The Babylonian Dynasty was a very large empire, one of the earliest civilizations that was both well-developed and full of rich culture. There are many artifacts to Babylon’s name, and in this blog post, we’ll be discussing those historically significant to the Babylonian Dynasty. 


    First up, is the Cuneiform tablet: a-she-er gi-ta, balag to Innin/Ishtar (2nd–1st century BCE). It is relics of a tablet that was made to record part of a balag, or a lamenting song that was accompanied by a stringed instrument. This one is written in Sumerian, with many Akkadian translations also inscribed beside it. This tablet contains a lament written from the perspective of Inna, a Sumerian “goddess of fertility”. It speaks about the destruction of her cities, and the tablet presents a long-lived literary tradition by the Temple scribes. This is significant because it speaks of the transformation and continuation of temple scribes in Mesopotamian society.


Cuneiform tablet: a-she-er gi-ta, balag to Innin/Ishtar (2nd–1st century BCE)- The Met Museum 

    Second, the Cyrus Cylinder, from the sixth Century B.C.E. It is a cylinder-shaped document that was discovered in Babylon, specifically, Mesopotamia. The reason this is so important to the Babylonian society and even historically relevant is because it is one of the earliest declarations of human rights. This shows that Mesopotamia had significant legal developments.


Cyrus Cylinder, from the sixth Century B.C.E - BBC


    Third of all, we have the Cuneiform cylinder: inscription of Nebuchadnezzar II describing the construction of the outer city wall of Babylon (604–562 BCE). It is a stone piece of wall, written on it: "I built a strong wall that cannot be shaken with bitumen and baked bricks... I laid its foundation on the breast of the netherworld, and I built its top as high as a mountain.". It speaks about an extensive building programme which transformed Babylon into the grand imperial capital it became. This shows how Mesopotamia advanced and developed architecturally.


Cuneiform cylinder (604-562 BCE) -- The Met Museum 

    These are just a few very interesting artifacts from the time of Babylon that are historically relevant.

-Fatimah A. Bass

BIBLIOGRAPHY---- 

Beautiful Babylon: jewel of the ancient world. (n.d.). https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/beautiful-babylon-jewel-ancient-world/ 

Cuneiform cylinder: inscription of Nebuchadnezzar II describing the construction of the outer city wall of Babylon | Babylonian | Neo-Babylonian | The Metropolitan Museum of Art. (n.d.). The Metropolitan Museum of Art. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/321676 

Cuneiform tablet: a-she-er gi-ta, balag to Innin/Ishtar | Seleucid or Parthian | Seleucid or Parthian | The Metropolitan Museum of Art. (n.d.). The Metropolitan Museum of Art. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/321910


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