Babylon: Myth and Reality

Exhibition at the British Museum looking at the historic and mythical city of Babylon.

I would have liked to see more archaeological remains from the city, although what they had was spectacular. There were a lot of interesting tablets of writing which were fascinating but it meant there was a lot to read and some of the cases became a bit samey. I liked the first gallery with the wonderful animals in brick from the main gate of the city. These were set on a beautiful blue background.

The exhibition also looked at the role Babylon has played in mythology and the Bible looking at how 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. However I could have done with a better balance between the reality and the myth.

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