Ancient Babylonia - The Ishtar Gate
The Ishtar Gate at Babylon
Reconstruction Glazed Brick
Total Height–47 Feet, Width-32 Feet
Neo-Babylonian
7th–6th Centuries BC
Dedicator: Nebuchadnezzar II
Language: Akkadian
Date of Excavation: 1899-1914
Staatliche Museen , Berlin
Dept. of the Near East
"Is this not Babylon that I have built…" –Daniel 4:30
The Ishtar Gate, one of the eight gates of the inner city of Babylon, was
built during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar II (604- 562 BC). Only the foundations of
the gate were found, going down some 45 feet, with molded, unglazed figures.
The gateway has been reconstructed in the Pergamon Museum, Berlin, from the
glazed bricks found, so its original height is different in size. Reconstructed
height is 47 feet.
It was one of the eight gates of the inner city of Babylon. It was built in
about 575 BC, the eighth fortified gate in the city. It is one of the most
impressive monuments rediscovered in the ancient Near East. The Ishtar gate was
decorated with glazed brick reliefs, in tiers, of dragons and young bulls. The gate
itself was a double one, and on its south side was a vast antechamber. Through
the gatehouse ran a stone-and brick-paved avenue, the so-called Processional
Way, which has been traced over a length of more than half a mile.
King Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon dedicated the great Ishtar Gate to the
goddess Ishtar. It was the main entrance into Babylon. King Nebuchadnezzar II
performed elaborate building projects in Babylon around 604-562 BC. His goal was to
beautify his capital. He restored the temple of Marduk, the chief god, and also
built himself a magnificent palace with the famous Hanging Gardens, which was
reported by the Greek historian Herodotus to have been one of the wonders of the
world.
The Bible records that it was Nebuchadnezzar who destroyed Jerusalem, brought
the kingdom of Judah to an end, and carried off the Jews into exile. The Ishtar
Gate was the starting point for processions. The Babylonians would assemble in
front of it and march through the triumphal arch and proceed along the Sacred
Way to the 7-story Ziggurat, which was crowned near the temple of Marduk.
The gateway was completely covered with beautifully colored glazed bricks. Its
reliefs of dragons and bulls symbolized the gods Marduk and Adad. Enameled
tiles of glorious blue surrounded the brightly colored yellow and brown beasts. In
front of the gateway outside the city was a road with walls decorated with
reliefs of lions and glazed yellow tiles. The Ishtar gate was reconstructed in
Berlin out of material excavated by Robert Koldeway.
The Dedicatory Inscription on the Ishtar Gate reads:
Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, the faithful prince appointed by the will of
Marduk, the highest of princely princes, beloved of Nabu, of prudent counsel,
who has learned to embrace wisdom, who fathomed their divine being and reveres
their majesty, the untiring governor, who always takes to heart the care of the
cult of Esagila and Ezida and is constantly concerned with the well-being of
Babylon and Borsippa, the wise, the humble, the caretaker of Esagila and Ezida,
the firstborn son of Nabopolassar, the King of Babylon.
Both gate entrances of Imgur-Ellil and Nemetti-Ellil following the filling of
the street from Babylon had become increasingly lower. Therefore, I pulled down
these gates and laid their foundations at the water table with asphalt and
bricks and had them made of bricks with blue stone on which wonderful bulls and
dragons were depicted. I covered their roofs by laying majestic cedars
length-wise over them. I hung doors of cedar adorned with bronze at all the gate
openings. I placed wild bulls and ferocious dragons in the gateways and thus adorned
them with luxurious splendor so that people might gaze on them in wonder
I let the temple of Esiskursiskur (the highest festival house of Markduk, the
Lord of the Gods a place of joy and celebration for the major and minor gods)
be built firm like a mountain in the precinct of Babylon of asphalt and fired
bricks.
Ancient Babylonia
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