Prized Lion of Babylon joins list of crumbling Iraqi antiquities
The ancient Lion of Babylon, Iraq’s national symbol, is critically threatened by erosion and neglect.
BABYLON, Iraq — The statue of the Lion of Babylon stands in the ancient city of Babylon, south of Baghdad, founded in 1880 B.C.
The statue was uncovered in 1876 by a German archaeological mission. Some initially suggested that the statue, more than 4,000 years old, was built by the Chaldean King Nebuchadnezzar II (605-562 B.C.), though others now believe it was a Hittite creation.
Its features have become misshapen, the black basalt is badly eroded by harsh climate conditions such as moisture, temperatures as high as 50 degrees Celsius, wind and strong sunlight. The statue, depicting a lion trampling a man, has also been badly damaged by people. There are many photos of tourists climbing on the lion’s back and groups of visitors standing on the statue.
Ahmad Hassan, a high school student, told Al-Monitor, “It is not unusual to see visitors climbing on the statue," adding that many of his schoolmates have taken pictures of themselves on the lion's back.
