The Mystery of the Hanging Garden of Babylon: An Elusive World Wonder Traced

Description

From Booklist The locations of most of the seven wonders of the ancient world were known, but not that of the fabled Hanging Garden of Babylon, when Dalley embarked on research into it. A scholar of cuneiform texts, Dalley interprets many pieces of such archaeological evidence, but initially she reviews the descriptions of a fabulous garden given by ancient Greek and Roman authors. Only one, Josephus, specified Babylon as the location, a minority voice that provokes Dalley’s suspicion that it was built elsewhere. As prelude to tackling that mystery, she discusses irrigation in ancient Mesopotamia, delving into detail about the water-raising device known as the Archimedes screw. Royal boasts in cuneiform about construction projects inform Dalley’s discussion, which strives to dispel confusion among the experts about which monarch built what palace and grounds. Dalley’s assessments induce her to propose that the garden was built by Sennacherib at Nineveh and probably was destroyed along with the rest of the city in 612 BCE. Loaded with illustrations, this work makes an intriguing argument as it accesses a special subject for general readers. --Gilbert Taylor Read more Review "Deeply researched and rigorously argued -- and certain to raise both hopes and objections." --Kirkus Reviews"[Dalley] makes a compelling case. Scholars will doubtless find matter for debate, but her central argument rings true." --The Sunday Times"[A] learned and never less than gripping study... There remain plenty of scholars who still stick by the traditional attribution of the wonder to Nebuchadnezzar, but I suspect that, with the publication of this book, Dalley will be adding to her already heavy-weight roster of supporters... [When] the inadequacies of a received tradition are as glaring as they clearly are in the case of the Hanging Garden, it is a cause for celebration that there are scholars of the calibre of Stephanie Dalley to propose a convincing alternative." --Literary Review"[A] bold, clear and immensely interesting new book. Every good summer needs a controversy and Dalley's high-class book and sheer likeability have now given us an excellent one." --Financial Times"This fascinating book reads more like a detective story than a scholarly account of an ancient civilization ... Ms. Dalley makes a brilliant and convincing argument." --Land & Business"An enjoyable read throughout." --BBC History Magazine"[Dalley] makes a compelling case. Scholars will doubtless find matter for debate, but her central argument rings true." --The Sunday Times"[A] learned and never less than gripping study... There remain plenty of scholars who still stick by the traditional attribution of the wonder to Nebuchadnezzar, but I suspect that, with the publication of this book, Dalley will be adding to her already heavy-weight roster of supporters... [When] the inadequacies of a received tradition are as glaring as they clearly are in the case of the Hanging Garden, it is a cause for celebration that there are scholars of the calibre of Stephanie Dalley to propose a convincing alternative." --Literary Review"[A] bold, clear and immensely interesting new book. Every good summer needs a controversy and Dalley's high-class book and sheer likeability have now given us an excellent one." --Financial Times Read more See all Editorial Reviews