From Babylon to Baghdad, an exhibition in Catania on Hammurabi reveals the secrets of Mesopotamia

An opportunity to plunge into the heart of the ancient Babylonian civilization: from Dec. 7, 2024 to Feb. 11, 2025, the Museum of Sicilian Knowledge and Mirabilia in Catania is hosting the exhibition From Babylon to Baghdad: in the Footsteps of Hammurabi, a journey of discovery ofancient Mesopotamia, and in particular of the famous Babylonian king Hammurabi.

The exhibition, which benefits from the collaboration of institutions such as the Pergamon Museum in Berlin, the British Museum in London, the Royal Museums in Turin, and the Louvre in Paris, tells the story of one of the most influential civilizations in human history. The exhibition explores the central role King Hammurabi played in the evolution of Mesopotamia, with a special focus on the famous Code of Hammurabi, one of the earliest and most comprehensive collections of written laws.

A journey through the history of Mesopotamia

Curated by archaeologist Nicola Laneri, professor of Near Eastern Archaeology and Art History, and Germana Barone, professor delegated to the Athenaeum Museum System, the exhibition is enriched with scientific contributions and artifacts from the most significant sites related to Babylonian civilization. Among these, one of the most relevant objects is a 3-D copy of the famous stele with the Code of Hammurabi, a reproduction made thanks to a collaboration with the Louvre in Paris. The stele, which measures nearly two meters high, details the laws issued by the Babylonian king around 1750 B.C., representing a true legal and social monument.

In addition to exhibits from international museums, the exhibition gives ample space to recent excavations by the Baghdad Urban Archaeological Project of the University of Catania (BUAP), an initiative that has unearthed important remains of a Babylonian settlement dating back some 4,000 years. The Tell Muhammad site in the Iraqi capital is one of the epicenters of contemporary archaeological research on the Early Dynasty period of Babylon.

“Hammurabi was an epoch-making figure who, thanks to the extraordinary stele inscribed with the Codes of Laws, stimulated interest in ancient Mesopotamia,” Nicola Laneri points out. “The exhibition in Catania will be a unique opportunity to touch upon the legacy left by this ruler through the observation of a copy of the codex housed in the Louvre and a series of objects never exhibited in Italy before’now including the famous copper alloy mace heads, on loan from the British Museum, with the inscription ’Palace of Hammurabi’ from the site of Tell Muhammad in Baghdad (a site currently being excavated by a UniCt mission).”

“The international character, also highlighted by the conference on the figure of the great king that will be held on the sidelines of the exhibition, and the prestige of the museums that have lent the exhibits, consecrate the Museum of Sicilian Knowledge and Mirabilia, recently connected to the National Museum System, as an important place of culture that is not only local,” says Germana Barone. “The link between the exhibition and the Catanese university that hosts it is further sealed by a room where the main research of the university’s departments in the areas ranging from archaeology to archaeometry and the management and fruition of cultural heritage will be displayed. The PNRR Changes and PNRR Culture projects, the Sicilian Region, the OELLE Foundation and the Einstein Center Chronoi in Berlin contributed to the exhibition.”

Rediscovering Hammurabi and his legacy

Hammurabi is one of the most significant figures in ancient history, known not only as a ruler but also as a legislator who helped define a model of justice. His legislative work was of fundamental importance to the development of law, influencing subsequent legal traditions. The exhibition, in fact, is not limited to a historical narrative but aims to provide an understanding of the profound impact Hammurabi’s Code had not only on Mesopotamia but also on subsequent cultures.

The exhibition, with artifacts coming in from museums that collaborated on the project, offers an overview of Babylonian society, with a focus on the administration of justice. Space is also given to the latest findings unearthed by the archaeological excavations of the University of Catania, particularly those related to the site of Tell Muhammad. Thanks to the Tell Muhammad Archaeological Mission, directed by Nicola Laneri, important progress has been made in understanding Babylonian daily life. In addition to excavations, research activities include archaeometric analysis, data digitization, and site enhancement. The mission has already achieved outstanding results that have helped bring to light key elements of Babylonian history, in a context that, even today, is still the subject of exciting study and discovery.

The realization of the exhibition was also possible thanks to the support of various entities, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI), the Ministry of Culture (MIC) and the Sicilian Region. Financial support also came from PNRR funds, with projects aimed at enhancing cultural heritage and promoting museum enjoyment.

On the sidelines of the opening there will also be a conference, to be held on Dec. 6 and 7, organized and funded by the Einstein Center Chronoi in Berlin: the conference will bring together international experts to discuss Hammurabi’s legacy and its influence in subsequent eras, from legal, historical and cultural perspectives. The exhibition is free admission.

From Babylon to Baghdad, an exhibition in Catania on Hammurabi reveals the secrets of Mesopotamia

Warning: the translation into English of the original Italian article was created using automatic tools. We undertake to review all articles, but we do not guarantee the total absence of inaccuracies in the translation due to the program. You can find the original by clicking on the ITA button. If you find any mistake,please contact us.