IN FRATERNAM MEAM

IN FRATERNAM MEAM

Monday, April 26, 2004

THE ANCIENT PLACES IN IRAQ
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(abstracted from an article by:Bruce Feiler)

while Iraq is having lots of turmoil and the ongoing unrest while the americans and the coalition forces are there, i came across an article telling stories about the many sites in Iraq that has been part of history and that of the Bible. this is the land where the apostles and the great monuments in hsitory are situated and located. the greatest rivers that is always mentioned in the bible is here---the TIGRIS and EUPHRATES rivers.

Iraq is home to the most important sites mentioned in the bible.

** the great Babylon is here, which is the home of the first complete lelag text which is still part of the study of law, aside from Lex Romana. the CODE OF HAMMURABI was in Babylon.several hours north, is the crown jewel of Iraq sites, which is Babylon. home the world's most complete legal text ad the Code of Hammurabi, and also to one of the wonders of the world, which is the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.in 586 B.C.E. Nebuchadnezzar burned Jerusalem and exiled the Israelites to this city also.

** the great gate of Ishtar, in Baylon is still standing here. the ruins stands and spands itself in a 30 acres area.

** the great Tower of Babel was also here, in this very land.

** a few hours west from Qurnah is the city of Nasiriyah, a dusty roads with little water and streets dank with poverty. a narrow road leads to the ruins of the ancient city of UR, the birthplace of the recorded thoughts. the site announces the city of Ziggurat, a pyramid built to the sky, which was built by the Sumerians in 2013 B.C.E.out of clay and baked bricks. but UR is also the place where Abraham lived, as suggested by the book of the Genesis.

**the Tigris and Euphrates rives are two great double highways of antiquity. this begin in Turkey, pass through Syria, then sprint through Iraq . around 10,000 years ago, the earliest civilizations tames these rivers and invented agriculture.this origin stories suggest that the world was created as land arose from these waters. Genesis also suggest this idea with earth emerging from watery chaos. this was believed to be the Garden of Eden.

(during the regime of Saddam Hussein, he drained the marshes to penalize his Shia rivals and to prevent deserters from hiding here during his many wars. he destroyed 350,000 lives by drainign the marshes in this area)

Babylon was built by Saddam Husein like six flaggs great america team parks, over Hammurabi there are canals, picnic grounds ift shops and plastic trinkets. also above the ruins of Babylon, SaddamHussein built his marble palace. this is supposed to be the Cradle of Civilization, but the ruins is so devastating, that the archeologist and historians are asking help to protect and preserve the sites.

posted by infraternam meam @ 4:27 AM

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