Nebuchadnezzar II's construction of Babylon, 6th century BC. This cuneiform cylinder tells of the construction of the outer walls of Bablyon in the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar II (604-562 BC): 'I built a strong wall that cannot be shaken with bitumen and baked bricks... I laid its foundation on the breast of the netherworld, and I built its top as high as a mountain.' The script on this clay tablet is called cuneiform and was written with a pointed implement. When fired the records written on the clay became permanent. Such cylinders were buried in the foundations of buildings. This object is part of the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, USA.