Hanging Gardens of Babylon

　　    One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World—“the Hanging Gardens of Babylon (circa 600 BC)”    

　　    When it comes to Babylonian civilization, the first thing that captures the imagination is undoubtedly the “Hanging Gardens.” It is hailed as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

　　    For thousands of years, there has been a beautiful and moving legend about the “Hanging Gardens.” Nebuchadnezzar II, the king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire (who reigned

　　    married Amytis of Media, a princess of great beauty who won the king’s deep affection. But over time, the princess began to look melancholy. Nebuchadnezzar couldn’t understand why. The princess said, “My homeland is full of lush mountains and blooming flowers. But here, we have the endless flat plains of Babylon, without even a single hill. I long to see the mountains and winding paths of my native land again!” It turned out that the princess was suffering from homesickness.

　　    So, Nebuchadnezzar II ordered craftsmen to build a terraced, stair-like garden in his palace, modeled after the mountain scenery of Media. The garden was filled with exotic plants and featured tranquil mountain paths lined with murmuring streams. The craftsmen also built a tower at the center of the garden, standing high above the ground.

　　    The ingenious garden scenery finally won the princess’s heart. Because the garden was higher than the palace walls, giving the impression that the entire royal garden was suspended in the air, it became known as the “Hanging Gardens,” also called the “Hanging Park.” In those days, pilgrims, merchants, or tourists visiting Babylon could see from afar the golden rooftops of the hanging towers shimmering in the sunlight.

　　    Thus, by the 2nd century AD, when Greek scholars were evaluating famous buildings and sculptures around the world, they listed the “Hanging Gardens” as one of the “Seven Wonders of the World.” Since then, the “Hanging Gardens” have become even more renowned.

　　    Unfortunately, like other famous structures of Babylonian civilization, the “Hanging Gardens” have long been buried under the drifting sands. To learn about the “Hanging Gardens,” we can only rely on historical records from later generations and modern archaeological excavations.

　　    However, some accounts, while mentioning the “Hanging Gardens,” believe that the legendary gardens were not built by Nebuchadnezzar II, but by a Syrian king who constructed them to please one of his favorite concubines. Some even suggest that the legendary “Hanging Gardens” actually referred to the royal gardens built by the Assyrian king Sennacherib in his capital, Nineveh.

　　    It wasn’t until the end of the 19th century that German archaeologists unearthed the ruins of the city of Babylon. While excavating the South Palace Garden, they discovered an unusual, semi-underground, rectangular structure in the northeast corner, covering an area of about 1,260 square meters. The structure consisted of two rows of small rooms, each averaging just 6.6 square meters. The two rows were separated by a corridor and arranged symmetrically, surrounded by tall, thick walls. In one of the western rooms, they found a well with three basins—one square and two oval. According to the archaeologists’ analysis, these rooms may have been waterworks facilities, and the basins were likely used to install water-lifting devices.

　　    Therefore, archaeologists believe this site is very likely the remains of the legendary “Hanging Gardens.” The Babylonians are thought to have layered soil over the sturdy arches of these rooms, building them up layer by layer to plant flowers and trees. The irrigation water was supplied continuously by the water-lifting devices in the underground rooms. Through research, archaeologists have confirmed that the principle behind those devices was largely the same as the chain pumps we use today. They involved attaching several buckets to a chain linked to a wheel mounted on a wall. As the wheel turned, the buckets moved along, completing the process of lifting and emptying water, which then flowed through the basins into the garden for irrigation. This type of water pump is still widely used in the Mesopotamian region. Moreover, archaeologists did indeed find substantial evidence of planted vegetation at the site. However, so far, no definitive written records have been found in the Babylonian cuneiform clay tablets.

　　    Therefore, whether the archaeologists’ interpretation is correct still requires further study. In short, the true face of the legendary “Hanging Gardens” remains shrouded in the mists of history. (By Chen Xiaohong and Mao Rui) (Excerpted from Lost Civilizations: Babylon, East China Normal University Press)

　　 Baghdad, Iraq