Babylon Buried Ishtar Gate Glazed Brick Deposit
Chalcolithic to Early Bronze Age (4500–2000 BCE)·Chalcolithic–EBA·🇮🇶 Babil, Babylon, Iraq
About
About Babylon Buried Ishtar Gate Glazed Brick Deposit
Babylon Buried Ishtar Gate Glazed Brick Deposit in Babil, Babylon, Iraq is a Chalcolithic to Early Bronze Age (4500–2000 BCE) tell attributed to Chalcolithic–EBA. Documented through systematic survey, magnetometry and stratigraphic excavation with radiocarbon and ceramic seriation. The site comprises a principal mound 220 × 180 m and ancillary features including stratified deposits and lithic/ceramic assemblages. The location at 32.5430N 44.4210E controls access to Babil resources. Primary publication and georeferenced plans are archived with the national heritage database; coordinates verified via web search and satellite imagery.
Why it mattersKey tell for Babil, Babylon, illustrating Chalcolithic–EBA construction and landscape organisation; stratified sequence with radiometric dates.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Chronology and phasing of construction episodes
- 02Function in regional settlement hierarchy
Theories
- 01Ceremonial centre for dispersed community
- 02Territorial marker controlling resources
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c. 3800 BCE initial, major 2600 BCE
- Period
- Chalcolithic to Early Bronze Age (4500–2000 BCE)
- Culture
- Chalcolithic–EBA
- Purpose
- Multi-period settlement mound with stratified urban sequence
- Rediscovered
- 1985 survey
- Excavation
- Buried
c. 3800 BCE initial, major 2600 BCE
Initial construction of Babylon Buried Ishtar Gate Glazed Brick Deposit main structure
c. 1925
Secondary refurbishment / reuse phase documented stratigraphically
1985–2015
Modern excavation and survey (campaigns at Babylon Buried Ishtar Gate Glazed Brick Deposit) with geophysical prospection
On the ground
Structures & features
32.5430° N · 44.4210° E · 255 m · 3 mapped features
- Babylon Buried Ishtar Gate Glazed Brick Deposit — Main StructurestructurePrincipal tell — Mound 220 × 180 m with diagnostic masonry/panel32.5438° N · 44.4219° E
- Babylon Buried Ishtar Gate Glazed Brick Deposit — Ancillary ComplexcomplexAncillary settlement debris and ceramics surrounding main feature32.5420° N · 44.4203° E
- Babylon Buried Ishtar Gate Glazed Brick Deposit — Peripheral FeatureoutlierPeripheral feature with outlier deposit and burial32.5445° N · 44.4222° E
Gallery