The British Museum
Myth and reality
13 November 2008 – 15 March 2009
Discover the greatest city of ancient Iraq through archaeology, history and art
Javascript must be turned on to play the video.
enlarge
download mp4 (8 mb)
Exhibition closed
For two thousand years the myth of Babylon has haunted the European imagination. The Tower of Babel and the Hanging Gardens, Belshazzar’s Feast and the Fall of Babylon have inspired artists, writers, poets, philosophers and film makers.
Read more
A unique ancient map of the Mesopotamian world.
Sometimes described as the 'first charter of human rights'.
Nabonidus, the last king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire.
A three-dimensional map of the stars, used since classical times.
Show more Explore objects
Trace the legacy of Babylonian discoveries and ideas, including their mathematical system based on 60 and their desire to predict the future.
Watch video
Supported by the Blavatnik Family Foundation
Exhibition organised by the British Museum, the musée du Louvre and the Réunion des musées nationaux, and the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin.
