Editing Ishtar Gate (section)

== Inscription of Nebuchadnezzar II ==
[[File:Pergamon Museum Berlin 2007085.jpg|thumb|The cuneiform inscription of the Ishtar Gate in the Pergamon Museum in Berlin]]

The inscription of the Ishtar Gate is written in Akkadian cuneiform in white and blue glazed bricks and was a dedication by Nebuchadnezzar to explain the gate's purpose. On the wall of the Ishtar Gate, the inscription is 15 meters tall by 10 meters wide and includes 60 lines of writing. The inscription was created around the same time as the gate's construction, around 605–562 BC.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Mesopotamia: Ancient Art and Architecture|last=Bahrani|first=Zainab|author-link=Zainab Bahrani |publisher=Thames and Hudson Ltd|year=2017|isbn=978-0-500-51917-2|location=London|pages=280}}</ref>

Inscription:

<blockquote>Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, the pious prince appointed by the will of Marduk, the highest priestly prince, beloved of Nabu, of prudent deliberation, who has learnt to embrace wisdom, who fathomed Their (Marduk and Nabu) godly being and pays reverence to their Majesty, the untiring Governor, who always has at heart the care of the cult of Esagila and Ezida and is constantly concerned with the well being of Babylon and Borsippa, the wise, the humble, the caretaker of Esagila and Ezida, the first born son of Nabopolassar, the King of Babylon, am I.''
Both gate entrances of the (city walls) Imgur-Ellil and Nemetti-Ellil following the filling of the street from Babylon had become increasingly lower. (Therefore,) I pulled down these gates and laid their foundations at the water table with asphalt and bricks and had them made of bricks with blue stone on which wonderful bulls and dragons were depicted. I covered their roofs by laying majestic cedars lengthwise over them. I fixed doors of cedar wood adorned with bronze at all the gate openings. I placed wild bulls and ferocious dragons in the gateways and thus adorned them with luxurious splendor so that Mankind might gaze on them in wonder.

I let the temple of Esiskursiskur, the highest festival house of Marduk, the lord of the gods, a place of joy and jubilation for the major and minor deities, be built firm like a mountain in the precinct of Babylon of asphalt and fired bricks.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Babylon und das Neujahrsfest|last=Marzahn|first=Joachim|publisher=Berlin : Vorderasiatisches Museum|year=1981|location=Berlin|pages=29–30}}</ref></blockquote>