The Ishtar Gate (named after the powerful Mesopotamian goddess of love and war) offered entry into ancient Babylon from the north. Together with the connecting Processional Way, it was built under King Nebuchadnezzar II (r. 604–565 B.C.E.) to become one of the most impressive monuments of the Neo-Babylonian capital. This architectural and artistic marvel is now featured in the exhibit A Wonder to Behold: Craftmanship and the Creation of Babylon’s Ishtar Gate, presented at the Institute for the Study of the Ancient World (ISAW) in New York City. The Ishtar Gate was built of clay bricks to stand 48 […]
