Nobody ruled better, I’m Nebuchadnezzar,
Me and my Chaldeans are sharper than cheddar.
We’re so holy like Swiss cheese,
One day my wife said, “Neb, I miss trees.
This city life is too hard for me,
All is see is brown, baby, I need garden-green.”
So I built the Hanging Gardens of Babylon for my girl,
It’s one of the seven wonders of the world . . .
Nebuchadnezzar (c 634–562 BC) knew how to get down.
Nebuchadnezzar (or Nebbie, as he was known to his friends) built the famous Gate of Ishtar, which can now be seen in Berlin, Germany.
Gate of Ishtar, now in BerlinThanks to the Silk Road Gourmet for bringing the Rappin’ Chaldeans to my attention.
Awesome, brotha! I like rap much better without the music. I would have called it "poetry" if you had not carefully designated its identity. Now, where am I gonna git me a man who will build me a hanging garden? Ol' Nebbie was some kinda sweet man.
ReplyDeleteHi Don:
ReplyDeleteHave you ever walked down the avenue of lions and sunflowers and through the gates? It is amazingly beautiful!
Generally, I am against colonial powers taking magnificient artifacts from their home countries, but if the Germans hadn't taken the gates they would probably be in ruins now or cut up into pieces and sold into private collections.
Of the many reasons to visit Berlin (one of my favorite cities) this is amongst the tops.
Laura
RIchmond Filly: I have no idea where you can get a man who will build you a hanging garden. Be satisfied with a house plant.
ReplyDeleteI seem to recall that the right to remove artifacts from Ottoman lands was one of the concessions the Germans got in exchange for building the Berlin-to-Baghdad Railroad. The Sultan at the time was probably not too interested in them. He had more pressing problems. It might have been better if they had remained in situ but then they probably would have been destroyed by now, given the history of wars and looting in the area. Regardless of the ethics involved, it does now make an impressive display in the Berlin Museum.