Ishtar Gate
Title
Ishtar Gate
Date
ca. 575 BCE
Identifier
1720
Work Type
visual works
Work Location
Iraq (nation)
Babylon (deserted settlement)
Style/Period
Neo-Babylonian
Subject
sculpture (visual work)
city gates
Description
Detail view of section of wall from the Ishtar Gate originally from Babylon in Iraq, now housed at the Detroit Institute of Arts. "The Ishtar Gate is named so, because it was dedicated to the Babylonian goddess Ishtar, although Nebuchadnezzar pays homage to other Babylonian deities through various animal representations. The animals represented on the gate are young bulls (aurochs), lions, and dragons (sirrush). These animals are symbolic representations of certain deities: lions are often associated with Ishtar, bulls with Adad, and dragons with Marduk. Respectively, Ishtar was a goddess of fertility, love, war, and sex, Adad was a weather god, and Marduk was the chief or national god of Babylon,"--Ancient History Encyclopedia.
Material/Medium
brick (clay product)
terracotta (clay material)
Measurements
45 1/2 x 65 3/4 inches
Reproduction Type
jpeg
Copyright Statement
©2013 Lawrence Technological University. These images may be used for personal or educational purposes. They are not available for commercial purposes without the explicit permission of LTU.
ID Number
A1BABAB1-2575BE26B2
Files
