Hi deeper,
The following is the result of my research for descriptive accounts of
the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. The difficulty of this research was
the fact that since there is no trace of them today, the only accounts
of these gardens were by several Greek poets and historians as told
below:
?Fruits and flowers... Waterfalls... Gardens hanging from the palace
terraces... Exotic animals... This is the picture of the Hanging
Gardens of Babylon in most people's minds. It may be surprising to
know that they might have never existed except in Greek poets and
historians imagination!?
(?)
?While the most descriptive accounts of the Gardens come from Greek
historians such as Berossus and Diodorus Siculus, Babylonian records
stay silent on the matter. Tablets from the time of Nebuchadnezzar do
not have a single reference to the Hanging Gardens, although
descriptions of his palace, the city of Babylon, and the walls are
found. Even the historians who give detailed descriptions of the
Hanging Gardens never saw them.?
Ahram: The Hanging Gardens of Babylon
http://www.ahram.org/hanging_gardens_of_babylon.htm
Below are the descriptions I was able to locate:
?It consists of vaulted terraces raised one above another, and
resting upon cube-shaped pillars. These are hollow and filled with
earth to allow trees of the largest size to be planted. The pillars,
the vaults, and terraces are constructed of baked brick and asphalt.?
?The ascent to the highest story is by stairs, and at their side are
water engines, by means of which persons, appointed expressly for the
purpose, are continually employed in raising water from the Euphrates
into the garden.?
Strabo
The Museum of Unnatural Mystery: The Hanging Gardens of Babylon
http://www.unmuseum.org/hangg.htm
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?a covering with sheets of lead, that the wet which drenched through
the earth might not rot the foundation. Upon all these was laid earth
of a convenient depth, sufficient for the growth of the greatest
trees. When the soil was laid even and smooth, it was planted with all
sorts of trees, which both for greatness and beauty might delight the
spectators.?
Diodorus Siculus
Davidson County Schools: Hanging Gardens of Babylon
http://techcenter.davidson.k12.nc.us/fall025/ancient/gardens.htm
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?The garden is quadrangular in shape, and each side is four plethra in
length. It consists of arched vaults, which are situated, one after
another, on checkered, cube-like foundations. The checkered
foundations, which are hollowed out, are covered so deep with earth
that they admit of the largest of trees, having been constructed of
baked brick and asphalt ? the foundations themselves and the vaults
and the arches. The ascent to the uppermost terrace-roofs is made by a
stairway; and alongside these stairs there were screws, through which
the water was continually conducted up into the garden from the
Euphrates by those appointed for this purpose.?
Strabo
The University of Kansas: Strabo Geography - Book XVI, Chapter 1
http://www.ukans.edu/history/index/europe/ancient_rome/E/Roman/Texts/Strabo/16A*.html
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?The garden portrayed the natural Median wilderness and consisted of
man-made hills covered with many different types of trees satisfying
his wife's passion for mountainous surroundings. The garden sloped
down like a hillside, and was also terraced into different flowerbeds.
The beautiful landscape of the Hanging Gardens helped make it a
special structure, and transformed the desert-like environment into a
pastoral countryside. In addition to the marvelous structures, the
garden was home to a vast array of exotic flourishing plants.
Nebuchadnezzar imported the plants from foreign lands and were
cultivated above ground level. Numerous plants occupied the garden and
included species such as cedar, cypress, myrtle, juniper, almond, date
palm, ebony, olive, oak, terebinth, nuts, ash, firs, nightshade,
willow, pomegranate, plum, pear, quince, fig, and grapevine. The
greenery was suspended over the heads of observers on terraces and was
draped over the terraced walls. Arches were underneath these terraces
and allowed eager observers to walk through a natural wonderland
surrounded by natural beauty. The brilliantly colored trees and
flowers that dangled from the walls created a lush and magical
environment that captivated everyone who visited the garden.?
Shunsuke Cho
Penn State: The Hanging Gardens of Babylon
http://www.personal.psu.edu/users/s/l/slc240/hanging_gardens.html
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?The gardens had exotic flourishing plants.?
(?)
?The plants were suspended over the heads of observers on terraces,
they draped over the terraced walls. Arches were underneath these
terraces. The brilliantly colored trees and flowers that dangled from
the walls created a lush and magical environment.
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon were an impressive example of
architecture. The gardens formed a quadrilateral shape. There were
stairways that led to the uppermost terraced roofs. The plants hung
over terraces that were supported by stone columns. There were arched
vaults, which were located on cubed fountains. The fountains created a
humidity that helped keep the area cool. The shade from the trees also
helped keep the gardens cool. The garden ascended in closely planted
levels to form a man-made replica of mountain greenery.?
Reina Z, Elisa L, Andrea G
Pavuluri Venu:The Hanging Gardens of Babylon
http://www.geocities.com/pavulurivenusg/worldwonders/hanginggardens.html
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?The terraced construction, itself elevated by situating the gardens
on the summit of a small hill, made the tops of the trees visible
above the walls from a considerable distance. Undoubtedly it helped to
perpetuate an illusive sense of wonder over such "hanging" gardens.
The botanical gardens blossomed with fragrant flowers and decoration
set among the irrigation ditches. Fruit trees accentuated the
rectangular areas of cultivation, themselves overshadowed by palm
trees. Water cascaded down from a reservoir-lake over the vegetation
beneath.?
Plumbing and Mechanical, July 1989
The Plumber: The History of Plumbing - Babylonia
http://www.theplumber.com/history.html
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?What made it special was that it was a God-made paradise, and it "defied nature."?
(?)
?Nebuchadnezzar had man made hills covered with many different types
of trees, the gardens were sloped down like a hillside, and were also
terraced into different flower beds. The beautiful landscape of the
Hanging Gardens helped make it a special structure, and transformed
the desert-like environment into a pastoral countryside.
The gardens had exotic flourishing plants. These plants were
cultivated above ground level.?
(?)
?The plants were suspended over the heads of observers on terraces,
they draped over the terraced walls. Arches were underneath these
terraces. The brilliantly colored trees and flowers that dangled from
the walls created a lush and magical environment.?
Stray Reality: Babylon Portal
http://www.strayreality.com/Lanis_Strayreality/babylon4.htm
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?The appeal of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon lies with the human
desire to return to the simple and exquisite life in the Garden of
Eden, a life of Earthly Paradise. The myth of an original Garden with
perfumed trees and luscious fruits, birds and animal life, and rivers
of life giving waters is common to many faiths??
The-Amazing.US: Babylon
http://the-amazing.us/uruklink/iraqnews/ereport10.htm
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??Watered from the nearby Euphrates river, exotic flowers would have
cascaded over the terraces, with palm trees providing a welcome shade,
the air heavy from the perfume of aromatic plants??
Wakeman Brasil: THE SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD
http://www.wakemanbrasil.hpg.ig.com.br/sevenwonders.htm
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?The Hanging Gardens were a series of terraces rising along the
Euphrates river bank in five tiers of 50 feet each above the next and
connected by marble stairways. Each tier was planted with a profusion
of fabulous trees, shrubs, and flowers. The gardens were watered by
fountains fed through pipes from cisterns in the topmost terrace.?
Howard David Johnson : THE SEVEN WONDERS OF THE ANCIENT WORLD
http://www.howarddavidjohnson.com/sevenwonders.htm
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?Hanging Gardens of Babylon Four acres of garden raised on a base
supported by pillars, and towering in terraces one above another 300
feet in height. At a distance they looked like a vast pyramid covered
with trees.?
BootLegBooks: The Dictionary of Phrase and Fable
http://www.bootlegbooks.com/Reference/PhraseAndFable/data/577.html
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?A jewel depends for its beauty largely upon its cutting and the
manner of its setting. The case of a monument or of a building is
similar; however beautiful the structure may be in itself, its glory
is enhanced by its associations and environment. In order, therefore,
fully to appreciate the splendour of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon,
accounted among the Seven Wonders of the World, we must try to
visualise them in their proper surroundings, actual and historical.?
(?)
?Balconies?balconies raised one above another; that is exactly what
the Hanging Gardens were. They comprised, in fact, a series of wide,
stone terraces, supported by arches, and rose, like a giant stairway,
to a height of 350 feet, the whole structure being strengthened by a
surrounding wall 20 feet thick. On each of the terraces was a layer of
mould so deep as to make it possible not only for plants and flowering
shrubs to be grown, but fruit-bearing trees as well.?
(?)
?A wide flight of steps ascended from each terrace to the one above.
Picture these lofty terraces, their many arches festooned with
flowering creepers, and all the platforms ablaze with the most
gorgeously scented and coloured flowers which Asia?indeed, the then
known world?could produce, shaded from the too hot sun by trees laden
in their seasons with rich and luscious fruits: picture, in this
paradise of sybaritic and Oriental luxury, in the heart of great
Babylon, the Median queen holding her splendid Court, then you will be
able to appreciate something of the glamour and glory of the Hanging
Gardens.
?Now, in imagination, mount the wide staircase up from the relentless
glare and cruel heat of the long Mesopotamian summer into the shade of
one of those arched chambers, furnished with exquisite treasures of
Eastern art: sink on a soft divan, and feel the dry, hot air blowing
deliciously cool upon you through the continuously watered vegetation
without, while minstrels make soft music, while slaves anticipate your
slightest wants, while the life of the great city throbs below??
J. A. Brendon
Ancient Route: THE HANGING GARDENS OF BABYLON
http://www.ancientroute.com/Monument/7wonders/gardens.htm
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?A magnificent garden paradise said to have been built in 7th century
B.C. in the middle of the arid Mesopotamian desert, the Hanging
Gardens of Babylon were testimony to one man's ability to, against all
the laws of nature, create a botanical oasis of beauty amid a bleak
desert landscape. King Nebuchadnezzar created the gardens as a sign of
esteem for his wife Semiramis, who, legend has it, longed for the
forests and roses of her homeland. The gardens were terraced and
surrounded by the city walls with a moat to repel invading armies??
New 7 Wonders: The Hanging Gardens of Babylon
http://www.new7wonders.com/babylon.php
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?The king called for his best architects and craftsmen and they made
plans to build the most beautiful gardens the world had ever seen.
Without any type of machinery, the work was all done by hand, and the
labors had to haul rocks and stones from far away.
Soon, the work began on the step pyramid and the men built tall walls
and a series of terraces. When they were finished they added flowers,
shrubs, various trees including fruit trees, and fountains.
Excavations have found a detailed tunnel and pulley system that
evidently brought water from ground level to the top terrace. Their
water was pumped in from the Euphrates River.
The completed project was called The Hanging Gardens of Babylon and it
became one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.?
Utut Essortment: What are the Hanging Gardens of Babylon?
http://www.utut.essortment.com/whatarethehan_oox.htm
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I hope the information provided is helpful. If you have any questions
regarding my answer please don't hesitate to ask.
Best regards,
rainbow-ga |
