Isthar Gate Art Analysis

The Ishtar Gate is a monument of tremendous value from the Neo-Babylonian and Persian period. It was built during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar II around 575BCE. The gate is located at the end of one of the world's first streets, Processional Way. In addition, through the Processional Way, the gate also guarded the northern entrance to the city of Babylon. The gate is made of mud brick, surfaced with glazed clay bricks of a very deep blue color. However, the gate is decorated and inlaid yellow and colorfully glazed brickwork depicting lions and dragons, palm trees, and geometric designs. In addition, the gate is known to lead into the city of Babylon and represent the power of Babylon. On top, the decorations of dragons on the gate are sacred to the god Marduk, while bulls and lions are deemed sacred to a variety of other Mesopotamian deities. Last, but not least, the purpose for building the gate was to beautify and protect the city of Babylon, and to dedicate it to the goddess Ishtar.
Furthermore, the Ishtar Gate is made of a large opening flanked by towers, and features glazed bricks with molded reliefs of animals, real and imaginary. Moreover, the decoration of the gate include rosettes and linear borders of bricks in alternating colors against a predominating blue background, and the commanding several profile figures of Marduk and Nabu's dragon and Adad's bull. Additionally, the lining the Processional Way leading up to the gate there are reliefs of Ishtar's sacred lion, glazed in yellow, brown, and red against a blue background. On top, dedicated to the Babylonian goddess Ishtar, the gate was constructed of blue glazed square and rectangle tiles with alternating rows of dragons and bulls.
Next, the Ishtar Gate is one of the large impressive and artistically decorated construction. According to me, the whole gate is composed with the square and rectangle shapes and the circular arch in the middle. However, these shapes then seems to split the