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The ROM's Striding Lion was found at the throne room façade of the palace of King Nebuchadnezzar II. Trace the history of the civilization that produced this legendary Babylonian king, whose accomplishments include the building of the Tower of Babel.
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Unlike other materials, pottery cannot rot or be melted down for re-use. Generally the most common archaeological find, pottery tells us much about artistic style and influence. Examine our progressive display of pottery finds from the region, dating from the 4th millennium BC to the 19th century AD.
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Jericho skulls are rare, and date back to the region's Neolithic Period culture. Thought to represent an early form of ancestor worship, heads were removed from the body after initial burial, filled with plaster and painted, and then reverently re-buried underneath the floors in private houses. The ROM's Jericho skull is one of only a few known to exist in the world!
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The first true written alphabet was born in the ancient Middle East, and its progression from Babylonian cuneiform tablets to the elegance of Arabic script is chronicled with objects such as this beautiful mediaeval manuscript of a 15th-century Qur'an from Egypt.
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Used to fill a space with pleasant scent, incense burners belonged in every well-to-do household. This one, made of bronze in Eastern Iran (12th-13th centuries) displays various types of decoration: bands with inscriptions, arabesque ornaments in medallions and the figure of a bird perched on top of the “hood.”
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The strength and majesty of the now-extinct Asian lion were attributes associated with the region's royalty, and combat with a lion gave a king great prestige. Many objects in the gallery invite visitors to explore the different ways the lion motif was represented in Mesopotamian culture.