| − | There has been much difference of opinion as to the geographical position of the Tower of Babel. Most writers upon the subject, following the tradition handed down by the Jews and Arabs, have identified it with the great Temple of Nebo in the city of [[Borsippa]], now called the ''Birs-Nimroud'' (explained as a corruption of ''Birj Nimroud'', “Tower of Nimrod”). Although an important religious structure to the Babylonians, it was never regarded by them as the actual tower. The great tower they referred to was located within Babylon and called ''Ê-temen-ana-ki'', “the Temple of the foundation of heaven and earth,” called by [[Nabopolassar]] and Nebuchadrezzar ''ziqqurat Bâbîli'', “the Tower of Babylon” - the world-renowned temple dedicated to Merodach and his consort Zēr-panîtum, Babylon's chief deities. | + | There has been much difference of opinion as to the geographical position of the Tower of Babel. Most writers upon the subject, following the tradition handed down by the Jews and Arabs, have identified it with the great Temple of Nebo in the city of Borsippa, now called the ''Birs-Nimroud'' (explained as a corruption of ''Birj Nimroud'', “Tower of Nimrod”). Although an important religious structure to the Babylonians, it was never regarded by them as the actual tower. The great tower they referred to was located within Babylon and called ''Ê-temen-ana-ki'', “the Temple of the foundation of heaven and earth,” called by [[Nabopolassar]] and Nebuchadrezzar ''ziqqurat Bâbîli'', “the Tower of Babylon” - the world-renowned temple dedicated to Merodach and his consort Zēr-panîtum, Babylon's chief deities. |
| | This structure was situated in the southern portion of the city, not far from the right bank of the Euphrates, and is now represented by a depression within which is the original rectangular core of unbaked brick. From its shape the Arabs have called this site Sahan, “the dish,” as the bricks of the structure (unlike other ziggurats which were built of dried mud-brick, Etemenanki was built of fired brick) were stripped in favor of other structures or repair the banks of the Hindiyeh canal. | | This structure was situated in the southern portion of the city, not far from the right bank of the Euphrates, and is now represented by a depression within which is the original rectangular core of unbaked brick. From its shape the Arabs have called this site Sahan, “the dish,” as the bricks of the structure (unlike other ziggurats which were built of dried mud-brick, Etemenanki was built of fired brick) were stripped in favor of other structures or repair the banks of the Hindiyeh canal. |