Below, the outerwall or facade of Nubuchadrezzar's palace at Babylon, restored by archaeologists under Saddam Hussein's directions. As much as possible restoration was frequently atop the ancient foundations. All the new bricks bear Hussein's name just as Nebuchdrezzar had his name stamped on all the bricks he used in restoring Babylon after its 689 BCE destruction by the Assyrian king Sennacherib. (for the photo cf. p. 159. Barthel Hrouda. Editor. Der Alte Orient, Geschichte und Kultur des alten Vorderasien. C. Bertelsmann. Verlag GmbH/54321. Munchen. 1991. ISBN 3572=00867-0)
According to the biblical prophet Jeremiah, Babylon was NOT EVER to be restored, it was to be abandoned and left desolate for all time (cf. Jer 51:26, 29, 62).
