15/50/20
BACKGRoUnD InFoRMAtIon FoR teACHeRs
2
PMS 3155100/0/30/40
PMS 4660/15/50/20
hIsTory oF BaByLonThecityofBabylonwasbuiltonthebanksoftheRiverEuphrates.Theriverranthroughthemiddleofthecitywithabridgelinkingthetwohalves.ThecitywashometotheBabyloniankingsaswellasbeingthecommercial,politicalandreligiouscentreoftheBabylonianempire.ThenameBabyloncomesfromtheGreekversionofthecity’sancientname(intheAkkadianlanguage)whichwasBabilu.ThecitylaywithinaregionknowntotheancientGreeksasMesopotamia(‘betweentherivers’).TodaymostofancientMesopotamiaispartofmodernIraq.TheremainsoftheancientcityofBabylonlienearAlHillahinBabilProvince,Iraq,about55milessouthofBaghdad.
BabylonbeganasasmalltownaroundthebeginningofthethirdmillenniumBC.TheearliestsourcetomentionBabylonasacitymaybeadatedtabletofthereignofSargonofAkkad(c.24thcenturyBC).IthasbeenestimatedthatBabylonwasthelargestcityintheworldfromc.1770BCto1670BC,andagainbetweenc.612BCand320BC.
oLd BaByLonIan perIod: c. 2004 Bc–c. 1595 BcAroundc.2004BCtheAmorites(aSemiticpeoplefromthewestofMesopotamia)invadedSumerinsouthernMesopotamiaandgraduallymovednorthwards.In1894BCBabylonbecamethecapitalcityofanAmoriteleadercalledSumu-abum–thefirstofalonglineofkingswhoruledfromtheincreasinglyprosperouscity.
Inabout1792BCHammurapibecamethesixthkingofBabylon,reigninguntilabout1750BC.HeconqueredcitiesinnorthandsouthMesopotamiaandmadeBabylonthecapitalcityofaBabylonianempire.Oneofhismostimportantactswastodrawupasetoflaws,someofwhichwerebasedonolderSumerianlaws.ThishasbecomeknownasHammurapi’slaw-codeanddemonstratedhiscommitmenttostandardisedjusticeacrosstheBabylonianempire.Onecopyofthecodewrittenincuneiformonastela(largestoneblock)wascarriedoffbytheElamitesduringthe13thcenturyBCtothecityofSusa.ItisnowintheLouvreMuseuminParis.
AfterHammurapi,thepoweroftheBabylonianempirebegantodecline.Citieswhichwerepartoftheempirerebelledandpeoplefromoutsidetheempireinvadedit.AHittiteraidfromAnatolia(modern-dayTurkey)in1595BCbroughtaboutthedownfallofthekingofBabylonandaKassiteking,Agum-Kakrime,seizedthethroneofBabylonforhimself.TheKassitepeoplewereprobablyfromtheZagrosMountainsinmodern-dayIranandtheymovednorthtogaincontrolofterritoryinsouthernMesopotamia.TheKassitesruledBabylonforabout450years.TheymaintainedtheBabylonianwayoflife,respectedtheMesopotamiangodsandgoddessesalongsidetheirowndeities,andrebuilttheirtemples.TheybuiltalargenewcityatDur-KurigalzuincentralMesopotamia,thoughBabylonremainedthecapitalcityfortheregion.Agroupoftabletswrittenusingthecuneiformscript(knownastheAmarnaLetters)indicatesthatduringthe1300sBCKassitekingsinBabylonwereincorrespondencewithpharaohsofthe18thDynastyinEgypt.
PMS 3155100/0/30/40
PMS 4660/15/50/20
3
PMS 3155100/0/30/40
PMS 4660/15/50/20
assyrIan perIodInnorthernMesopotamiatheAssyrianpeoplehadestablishedakingdom,withitsmaincityatAshur,ontheupperreachesoftheTigrisRiver.Duringthe900sBCtheAssyriankingsbegantoexpandtheirterritoryandgraduallytookcontrolofallofMesopotamia.AssyrianrulewasnotwelcomedbytheBabyloniansandduringthereignofSennacheribofAssyria(705–681BC)Babylonwasinconstantrevolt,leadingtothecompletedestructionofthecityin689BCwhenitswalls,templesandpalaceswererazedtotheground.ThenextAssyrianking,Esarhaddon,rebuiltthecityandmadeithisresidenceforpartoftheyear.By650BC,undertheruleofKingAshurbanipal,theAssyrianempirereacheditsgreatestextentstretchingfromMesopotamiaacrosstotheMediterraneanSeaandsouthtoEgypt.Babylonwasanimportantcitywithintheempirewithitsownlocalking(usuallyamemberoftheAssyrianroyalfamily).However,afterthereignofAshurbanipaltheAssyrianempirefellapart.Citiesandregionswithintheempirerebelledandby612BC,thecapitalatNinevehfelltoforeigninvaders.
neo-BaByLonIan empIre: 625–539 BcAsthepoweroftheAssyriansdeclined,ChaldeansfromsouthernMesopotamiabegantocreatetheirownempire,knowntodayastheNeo-Babylonianempire.In625BC,theChaldeanmilitaryleaderNabopolassarrevoltedagainstAssyriancontrolofthecityandbecamekingofBabylon.In612BCtheBabyloniansandMedes(fromwesternIran)revoltedtogetheragainstAssyrianrule,destroyedthemajorAssyriancitiesanddividedthelandsoftheAssyrianempirebetweenthem.
Nabopolassar’sson,NebuchadnezzarII(reigned605–562BC),rebuiltandenlargedBabylonandmadeitthecapitalofanewempire.Thisincludedrebuildingthegreatseven-storeyzigguratinBabylonknownasEtemenanki.AtthistimeBabylonwassurroundedbyamassive18kmwall.TheroyalpalacewassograndthatNebuchadnezzarcalledit‘themarvelofallpeople,thecentreoftheland,theshiningresidence,thedwellingofmajesty’.Ithasbeenestimatedthat15millionbrickswereusedtorebuildtheofficialbuildingsinBabylonduringthereignofNebuchadnezzarII.Theywereusuallysquareandstampedwithacuneiforminscription.InlegendheissaidtohavebuilttheHangingGardensofBabylon.Thisisdescribedasaterracedgardenfulloftreesandfloweringplants,builttoremindhiswife,QueenAmyitis,ofthegreenhillsofherhomelandinMedia.ItwasoneoftheSevenWondersoftheAncientWorld.
Nebuchadnezzar’sreignwasfollowedbyseveralweakkings.Nabonidus,thelastBabyloniantoruleatBabylon,wasunabletoresistanexpandingPersianempire.TheNeo-Babylonianempiregraduallywentintodeclineandoverthenext20yearsitbegantobreakup.In539BCthePersiankingCyruscapturedBabylon,madeithiscapitalandincorporatedtherestofMesopotamiaintotheAchaemenidPersianempire.
PMS 3155100/0/30/40
PMS 4660/15/50/20
4
PMS 3155100/0/30/40
PMS 4660/15/50/20
LaTer hIsToryPersianruleleftBabylonlargelyintact.Twohundredyearslater,thePersianempirewasitselfconqueredbytheMacedonianrulerAlexandertheGreat.AfterAlexander’sdeathinBabylonin323BC,hisempirewasdividedupandMesopotamiacametoberuledbytheSeleuciddynastyfoundedbySeleukos,oneofAlexander’sgenerals.Then,in141BC,theParthiankingMithradatesItookcontrolofMesopotamia.TheParthians,whocamefromeasternIran,brieflylostcontrolofMesopotamiawhenitwasinvadedbytheRomansinAD115butitwasreturnedtotheParthiansbytheRomanemperorHadrianinAD117.TheParthianempirewasoverthrownbytheSasaniankingArdashirinAD224–226.MesopotamiawasthenruledbySasaniankings,alsofromIran,untilAD637,whenMuslimArabsinvadedandMesopotamiabecamepartoftheIslamicworld.FromAD1534until1918MesopotamiawaspartoftheOttomanempireruledbytheOttomandynastyfromIstanbulinmodernTurkey.TodaymostofMesopotamiaisthecountryofIraqwithitscapitalcityatBaghdad,incentralMesopotamia.Babylonitselfisnolongerinhabited.
reLIgIonAncientMesopotamiansbelievedthattheuniversewascontrolledbygodsandgoddesseswhohadtobeobeyedandworshippedwithprayersandofferings.ThereweremanymythsandlegendsaboutthesegodsandgoddesseswhichsurvivetodayascuneiformtextintheSumerianandAkkadianlanguages.Templeswerethecentresofreligiousactivitywherepriestsandpriestessesservedtheparticulargodorgoddessbelievedtoliveinthetemple.Alltemplescontainedastatueoftheirgodorgoddesshousedinaniche.Specialfeastsandfestivalswereheldinhonourofthegodsandgoddesses,suchasBabylon’sgrandNewYearFestival.ThepatrondeityofBabylonwasthegodMardukwho,asthecityroseinpower,waspromotedtotheheadoftheBabylonianpantheon.Mardukwasoftendepictedtogetherwithhissymbol,thesnake-dragonormushhushshu.
ZIgguraTsInthemajorcitiesofancientMesopotamiathemorepowerfulrulersbuilttall,steppedreligiousstructuresknownasziggurats.Zigguratswerebuiltfromlayersofmudbricks,withalayerofbakedbricksontheexterior,andheldtogetherwithreedmattingatregularintervalswithweepholestofacilitatedrainage.Theyroseonsquareplatformswithasacredshrineatthetop.Longrampsorflightsofstairsallowedthefewauthorisedpeopletoclimbupfromonestagetothenext.ZigguratswerebuiltbykingUr-Nammu(reignedc.2112–2095BC)intheSumeriancitiesofUrandNippur.AzigguratdedicatedtotheMesopotamiangodMardukmayhavealreadybeenbuiltatBabylonby1750BC.Nebuchadnezzar’szigguratatBabylonhadsevenplatformsofbrickswithatempleforMardukonthesummit.ItispossiblethatthisstructurewasthesourceofthebiblicaltraditionoftheTowerofBabel.ThezigguratatDur-Sharrukin,builtbytheAssyriansabout710BC,possiblyhadaspiralrampleadingtothetopwitheachplatformofbrickspaintedadifferentcolour.
PMS 3155100/0/30/40
PMS 4660/15/50/20
5
PMS 3155100/0/30/40
PMS 4660/15/50/20
WrITIngWritingbeganinsouthernMesopotamiawellbefore3100BC.Thisfirstwritingwasdevelopedtorecordthecollectionanddistributionoffoodsuppliesinthecities.TheveryfirstSumerianwritingusedpictograms.Pictogramsaresimplepictureswhichrepresentobjectsdirectly.Gradually,thesepictogramsevolvedintoaformofwritingproducedwithastyluspressedintoclay,madeupofwedge-shapedsigns.Thiswritingisknownascuneiform.
Cuneiformsignsweremuchmoreflexiblethanpictogramsandallowedspeechtobeproperlyrecorded.Individualcuneiformsignsrepresentedsyllableswhichcouldbecombinedtomakeaword,orusedbythemselvestorepresentacompleteword.Eventually,thereweremorethan600cuneiformsigns.ThefirstcuneiformrepresentedtheSumerianlanguage.Later,theAkkadians,Assyrians,BabyloniansinancientIraq,aswellasotherpeoplesuchastheElamitesinIranandtheHittitesinTurkey,wrotedowntheirlanguagesusingthecuneiformscript.
MostwritingfromMesopotamiaisonsmallclaytablets.Dampclaywasformedintoaflattablet,whichcouldbeheldinonehand.Thewriterpressedastylusmadefromreed,wood,metalorivoryintotheclaytomakethecuneiformsigns,thenleftthetabletinthesuntoharden.Earlynumberswererecordedbymakingcircularorsemicircularmarksinthesurfaceofaclaytabletwiththeotherendofthestylus.Fromveryearlyonspecialsignsweredevelopedforcountingsystems,themostcommononebeingbasedon60.Fromabout1300BCivoryandwoodentabletscoveredwithalayerofwaxwerealsousedforwriting.Thesecouldbereused,sincethewaxcouldbesmoothedoverreadyforthenextpieceofwriting.Cuneiformsignswerealsocarvedintostoneorcastinmetal.CuneiformwritingwasusedinMesopotamiaforover3,000years.Thelastknownuseofcuneiformisasecond-centuryADBabylonianastronomicaltext.
LearnIngMesopotamiancitieswerecentresofknowledgeandlearning.Thefirstschoolswereplaceswherescribesweretrainedtobecomestateadministrators.Theseschoolsuseddictionarieswithlistsofwords,gods,plantsandanimals.Latertheyinvestigatedmedicine,mathematicsandastronomy.TheSumeriansandtheirsuccessorsfavouredanumbersystembasedon60.Tohelpwithmathematicalcalculations,studentsusedmultiplicationtableswrittenonclaytablets.Surveyingwithmeasuringinstrumentswasusedtohelpconstructirrigationsystems.Babylonianastronomersstudiedthenightskyandrecordedthemovementofthemoonandplanets.TheAssyriankingAshurbanipal(reigned668–631BC)collectedalibraryofabout25,000claytabletsathispalaceatNineveh.Thetabletsincludedletters,legends,dictionaries,histories,astronomicalobservationsandmedicaltexts.TheBabyloniankingNebuchadnezzarII(reigned605–562BC)wasinterestedinobjectsandstatuesfromearlierperiods,aswellasexamplesoftheoldestwritinghecouldfind.
PMS 3155100/0/30/40
PMS 4660/15/50/20
VIsItInG tHe eXHIBItIon
6
PMS 3155100/0/30/40
PMS 4660/15/50/20
TheexhibitionBabylon: Myth and Realityisfreeforschoolgroups.Allvisitinggroupsmustpre-bookthroughtheMuseumBoxOfficeon+44 (0)20 7323 8181.
Itissuggestedthatstudentsmovethroughtheexhibitioninsmallgroupslookingatanddiscussingobjects,graphicsandrelevanttext.Thispackincludesanexhibitionbriefingsheetforadultstohelpfocusstudents’thoughtsineachsectionoftheexhibition.
Pleasediscussthesizeofyourgroup(studentsplusaccompanyingadults)withtheBoxOfficestaffwhenyoubook.Entrancetotheexhibitionisin10-minutetimeslotsandyourgroupmayhavetocovertwoormoreslots.
Pleasebearinmindtheentrytimeofthelastgroupinyourpartyasyouwillneedtoleavethemabout60minutes’viewingtimebeforegoingtoyourpre-bookedlunchslotintheFordCentreforYoungVisitors.
Photographyisnotallowedintheexhibition.Itisthereforesuggestedthatstudentsmakesketchesintheexhibitionwhichcanbeusedtosupportfollow-upartanddesignworkintheclassroom,takephotographsofobjectsintheMuseum’spermanentMesopotamiangalleriesorusetheonlineresourcesavailableontheBritishMuseumwebsitebackatschool.
Aswellascollectinginformationtosupportfollow-upactivitiesatschool,studentsmayfinditusefultohaveabigquestiontoconsideranddiscussastheygoroundtheexhibition.Thequestion(s)couldthenbediscussedbackatschool.Herearesomeexamplequestions:
•WhatimpressionofancientBabylondoIgetfromtheexhibition?
•HowdodifferentartistscreateanideaofwhatancientBabylonwaslike?
•WhataspectsofBabylonasacityarethesameasordifferentfrommodern-dayLondon?
•WhathaveIfoundoutaboutBabylonthatIdidn’tknowbefore?
•Whatsourcesofevidencedoestheexhibitionincludeandhowusefularethey?
PMS 3155100/0/30/40
PMS 4660/15/50/20
7
PMS 3155100/0/30/40
PMS 4660/15/50/20
Theexhibitionisarrangedunderthreekeythemeswhichexplorethecityacrosstime.
The reaL BaByLonThissectionlooksattheancientcityofBabylon,thesiteofwhichliesinmodernIraq,southofBaghdad.Itfocuseson605–539BC,duringwhichtimethecitywasruledbyKingNebuchadnezzarIIandhissuccessors.DuringthisperiodBabylonwasthecapitalofavastBabylonianempireandunderwentamagnificentrebuildingprogrammewhichsawitdevelopintothelargestandmostspectacularcityintheworld.
sTorIes aBouT BaByLonArchaeologicalexplorationofBabylonbeganinearnestintheearly1900s.Beforethecuneiformscriptwasdecipheredinthe1850s,knowledgeaboutBabylonreliedontheBibleandthewritingsofancientGreekhistorians.Babylonbecameapopularsubjectforartistswhocombinedwhattheyknewfromthesesourceswithideasandimagesfromtheirowntime.Thissectionoftheexhibitionlooksatthebest-knownstoriesandlegendsthathavedevelopedaroundthecity.
BaByLon TodayThissectionlooksatthreekeyaspectsofBabylon’slegacytoday:elementsofscience,mathematicsandastronomyfromBabylon;itscontinuedpresenceinart,filmandmusic;andthesiteofthecitytodaywithparticularreferencetotheeffectofrecentpoliticalregimesandmilitaryconflictintheregion.
eXHIBItIon BRIeFInG sHeet FoR ADULts AnD oLDeR stUDents
PMS 3155100/0/30/40
PMS 4660/15/50/20
8
PMS 3155100/0/30/40
PMS 4660/15/50/20
Key sTage 2 a WorLd hIsTory sTudy TheancientMesopotamianculturesofSumerandAssyriaarespecificallymentionedaspossiblecasestudiesintheKeyStage2HistoryNationalCurriculumstudyunitforapastworldsociety.
Thekeyfeaturesofthisunitare:thesocietyinrelationtoothercontemporarysocieties;chronology;thereasonsfortheriseandfallofthecivilisation;significantplacesandindividuals;distinctivecontributiontohistory.
Thekeyaspectsofeverydaylifestudiedare:housesandcities;artsandarchitecture;technology,workandleisure;food,healthandmedicine;pictures,wordsandcommunication;rulersandruled;beliefs,customsandlegends,godsandgoddesses;templesandtombs;wealthandeconomy;transportandexploration;warsandwarfare.
AncientMesopotamiaandthecasestudyofthecityofBabylonareanexcellentstartingpointforsingle-subjectandcross-curricularworkinanumberofareas.
•Buildings:ziggurats,palaces,walls,gates
• Historicalinterpretation:sourcesofevidenceaboutBabylon,waysinwhichBabylonhasbeenrepresentedacrosstime,biasinsources
•Citizenship:Babylonasaheritagesite,lookingafterthepast,usingthepastinthepresent
• Artanddesign:Babylonianartasasourceofinspirationforownartwork,artworksrepresentingBabylonthroughtheages
•Religion:godsandgoddesses,temples/ziggurats,formsofworship
• Archaeology:materialcultureasasourceofevidence,archaeologicalprocessesusedatBabylon,roleofmuseums,issuesofworldheritage
CURRICULUM LInKs
PMS 3155100/0/30/40
PMS 4660/15/50/20
9
PMS 3155100/0/30/40
PMS 4660/15/50/20
Thefollowingisalistofsuggestedactivitieswhichcanbeundertakenintheclassroom tosupportavisittotheexhibitionaseitherpreparatoryorfollow-upwork.
• LocatetheareacoveredbyancientMesopotamiainanatlas.WhichmoderncountriesformancientMesopotamia?Whatarethekeygeographicalfeaturesofthearea?WhichmoderncountriesareneighbourstomodernIraq?
• LookattheMesopotamianobjectsontheExploresectionoftheBritishMuseumwebsite.TheregionofMesopotamiacoversalongperiodofhistoryandseveraldifferentculturessoyoumaywanttodivideyoursearchesdownintoobjectsrelatingtoSumer,BabylonorAssyria.Printoutaselectionofobjectsandarrangethemchronologically.Usethisasastartingpointtodiscusschronology.
• Discussdifferentsourcesofevidenceavailabletoarchaeologistsandhistorians.Whatisthedifferencebetweenprimaryandsecondaryevidence?Whatsourcesofevidencewillbeavailableintheexhibition?
• Makealistoftheallthematerialsusedtomakethingsinthe21stcentury.Makealistofthedifferentmaterialsusedtomakeobjectsintheexhibition.DostudentsthinkthelistrepresentsallthedifferentmaterialsusedinancientBabylon?UsetheExploresectionoftheBritishMuseumwebsitetoidentifyfurtherancientmaterialsandaddthemtothelist.Comparethetwolists.Whichmaterialsarethesameoneachlistandwhichmaterialsaredifferent?Whatarethesources(mineral,animal,plant)formaterialsinancientandmoderntimes?Dothestudentsthinkmaterialsarelocalorimported?
• Chooseanobjectfromtheexhibitionanddiscusswhatskillsandprocessesmighthavebeenusedinitsmanufacture(forexample,acuneiformtabletwouldneedclaytobedugandshapedandastylusmadebeforethescribecouldbeginthewriting;thetabletwouldthenbesun-dried).CreateaflowdiagramtocharttheprocessesandstagesinthemanufactureofparticularobjectsseenintheexhibitionorontheExploresectionoftheBritishMuseumwebsite.Thisnotioncouldbeextendedtolargerprojectssuchasbuildingadecoratedcitygatewaywhichmightinvolvedifferentspecialistskillsandawiderrangeofrawmaterialstobeprocessed.Youmightliketobeginbythinkingabouttheprocesstodaysothatstudentscandrawontheirexperienceoflocalbuildingorobservationofmodernconstructionworktoestablishaworkingmodelbeforetheyresearchtheprocessasitmighthaveoccurredinthepast.
• UsetheexhibitionPowerPointstoviewimageswhichcanbeusedasastartingpointforactivitiesaroundHistory,Art&DesignandCitizenship.ThePowerPointscanalsobeusedaspreparationforavisitorawaytoremindstudentsofsomeoftheobjectsandimagesintheexhibition.
• LookforexamplesofBritain’spastbeingusedtoday.Forexample,whatemblemsandpeopleareusedonBritishcoinsandbanknotes?WhatperiodsofBritishhistory/historicaleventsarepopularfordramasanddocumentariesontelevision?Whydoyouthinkthisis?
CLAssRooM ACtIVItIes
PMS 3155100/0/30/40
PMS 4660/15/50/20
10
PMS 3155100/0/30/40
PMS 4660/15/50/20
• Whatlevelofresponsibilitydowehaveforlookingafterremainsandsitesfromthepast?Setupascenariotobedebatedsuchas‘Weshouldstopaddingnewobjectstomuseums’,‘Weshouldraisemoneyforsocialcareprojectsbysellingmuseumobjects’,‘EverybodyshouldbeabletowalkamongthestonesatStonehenge’,or‘Itisokaytousehistoricsitesfornewbuildingprojects’.Whataretheargumentsforandagainst?Whatmightbethesocial,economicandculturalconsequences(positiveandnegative)ofacceptingorrejectingtheseideas?Research,debateandvote.
• UsetheBritishMuseum’sancientMesopotamiawebsitewww.mesopotamia.co.uk
Thefollowingsectionsdirectlysupportsomeoftheexhibitionthemes:
astronomers of Babylon–thiscoversBabylonianastronomyandtheroleofastronomersinadvisingthekingandcreatingthecalendar
trade and transport–findoutaboutthedifferentgoodstradedintoMesopotamiafromotherregionsoftheancientworld
geography–coversthelandscapeandenvironmentofMesopotamia
gods, goddesses, demons and monsters –coverskeyfiguresinMesopotamianmythologyandreligion
time –findoutaboutarchaeologyinMesopotamia
writing –introducescuneiformwriting
PMS 3155100/0/30/40
PMS 4660/15/50/20
11
PMS 3155100/0/30/40
PMS 4660/15/50/20
oBjecTs From BaByLon
•Babylonianwritingtablet
BabylonianChronicle,Neo-Babylonian,about550–400BC,fromBabylon,southernIraq
•Babylonianmaptablet
Babylonian,about700–500BC,probablyfromSippar,southernIraq
•StelaofNabonidus
Neo-Babyloniandynasty,555–539BC,possiblyfromBabylon,southernIraq
•Glazedbrickswithraisedreliefdragonmotif
ImagecourtesyoftheVorderasiatischesMuseum,Berlin
•ModelreconstructionoftheIshtarGate
ImagecourtesyofthePergamonMuseum,Berlin
BABYLon PoWeRPoInts
PMS 3155100/0/30/40
PMS 4660/15/50/20
12
PMS 3155100/0/30/40
PMS 4660/15/50/20
arTIsTs and BaByLon
•TowerofBabel
JeandeCourcy,c.1350–1431,universalhistory,La Bouquechardiere
ImagecourtesyofBritishLibrary,London
•TheTowerofBabel
PieterBruegeltheElder,1563
ImagecourtesyofKunsthistorischesMuseum,Vienna
•Babylon
JMWTurnerafterasketchbySirRobertKerPorterc.1835–6
ImagecourtesyoftheVictoriaandAlbertMuseum,London
•HangingGardensofBabylon
MarioLarrinagac.1955,filmscenerypainting
•BabelRevisited
JuleeHolcombe,2004
ImagecourtesyoftheConnerContemporaryArt,WashingtonDC
•BabelFlower:Dusk
AnneDesmet,2005
Flexographprint,indentedplywoodprintandcollageonpaper
ImagecourtesyoftheHartGalleryLondon
PMS 3155100/0/30/40
PMS 4660/15/50/20
BaByLon as a herITage sITe
•StampfromIraq
10filsstampissued1967aspartoftheInternationalTouristYearseries,showstheIshtarGate
Imagecourtesyofwww.iraq-stamps.com
•BanknotefromIraq
5dinarnoteissuedin1974showingBabyloniankingHammurabi(reignedc.1792–1750BC)
•CoinfromIraq
1dinarcoinissuedin1982showingtheTowerofBabelziggurat
•PostcardviewofBabylon
PhotographshowsthesiteofBabylonpost-1918
•ModernreconstructionoftheIshtarGate
ImagecourtesyoftheEncyclopaediaoftheOrient
•AerialviewofsiteofBabylon
TotheleftofthephotographisthemodernreconstructionofpartofNebuchadnezzar’sSouthernPalaceinBabylon.TotherightofthephotographisamilitarybasebuildduringcurrentconflictinIraq.
‘ThisistantamounttoestablishingamilitarycamparoundtheGreatPyramidinEgyptoraroundStonehengeinBritain’.JohnCurtis,KeeperoftheMiddleEastDepartment,BritishMuseum.PhotographbyJohnRussell.
•NewspaperarticlefromTheGuardian
Articlepublished15January2005
Thehand-writtensigninthecentreofthepicturewasmadebylocalMuseumstaff.
13
PMS 3155100/0/30/40
PMS 4660/15/50/20
14
PMS 3155100/0/30/40
PMS 4660/15/50/20
FURtHeR ResoURCes
•BritishMuseumwebsites
TheBritishMuseum’swebsitehasanonlinedatabaseofover5,000objectsfromtheMuseum’scollection.ToinvestigateMesopotamianobjects,clickonExploreat
www.britishmuseum.org
TheMuseum’sinteractiveAncientMesopotamiawebsitefeaturestext,imagesandmapsrelatingtothecivilisationsofancientMesopotamia.
www.ancientmesopotamia.co.uk
•Books
Forchildren
Wiltshire,Katharine,Pocket Timeline of Ancient Mesopotamia,BritishMuseumPress,2005
Donoughue,Carol,The story of writing,BritishMuseumPress,2007
Foradults
Reade,Julian,Mesopotamia,BritishMuseumPress,2000/2006
Walker,CBF,Cuneiform,BritishMuseumPress,1987/2007
Finkel,IrvingandSeymour,Michael,Babylon: City of Wonders,BritishMuseumPress,2008
PMS 3155100/0/30/40
PMS 4660/15/50/20