Thursday, December 19, 2013

Babylonian Symbols of the Fertile Crescent

While there are many symbols relating to the Babylon here are some of the most prominent. 

The Lion was the symbol of royal power.


Lions; Museum of London, London

The dragon was associated with the supreme god, Marduk who was the patron deity of the city of Babylon. 


Black and white crop of full plate scan, from Austen Henry Layard's 'Monuments of Nineveh, Second Series' plate 19/83, London, J. Murray, 1853

Babylonian scholars developed a numbering system based on 60, which lead to our 60 min hour and our 360 degrees circles. 



The most prominant image of Babylon is it's hanging gardens. Babylon's hanging gardens became synonymous with the ancient Judaeo-Christian image of eden, it was also one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. 





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