PMS 3155100/0/30/40

PMS 4660/15/50/20

Teachers’ resources Key sTages 2 and 3

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