Foundation brick of Nebuchadnezzar II. Mesopotamia, I millennium B.C.

Foundation brick of Nebuchadnezzar II. Mesopotamia, I millennium BC.
Terracotta.
Provenance: Private collection, France.
Thermoluminescence test attached.
Conservation: Fragment of brick in good state of preservation.
Measurements: 28 cm long; 20.2 cm high.

Inscribed brick fragment corresponding to the reign of Nebuchadnezzar II (605-562 B.C.), one of the most outstanding monarchs of the Neo-Babylonian Empire. This type of piece was part of official construction programs, being used in the construction of temples, walls and other monumental structures of Babylon, such as the famous Ishtar Gate or the palace complexes.

The surface presents a cuneiform inscription in horizontal arrangement, made in relief before firing, in which typical dedicatory formulas are consigned that allude to the king, his lineage and his pious works in favor of the divinities. This type of text had both a propagandistic and ritual function, perpetuating the memory of the sovereign and legitimizing his power through architecture.

An example of great historical and archaeological relevance, representative of the official Neo-Babylonian production, where the constructive function is combined with the documentary value. The presence of a legible inscription and its good preservation make it a particularly significant piece for collecting and study.