Merodach Baladan Kudurru – 3D Reconstruction
This 3D model recreates a famous black stone stele depicting Merodach-Baladan, King of Babylon, making a legal agreement with a vassal. The original monument dates to the late 8th century BCE and visually records the tense power struggle between Assyria and Babylon in the age of Sargon II and Sennacherib. The Bible mention this king:
“Soon after this, Merodach-baladan son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent Hezekiah his best wishes and a gift. He had heard that Hezekiah had been very sick and that he had recovered.” Isaiah 39:1
Historical background
Merodach‑Baladan (Akkadian Marduk‑apla‑iddina II) was a Chaldean leader from the Bit‑Yakin tribe who twice seized the Babylonian throne and became one of Assyria’s most persistent enemies. He is also known from the Bible (2 Kings 20; Isaiah 39), where he appears as the king who sent envoys to Hezekiah of Judah, seeking allies against Assyria.
Babylonian kudurrus, also known as narûs or boundary stones, served as legal documents proving that a piece of land had been granted by the king and describing its borders. This kudurru from the late eighth century BCE records how the Babylonian king Marduk‑apla‑iddina II (biblical Merodach‑Baladan II) bestowed land upon Bēl‑aḫḫē‑iddina, a high Babylonian official [see Slanski 2003, 312]. Written in the Akkadian language, the text also invokes divine protection over the granted land through a series of statements and curses. The kudurru of Marduk‑apla‑iddina II was discovered at ancient Borsippa and is now housed in the Vorderasiatisches Museum in Berlin.
Standard scholarly form of Merodach Baladan
- Scholarly publications normally give his name as: 𒀭𒀫𒌓𒌉𒍑𒋧𒈾.
- This sequence is read dAMAR.UTU‑apla‑iddina (Marduk‑apla‑iddina), meaning “Marduk has given an heir.”
- Bible:
מְרֹדַ֣ךְmə-rō-ḏaḵ בַּ֠לְאֲדָן bal-’ă-ḏān
What the 3D model shows
- Faithful proportions and silhouette of the original rounded‑top stele, including edge thickness and base damage.
- High‑relief figures of the Assyrian king and Merodach‑Baladan, with carefully sculpted beards, garments, and attributes (staffs, hands raised in greeting or oath).
- The upper register with stylized shrines and divine emblems (horned crown, astral symbols, sacred animals), emphasizing that the treaty takes place under divine authority.
- Indicated cuneiform inscription fields on the sides and between the figures, ideal as a base for further epigraphic detailing or texture maps in future versions.
Uses for this model
- Educational visualization for lectures, museum projects, and Bible/ANE history courses.
- Concept art and set dressing for historical films, games, and VR experiences set in Neo‑Assyria or Babylon.
- 3D printing for classroom handling collections or personal study of Mesopotamian art.
Technical notes (example text)
- Clean, watertight mesh optimized for both real‑time rendering and 3D printing. The 3mf is hollowed 17cm high 1.5mm wall.
- Available formats: OBJ (With uvs and texture) / STL / FBX / 3mf.
