The Ancients Tower of Babel
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Nov 24, 2024 Prof. Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones, an expert in ancient Mesopotamian history, dives deep into the origins of the Tower of Babel story, exploring its connections to linguistic diversity and divine intervention. He reveals how ancient ziggurats inspired this iconic tale and discusses the cultural implications of the myth. The conversation also highlights the historical context of the Jewish exile in Babylon, shedding light on how this journey influenced their adaptation to a new culture while yearning for their homeland.
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Early Archaeology in Iraq
- Early archaeologists went to Iraq with "a Bible in one hand and a shovel in the other".
- They were determined to find biblical locations, including the Tower of Babel.
Ziggurats: Stairways to Heaven
- Ziggurats, stepped pyramids found throughout Mesopotamia, served as artificial mountains.
- They were believed to be the point where heaven and earth met, allowing gods to descend.
Misidentification of the Tower
- Early archaeologists mistook several ziggurats for the Tower of Babel.
- The true location was in Babylon, whose name means "gate of the gods" in Akkadian.
