Hanging Gardens of Baylon
June 12th 2006 06:17
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon (otherwise known as the Hanging Gradens of Semiramis), and the walls of Babylon (present day Iraq) were considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. They were both reported to have been built by Nebuchadnezzar II around 600BC.
The history of the gardens is sketchy at best. Greek historians such as Strabo and Diodorus Siculus have described the gardens in their documentation, but otherwise there is little evidence for their existance. Some scholars have conjectured that the gardens themselves existed at nearby Nineveh, as tablets found at Nineveh clearly document gardens, and show the possible use of Archimedes' screw as a method of rasing water to the required heights. So the facts are sketchy, and the image of the gardens themselves may have never existed except in the minds of Greek poets.
Whatever the truth, as legend would have it, the gardens were built to cheer up Nebuchadnezzar's homesick wife Amyitis (some present!). Amyitis, daughter of the Medes, was married to Nebuchadnezzar to strengthen te alliance between the two nations (a common tactic). Her homeland was rugged, green and mountainous, and she found the low-lying, flat terrain of Mesopotamia depressing. So, Nebuchadnezzar decided to build her an artificial mountain, with roof-top gardens.
The Hanging Garden of Baylon did not really 'hang' as we would conceive of the word today. The concept is slightly lost in the translation of the Greek word kremastos, which means not just 'hanging' but 'over-hanging', as in plants flowing over a terrace or balcony.
A descrition by the Greek geographer Strabo, gives an interpretation of how the gardens may have been constructed:
"It consists of vaulted terraces raised one above another, and resting upon cube-shaped pillars. These are hollow and filled with earth to allow trees of the largest size to be planted. The pillars, vaults, and terraces are constructed of baked brick and asphalt."
Recent archaeological excavations have discovered a vaulted building at the southern palace, yet Strabo suggests in his accounts that the gardens were situated by the River Euphrates. The vaulted building recently discovered is too far from site of the river and so discrepancies abound.
Personally I think that the legend is interesting regardless. It certainly gives a different conception to the role of the garden today.
16th Century Depiction (wikipedia)
The history of the gardens is sketchy at best. Greek historians such as Strabo and Diodorus Siculus have described the gardens in their documentation, but otherwise there is little evidence for their existance. Some scholars have conjectured that the gardens themselves existed at nearby Nineveh, as tablets found at Nineveh clearly document gardens, and show the possible use of Archimedes' screw as a method of rasing water to the required heights. So the facts are sketchy, and the image of the gardens themselves may have never existed except in the minds of Greek poets.
Whatever the truth, as legend would have it, the gardens were built to cheer up Nebuchadnezzar's homesick wife Amyitis (some present!). Amyitis, daughter of the Medes, was married to Nebuchadnezzar to strengthen te alliance between the two nations (a common tactic). Her homeland was rugged, green and mountainous, and she found the low-lying, flat terrain of Mesopotamia depressing. So, Nebuchadnezzar decided to build her an artificial mountain, with roof-top gardens.
a 20thC depiction (wikipedia)
A descrition by the Greek geographer Strabo, gives an interpretation of how the gardens may have been constructed:
"It consists of vaulted terraces raised one above another, and resting upon cube-shaped pillars. These are hollow and filled with earth to allow trees of the largest size to be planted. The pillars, vaults, and terraces are constructed of baked brick and asphalt."
Recent archaeological excavations have discovered a vaulted building at the southern palace, yet Strabo suggests in his accounts that the gardens were situated by the River Euphrates. The vaulted building recently discovered is too far from site of the river and so discrepancies abound.
Personally I think that the legend is interesting regardless. It certainly gives a different conception to the role of the garden today.
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