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The
Gates of Ishtar
One of the gates in to ancient Bablyon, covered with blue tiles
and motives of winged bulls, parts of which can be seen in the Pergamum
museum in Berlin.
Isthar is the Babylonean goddess of love, procreation, and war.
She is armed with a quiver and bow. Her temples have special prostitutes
of both genders. She is often accompanied by a lion, and sometimes
rides it. In one story she crosses the Gates to the Underworld.
Here's an inscription translated from a dedication stone in the
gate:
"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."
(Translation adapted from Joachim Marzahn)
Picture
of a model in the Pergamum museum.
Painting
of the Gates
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