A relief from a fourth-century A.D., sarcophagus lid, depicting a Jewish exile in Babylon refusing to worship the gods of Nebuchadrezzar II. Photograph by RMN-Grand Palais ...

Babylon was famous for its Hanging Gardens, which some believe may have actually been in the Assyrian capital, Nineveh, where this relief, now held in the British Museum, London, was found.

A U.S.-funded conservation project is shoring up the brick walls of the ancient city. The hope is that Babylon will qualify for UNESCO World Heritage status.