Page 136 - The Art & Architecture of the Ancient Orient_Neat

THE NEO-BABYLONIAN PERIOD
The three approaching puny figures also conform to an ancient model; the high priest
of Shamash grasps the hand of the king, whom lie introduces to die god, while an inter-
ceding goddess lifts her hands in prayer, as she docs on the stele of Urnammu and the
painting in the palace at Mari. But the group is rendered in the idiom of a more timorous
age, for on the older monuments the men are hardly smaller than the deity whom they
approach. The ritual paraphernalia in front of Shamash are likewise without precedent
in older times. It may be that the influence of Assyrian art, which was much concerned
with the instruments of worship - emblems, altars, divine statues - makes itself felt here.
The sun-symbol is mounted on a small stand placed upon a table, and is supported from
above by two deities. The High Priest touches the table, the approach to the god has
become less direct than it had been in ancient times.

-CELLA

TO 15 METRES N
k *
40 FEET

Figure 42. Plan of E-mah temple, Babylon

We have no important works in stone from the Neo-Babylonian period, but numer­
ous large buildings in wliich southern traditions were maintained. The temple at Baby­
lon of the Mother Goddess Ninmah is typical (Figure 42).1 There is no need to demon­
strate in detail that its plan shows closer affinities to those of Tell Asmar-Eshnunna and
Ishchali (Figure 19; Plate 55) than to the Assyrian temples (Figures 25, 27). The shapes
of cella and ante-cella and the low platform for the statue of the deity are the decisive
features in these comparisons.
At Ur as well as at Babylon great palaces were built and here, too, baked brick was
used on an unprecedented scale. Nebuchadnezzar’s great palace at Babylon presents a
maze of small units combined in a complex measuring 900 by 600 feet in all. Little can be
said about it, since except for the throne room none of the rooms can be identified. The
throne room differs from that of Sargon’s palace at Khorsabad; the Assyrian king was
enthroned in front of a short wall at the end of the room, while the niche of Nebuchad-

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