The Statue of Marduk, also known as the Statue of Bêl, was the physical representation of the god Marduk, the patron deity of the ancient city of Babylon, traditionally housed in the city's main temple, the Esagila. There were seven statues of Marduk in Babylon, but 'the' Statue of Marduk generally refers to the god's main statue, placed prominently in the Esagila and used in the city's rituals. This statue was nicknamed the Asullḫi and was made of a type of wood called mēsu and covered with gold and silver.
The Statue of Marduk depicted as being mounted on Marduk's dragon Mušḫuššu and standing victorious in the primordial water of Tiamat. From a cylinder seal of the 9th century BC Babylonian king Marduk-zakir-shumi I.
The Statue of Marduk on a kudurru stele of the Babylonian king Meli-Shipak (12th century BC)
Reconstruction of the peribolos at Babylon, including the temple of Esagila, where Marduk's statue was kept. From The Excavations at Babylon (1914)
Closeup of a colossal stone statue of the god Nabu (the son of Marduk) recovered from the city Kalhu, an example of a surviving ancient Mesopotamian statue of a deity. Exhibited at the Iraq Museum.
Marduk is a god from ancient Mesopotamia and patron deity of the city of Babylon who eventually rose to power in the First Millennium BC. In the city of Babylon, Marduk was worshipped in the temple Esagila. His symbol is the spade and he is associated with the Mušḫuššu.
9th century BC depiction of the Statue of Marduk, with his servant dragon Mušḫuššu. This was Marduk's main cult image in Babylon.
Mušḫuššu, a dragon-like creature, was associated with Marduk.
