Babylon (Sumerian: KA.DINGIR.RA β "Gate of the Gods")¶
Sumerian name: KA.DINGIR.RA (ππππ ) β "Gate of the Gods"
Babylon (Akkadian: BΔb-ilim, "Gate of the Gods") was one of the most important cities of the ancient world, located in central Mesopotamia on the Euphrates River. In Zecharia Sitchin's narrative, Babylon played a pivotal role as the center of Marduk's power and the site of the infamous "Tower of Babel."
Historical Significance¶
Babylon rose to prominence under the Amorite king Hammurabi (c. 1792β1750 BCE) and reached its zenith under Nebuchadnezzar II (c. 605β562 BCE), who constructed the famous Hanging Gardens and the massive ziggurat Etemenanki β the "House of the Foundation of Heaven and Earth."
Sitchin's Interpretation¶
The Tower of Babel¶
In the biblical account (Genesis 11:1-9), humanity builds a tower "whose top may reach unto heaven," and God confuses their language, scattering them across the Earth. Sitchin read this as a historical event:
"The Tower of Babel was not a religious allegory. It was a launch tower for Anunnaki rocketships β the SHEM of Marduk's ambitions."
Sitchin argued that:
- Babel = Bab-ili = "Gate of the Gods" β not a linguistic confusion but a gateway to heaven
- The tower was a SHEM launch facility built under Marduk's direction
- The confusion of languages was actually Enlil's order to destroy the spaceport facilities
- The scattering was the forced dispersal of Marduk's followers
Marduk's Supremacy¶
Babylon became the center of Marduk's worship during his rise to supremacy in the Anunnaki pantheon. The Enuma ElΓΕ‘ was composed to legitimize Marduk's kingship over the gods, equating him with the celestial Nibiru.
The Measurement System¶
Sitchin noted that the Babylonians preserved the Sumerian sexagesimal (base-60) mathematical system, which encoded astronomical knowledge:
- 60 seconds / minutes
- 360 degrees in a circle
- 12 and 24 in timekeeping
- The 360-day calendar year
The Etemenanki¶
The ziggurat of Babylon, Etemenanki ("House of the Foundation of Heaven and Earth"), has been identified as the biblical Tower of Babel. According to the Greek historian Herodotus, it was a massive seven-tiered structure with a temple at the top. Sitchin saw this as a replica of Anunnaki space facilities.
See Also¶
- Marduk β The patron god of Babylon
- Tower Of Babel β The Tower of Babel
- Enuma Elish β The Babylonian creation epic
- SHEM β Rocketship technology
- Nippur β The rival city of Enlil
Sources¶
- Sitchin, Z. (1976). The 12th Planet. Chapter 10.
- Sitchin, Z. (1985). The Wars of Gods and Men. Chapter 9.
- Sitchin, Z. (2007). The End of Days.
- Herodotus. Histories, Book I.