While many of the places are shown in their correct location, some have said that the map is intended to show the Babylonian view of the mythological world. The actual meaning behind the content of the map has been disputed. All other maps produced during the same period were localized to the area in which they were created, did not include land beyond the ocean, because the ocean was considered the end of all lands. It is unique in its inclusion of the islands beyond the ocean. It is believed that the map was intended to convey the entire contents of the world. Ocean (salt water, Akkadian: idmar-ra-tum) Babylon (Akkadian: tin.tirki), divided by Euphratesġ4 - 17. Due to damage of the tablet, it appears that three islands are missing from the lower corner.ġ3. Within the center of the map are seven labelled areas that appear to represent cities. The Euphrates River is shown running from the mountains above, through Babylon, to the marshes below. The southern marshes are indicated at the bottom of the map by two parallel lines, and a curved line near the top shows the Zagros Mountains. Eight triangular areas labeled as “Regions” or “Islands” surround the Salt Sea, and are labeled with distances, descriptions of the regions, and descriptions of great heroes and mythical beasts that lived in each region. Babylon is surrounded by two concentric circles that represent the ocean, named “bitter water” or the “salt sea.” It is labeled with Babylon, Assyria, and Elam. It contains carefully etched images and cuneiform writing. The tablet contains a map of the Mesopotamian world, with Babylon in the center. At 122 x 82 mm, the small map gives us a glimpse into how the Babylonians viewed the world around them, both physically and spiritually. Now housed at the British Museum, the damaged clay tablet dates back to 600 BC, and depicts an early interpretation of the layout of the world. It was discovered on the banks of the Euphrates River, and published in 1899. A damaged clay tablet discovered in the late 1800s in Sippar, Iraq is said to be the oldest map of the world.
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