World’s oldest map dating back 3,000 years reveals details beyond Babylonian Empire

Researchers have now decoded a Babylonian tablet, which is thought to be the oldest map of the world. It was created between 2,600 and 2,900 years ago. The Imago Mundi (tablet) provided the researchers with a unique glimpse.

It showcases the beliefs and practices of the ancient civilization. The Babylonian map consists of a circular map. Along with that, there are a few pieces of text written in an ancient writing system called cuneiform.

Cuneiform uses wedge-shaped symbols – which describe the early creation of the world. The map also showcased Mesopotamia, the land of the rivers, and a historical area of the Middle East. Mesopotamia at that time was thought to be the entire ‘known world’.

The map also highlighted the belief in Marduk, the God of Creation. It also showcased mythical creatures and monsters like Scorpio man  Anzu – the lion-headed bird.

Researchers decode Babylonian map depicting Mesopotamia and the boundaries of ancient world

Delving deep into the Imago Mundi, the map showcases an aerial view of Mesopotamia that dates back to the 6th century BC. Mesopotamia has been a long-time favorite of researchers.

This particular cuneiform tablet was discovered in the Middle East and it was acquired by the British Museum in 1882. Now, finally, the researchers could make sense of the tablet after they discovered the missing part.

Apart from this, the tablet also consists of a series of paragraphs. As per the experts, this probably showcases how the Earth is created. It also talks about how the Earth looked back in that time and what existed beyond it.

Mesopotamia, which is modern-day Iraq is being depicted on the map. It also shows Mesopotamia being surrounded by a double ring dubbed the “Bitter River”. This river is known to have marked the borders at that time.

The British Museum released a video where expert Dr Irving Finkel said that the tablet was not actually a clay tablet, in fact, it was a replica.

“You have encapsulated in this circular diagram, the whole of the known world in which people lived, flourished and died. However, there’s more to this map than that. When it comes to operating beyond the limits of the known world into the world of imagination, is indispensable” he said.

Researchers reveal a Babylonian belief in Mesopotamia as the world center, uncovering ancient details

According to the researchers, the circle around Mesopotamia is an indication that Babylonians believed that area to be the center of the world. Finkel referred to the map as having two sides, which are the front of the obverse and the back of the obverse.

He noted that against one of the diagonals the expression “The Great Wall” was found. The height of the Great Wall is 840 cubits, and its trees are up to 120 cubits.

Unfortunately, the name of the scribe is broken, and there’s no trace of it, however it has the father’s name. The researchers note that this map gives a sneak peek into how the Babylonians understood the world. It also talked about how archaeology as a concept is pretty confusing, and sometimes takes centuries to uncover.