fun stuff

By D. Whittaker

According to Herodotus, "The Garden was quadrangular, each side being four plentha long (400'). It had multiple arched vaults facing the Euphrates River, each vault drawing water through cavernous tunnels to central wells. The ascent to the uppermost level was (most likely) achieved through grand staircases flanked by lush plantings and magnificent fountains. The Gardens had plants of every kind that could be found; many were brought from great distances afar. The majority of the plants are above ground level, hence the term Hanging Gardens. Colossal stone columns support the entire structure's mass; streams of water emerge from upper-level pools and cascade down slopping channels. These waters irrigated the whole garden by saturating the roots of plants and keeping the entire area moist. Hence the grass was permanently green, and the leaves of the trees grew firmly attached to supple branches. The Gardens were a work of art of royal luxury, and its most striking feature was that the labor of cultivation was suspended above the heads of the spectators."

​

No verifiable description of the gardens exists, other than it was 'four plentha' in length, whatever that was? Every aspect of this drawing was just my imagination - drawn with my felt-tip pens on vellum paper. The painting below is a 9' wide watercolor, based on my drawing, and done by my dearest and most talented friend, Tien Lee.