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12 Sep 2011

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tammuz:

A 1932 photograph of the Lion of Babylon from the Matson collection in U.S. Library of Congress.
The Lion of Babylon, a 2600 year-old black basalt statue of a lion trampling a man, is among the most celebrated archeological artifacts in the history of modern Mesopotamia since its discovery by local villagers in the early 20th Century. The irony is that the basalt statute does not seem to be of Mesopotamian or Babylonian origin despite the fact that it was unearthed in the heart of the ancient city of Babylon. Most archeologists believe that the statue is a leftover from the Hittites’ presence in Babylon who sacked the city in the 2nd millennium BC.
Several replicas of the statue were erected during the first half of the 20th Century in several cities in Southern Iraq. In Hillah, the capital of Babylon (Babil) Province, the replica of the statue was installed in the City Hall Square and surrounded by a rose garden during the 1940s. In 1988, the military removed the statue and turned the square into a helicopter landing pad. In the late 1990s, another replica of the statue was reinstalled in that same spot on top of the helicopter landing pad as a result of the local artists’ effort. Currently, the whole location is a parking lot with the statue still standing there.
Basra, Iraq’s second largest city and the capital of the Southern province of Basra, installed a replica of the statue in the Lion of Babylon Square during the 1930s. The square is one of the city’s most prominent spots and the entrance to the National Avenue. In July 2007, armed men destroyed the statue in Basra by dynamite igniting public protests throughout the country. In 2009, local artists from Basra installed a new statue to replace the destroyed one.
The Lion has been among the most exciting spots to visit in the Sacred Complex of Babylon. Several Iraqi archeologists have expressed concerns over the future of the statue and the fact that it needs to be protected not only from vandalism, but also from weather elements. The statue is present in several official emblems and seals for government entities and private companies in the province reflecting its popularity among the people of Iraq.

A 1932 photograph of the Lion of Babylon from the Matson collection in U.S. Library of Congress.

The Lion of Babylon, a 2600 year-old black basalt statue of a lion trampling a man, is among the most celebrated archeological artifacts in the history of modern Mesopotamia since its discovery by local villagers in the early 20th Century. The irony is that the basalt statute does not seem to be of Mesopotamian or Babylonian origin despite the fact that it was unearthed in the heart of the ancient city of Babylon. Most archeologists believe that the statue is a leftover from the Hittites’ presence in Babylon who sacked the city in the 2nd millennium BC.

Several replicas of the statue were erected during the first half of the 20th Century in several cities in Southern Iraq. In Hillah, the capital of Babylon (Babil) Province, the replica of the statue was installed in the City Hall Square and surrounded by a rose garden during the 1940s. In 1988, the military removed the statue and turned the square into a helicopter landing pad. In the late 1990s, another replica of the statue was reinstalled in that same spot on top of the helicopter landing pad as a result of the local artists’ effort. Currently, the whole location is a parking lot with the statue still standing there.

Basra, Iraq’s second largest city and the capital of the Southern province of Basra, installed a replica of the statue in the Lion of Babylon Square during the 1930s. The square is one of the city’s most prominent spots and the entrance to the National Avenue. In July 2007, armed men destroyed the statue in Basra by dynamite igniting public protests throughout the country. In 2009, local artists from Basra installed a new statue to replace the destroyed one.

The Lion has been among the most exciting spots to visit in the Sacred Complex of Babylon. Several Iraqi archeologists have expressed concerns over the future of the statue and the fact that it needs to be protected not only from vandalism, but also from weather elements. The statue is present in several official emblems and seals for government entities and private companies in the province reflecting its popularity among the people of Iraq.

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