IX - The Neo-Babylonian Private House 1
1. Historical building name: House 1
2. Location according to the schematic plan: Residential quarter to the East of the
southern part of the Processional Way; between the reconstruction of the Ishtar of
Agade Temple and the Nabu sha Hare Temple. The area was called by R. Koldewey
Merkes.
3. Lay-out of the historical building: Not available.
4. Description of the present state of preservation: a complete reconstruction of a big
residential Neo-Babylonian house on the original foundations and remnants of the walls.
It has rectangular shape, measuring 39,10 x 36,30 m.
A/ Façades:
The Northern Façade:
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Fig. 1
Characteristic “saw-toothed” wall, the entrance to the building in the eastern part.
Built of contemporary backed bricks, covered with 0,5 cm thick mud plaster.
Some losses of bricks near the roof.
Plaster missing in many places, especially above the entrance to the building and near
the ground in the western part.
The entrance to the building: from both sides of the wall the plaster is coming off, the
losses of plaster in upper side of the passage.
The ground around the facade is paved with ceramic tiles, 7 rows.
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The Eastern Façade:
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Fig. 2
Characteristic “saw-toothed” wall, in the middle of the wall there are the entrance to the
building and the dummy well.
Built of contemporary backed bricks, covered with 0,5 cm thick mud plaster.
Lack of plaster up to 2 m from the ground, South from the entrance and in the southern
part.
Destroyed strip of plaster close to the roof (0,7 m width) the plaster is coming off from
the wall, the rest of the plaster is cracked. One can notice cement plaster nearby the
cement tiles in the southern part.
Partial losses of plaster near the ground.
The entrance to the building: there is a lack of plaster measuring from the ground and up
to 1,5 m. Visible strong deposit of dissolved salts.
The space between the building and the reconstruction of Ishtar Temple is paved with
ceramic tiles.
The Southern Façade:
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Fig. 3
Characteristic “saw-toothed” wall built of contemporary backed bricks, mud plastered,
in the lower parts traces of cement plaster.
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Four large losses of plaster (1-1,2 m in diameter) together with a few smaller ones.
The plaster mostly destroy near the roof and in the lower part it is cracked, coming off
and has some air bubbles and scratches.
The ground around the facade is paved with ceramic tiles, seven rows.
The Western Façade:
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Fig. 4
Contemporary backed bricks covered with mud plaster, the entrance to the building in
the northern part.
Five pipes taking the rain water from the roof.
Very badly damaged clay plaster, mostly in the middle part – quite large losses,
detachment and horizontal cracks.
In the low part there is the plaster with gypsum admixture (?) up to 0,8 m high above the
ground level.
The mud has been washed away from the plaster in a large percentage in all over the
façade.
The entrance to the building: 4 little stairs, destroyed part of plaster near the floor.
B/ Roof: There are no stairs inside the building leading to the roof.
Fig. 5
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C/ Interior:
Courtyard – Floor:
Fig. 6
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Paved with cement square tiles.
There is a mud in the middle, under the walls one can notice clay washed away from the
plaster.
Courtyard – The Northern Wall:
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Fig. 7
Loss of plaster in a strip measuring up to 0,5 m width close to the roof and in the
western part.
The vertical and horizontal cracks, especially in the western part.
The loss of plaster at the floor level.
In two places noticeable cement plaster which covers contemporary backed bricks.
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Courtyard – The Eastern Wall:
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Fig. 8
The rest of the plaster still remains in the lower part of the wall.
Noticeable: two plaster layers: a/ internal – with the addition of cement
b/ external - made of mud.
Noticeable dissolved salts in a form of efflorescence in the lowest row of the bricks.
Courtyard – The Southern Wall:
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Fig. 9
Outside and inside plaster badly damaged.
The rest of clay plaster still remains in the eastern part.
The cement plaster still remains in the middle part as well as in the eastern part.
Numerous losses of the bricks in forth row from the roof.
Dissolved salts crystallized in a form of efflorescence in a strip up to 1,5 m high above
the floor in the entrance to the western part.
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Courtyard – The Western Wall:
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Fig. 10
Large losses of plaster in the southern part.
Badly cracked plaster in the middle part.
Large loss of the plaster – 0,5 m width along the roof.
Deposit of dissolved salts up to 1 m high above the floor level in the western part.
Nine rooms located North of the courtyard – Floor:
Fig. 11
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Fig. 12
Floor paved with cement square tiles, mostly covered with sand and some rubbish.
Some parts of the floors are totally covered with mud.
Nine rooms located North of the courtyard– Ceiling:
Fig. 13
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Fig. 14
The wooden beams and reed mats are moist or very moist.
The reed mats are partially covered with the white layer.
In several places the mats are torn and are coming off from the top of the roof.
There are some groups of bats under the beams.
Nine rooms North of the courtyard – Walls:
Fig. 15
Fig. 16
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The losses of the outside layer of plaster (made of mud) and the inside (made of
cement), especially in the low parts of the walls.
The spot is covered with droppings (mostly pigeons’).
Deposit of dissolved salts on the surface up to 0,8 m high above the floor level.
Some scratches at the plaster – Arabic inscriptions.
Nine rooms located East of the courtyard – Floor:
Fig. 17
Fig. 18
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Covered with square cement tiles.
The thin layer of sand covers the floor, sometimes with mud or rubbish as well.
Small ant-hills.
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Nine rooms located East of the courtyard – Ceiling:
Fig. 19
Fig. 20
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The wooden beams - partially moist.
In several places there are torn mats, here and there covered with white coating.
There are some groups of bats on the beams.
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Nine rooms located East of the courtyard – Walls:
Fig. 21
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Fig. 22
Rain water stains, here and there some droppings.
A lot of losses at the floor.
In some places the plaster coming off the wall and falling off.
Deposit of dissolved salts on the surface up to 1,0 m high above the floor.
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Five rooms located South of the courtyard – Floor:
Fig. 23
Fig. 24
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Paved with the square cement tiles.
A thin layer of sand and rubbish.
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Five rooms located South of the courtyard – Ceiling:
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Fig. 25.
Fig. 26
Some parts of wooden beams are very moist and cracked lengthwise.
In some places the beams are bent down.
In some places there is a moist coating on the beams and mats.
Five rooms located South of the courtyard – Walls:
Fig. 27
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Fig. 28
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There are the traces of rain water stains.
There are large losses of the plaster in the low parts of the wall.
The brick surfaces are strongly covered by dissolved salts.
In niches and below – droppings.
Two rooms located West of the courtyard – Floor:
Fig. 29
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Fig. 30
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Paved with the square cement tiles.
Covered with the thin layer of sand and rubbish.
Two rooms located West of the courtyard – Ceiling:
Fig. 31
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Fig. 32
The beams and mats are moist, the white coating - noticeable.
Two rooms located West of the courtyard – Walls:
Fig. 33
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Fig. 34
In the lower part the plaster is destroyed – cracked; there are damages, losses and
detachment.
The surface of the contemporary baked bricks are covered with dissolved salts.
Traces of droppings.
Description elaborated on 18th November 2004 and photographs taken on 20th
November 2004 by Mirosław OLBRYŚ (Poland).
The photograph no. 5 was taken by Agnieszka Dolatowska in July 2004.
Translated into English by Mirosław Olbryś and Piotr Szarżanowicz on 25th November
2004.
Edited by George Gogolewsky on 29th November 2004.
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