Ruins of the ziggurat at Eridu (Sumer).Some of the baked bricks arestamped with the name of Ur-Nam

Ruins of the ziggurat at Eridu (Sumer). Some of the baked bricks arestamped with the name of Ur-Nammu (r. 2112 – 2095 BC). Eridu islocated south-west of modern-day Nasiriyah (Iraq).Eridu was an important centre for trade and religion. At its peak,it was a “melting pot” of cultures and diversity. This can beseen in the various forms of artistry found in the ruins.Eridu prospered under the reign of Ur-Nammu and his son Shulgi (r.2094 – 2047). These two kings had a huge ziggurat built therearound 2100 BC. Its base of oven-baked bricks is 45 x 60 metres, buterosion has reduced it to only 9 metres high today.In the centre of the city was the great Ziggurat of Amar-Sin (r. 2046– 2038 BC). This ziggurat has often been associated with the Towerof Babel in the biblical book of Genesis. Archaeological discoveriessupport the claim that this ziggurat more closely resembles the Towerof Babel than any description of the ziggurat at Babylon.Eridu remained important during the early Neo-Babylonian period, butafter the rise of Babylon, it faded into obscurity. The Babylonianhistorian Berossus (c. 200 BC), a major source for later Greekhistorians, wrote of “Babel” as “Babylon”, but he seems toactually be referring to Eridu. His “Babylon” is in the southernmarshes of the Euphrates, and is patronized by the god of wisdom ofwater. This clearly describes Eridu, not Babylon.So Eridu is likely the original biblical Babel, and this was passeddown orally before Berossus set it into writing. -- source link
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