The Gates of Dur-Šarrukin

2009, 49, Tom 49, Nr A

Arkadiusz Sołtysiak

University of Warsaw, Faculty of Archaeology

DOI

Publication date

07.01.2009

Publishing model

open access

License type

CC BY 4.0 Int.

Field

Humanities

Discipline

archeology

Language of publication

English

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Abstract

dur-Šarrukin, the capital of Assyria established by Sargon II, was built on the virgin soil in the end of the 8th century BC. The square-like city had been oriented according to the traditional Mesopotamian cardinal directions, i.e. with corners pointing north, south, westand east. According to Sargon’s inscription, there were eight gates of dur-Šarrukin, two in each cardinal direction, and each gate was attributed to one deity. The analysis of the list of these eight godsand goddesses proves that Sargon decided to use the esoteric Babylonian tradition in order to place his capital in the symbolic centre of the world.

Bibliography

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