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Conspectus Librorum - Book Review:


Ralf-B. Wartke, Auf dem Weg nach Babylon. Robert Koldewey - Ein Archäologenleben. Mythos und Wahrheit im Pergamonmuseum.  Verlag Philipp von Zabern. Mainz am Rhein, 2008.  Hardcover. 192 pages, 113 color photographs, 13 linedrawings .
ISBN 978-3-8053-3918-6.

List Price c. EUR  24,90 / sFr 44-.

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Verlag Philipp von Zabern Mainz
Philipp-von-Zabern-Platz 1-3
55116 Mainz
Postfach 4065 - 55030 Mainz
Tel. 06131 / 28 747 - 0
Fax: 06131 / 28 747 - 44
Order: www.zabern.de/zabern/index.php



Robert Koldewey (1855-1925), is primarily known for his discovery of the ancient site of Babylon where he revealed the foundations of the Ziggurat Marduk and the Ishtar Gate. In 2005 the Museum of the Ancient Near East in Berlin (Vorderasiatisches Museum - Staatliche Museen zu Berlin) inaugurated a small exhibition following the 150th anniversary of Robert Koldewey's birthday, entitled Auf dem Weg nach Babylon, Robert Koldewey - Ein Archäologenleben. On behalf of the exhibition, this commemorative volume, covering the inheritance and lifework of Robert Koldewey, was published.

The authors, Joachim Marzahn, Dieter Mertens, Ralf-B. Wartke, Olaf Matthes, Margarete van Ess, Dittmar Machule, Beate Salje, Donny George Youkhanna, Klaus Tragbar and Dorothée Sack, deal with numerous data and facts and provide the reader with a detailed analysis of Koldewey's life and career as an architect and archaeologist. It’s fascinating how each chapter is concluded with quotes and aphorisms enlightening Koldewey's personality and achievements.

The first part of this volume outlines Koldewey's life in a chronological way, proceeded by a summary of the first years of his career in which his particular interest for classical architecture made him participate in and conduct a number of excavations in Greece, Italy and Asia Minor. Subsequently, the editor Ralf-B. Wartke continues with Koldewey's participation in the first three excavation campaigns at Sendschirli (modern Zincirli Höyük in the Southeast of Turkey), the site of the ancient city of Sam'al, which took place between 1890 and 1894. The excavations were conducted on behalf of the German Oriental Society and mainly concentrated on the citadel and the fortifications.
The next two chapters closely look at Koldewey's expeditions to the Orient and more in particular, his work in Babylon, where in a time span of eighteen years, he gradually revealed the remains of the ancient capital. During his campaigns he developed several modern research techniques which enabled him to identify the traces of unbaked mud brick architecture. Koldewey slowly dismantled the Ishtar Gate and eventually shipped the bricks to the Vorderasiatisches Museum in Berlin where the gate was reconstructed. The reassembling of the Ishtar bricks, the full-size reconstruction and its accommodation are presented by Beate Salje, currently, Head of the museum. Furthermore, Klaus Tragbar takes us to "Babylon after Koldewey" and covers the continuation of the archaeological research from 1917 onwards. A subsequent chapter pays attention to the history, goals and achievements of the Koldewey-Gesellschaft, established after his death in 1926, while the final part of this book focuses on the impact the excavation methods and techniques, used by Koldewey, still have on current archaeological research.
At the end there is a general bibliography, preceded by a separate publication list of Robert Koldewey.

Overall, this is an excellent book, easy accessible for the uninitiated, and will be appreciated by everyone fascinated by the archaeology of Mesopotamia and the adventures attached to research and excavation campaigns of a bygone era. It is also lavishly illustrated with reminiscent photographs, architectural drawings and more than a few watercolors, and enlivened with pages reproduced from the Babylon excavation house visitor's book, filled with notes, amusing cartoons, poems and epigrams.


Ingrid M. Swinnen
Vrije Universiteit Brussel


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