Glazed Brick Dragon Panel from the Ishtar Gate
2012 © Maxim Tabachnik
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Glazed Brick Dragon Panel from the Ishtar Gate

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This glazed brick panel depicts a mušḫuššu, a dragon symbolizing the god Marduk, from the Ishtar Gate (c. 575 BCE). Commissioned by King Nebuchadnezzar II, the gate was Babylon’s main entrance, adorned with animal motifs to honor deities. Part of a grand beautification plan, the gate was once considered a Wonder of the Ancient World. Excavated in the 20th century, fragments are now in various museums, including this piece.