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Story library

The parametric models, camera paths, build-up recipes, period kits and templates that every story is composed from. Each model names its sources and its fidelity grade.

Measured Reconstructed Illustrative Measured: drawn from published measurements. Reconstructed: measured where the record allows, completed where it does not. Illustrative: proportions to explain, not a record.

Models

A block of baked brick with its joints

brick-block · Version 1.0.0 · Measured

Neo-BabylonianMesopotamiaBabylonianmaterial

1450 line segments, 720 faces

Herodotus says a mat lay every 30 courses; Koldewey found mats every 5 to 13 courses. Asphalt is the mortar the building inscriptions name.

Parameters
ParametersDefaultSource
brick cm33koldewey1914, The Kasr: whole bricks 33 by 33 cm, half bricks 33 by 16.5 cm
course cm8.33koldewey1914, The wall decorations: 24 courses to about 2 m (8.33 cm a course, derived)
joint cmkoldewey1914, The Ishtar Gate: joints of asphalt and mud, 1 to 1.5 cm
matEvery courseskoldewey1914, The Ishtar Gate: a reed mat in every fifth course, in wall w13
courses coursesillustrative
across bricksillustrative
deep bricksillustrative

Range

Sources: R. Koldewey, trans. A. S. Johns, The Excavations at Babylon, 1914, The Kasr. The ascent and Procession Street Verified · R. Koldewey, trans. A. S. Johns, The Excavations at Babylon, 1914, The Ishtar Gate Verified

JSON
{
 "model": "brick-block",
 "id": "my-brick-block",
 "label": "A block of baked brick with its joints",
 "brick": 33,
 "course": 8.33,
 "joint": 1.2,
 "matEvery": 5,
 "courses": 10,
 "across": 4,
 "deep": 2
}

Bridge on ship-shaped piers

bridge · Version 1.0.0 · Reconstructed

Neo-BabylonianMesopotamiaBabylonianbridge

149 line segments, 63 faces

Brick piers of 31 cm bricks laid in asphalt, with timber baulks in cavities, pointed against the current like a ship’s waterline. Seven river piers were excavated.

Parameters
ParametersDefaultSource
span m[[-280,150],[-157,150]]koldewey1914, The Euphrates bridge: 123 m as far as made out
pierWidth mkoldewey1914, The Euphrates bridge: piers 9 m wide
pierGap mkoldewey1914, The Euphrates bridge: placed 9 m apart
pierLength mkoldewey1914, The Euphrates bridge: pier lengths of 21 m
width millustrative roadway: Koldewey thinks the piers were much longer than the roadway was wide
h millustrative deck height

Sources: R. Koldewey, trans. A. S. Johns, The Excavations at Babylon, 1914, The Euphrates bridge Verified

JSON
{
 "model": "bridge",
 "id": "my-bridge",
 "label": "Bridge on ship-shaped piers",
 "span": [
  [
   -280,
   150
  ],
  [
   -157,
   150
  ]
 ],
 "pierWidth": 9,
 "pierGap": 9,
 "pierLength": 21,
 "width": 10,
 "h": 8
}

Inner double wall round a city, in plan

city-wall · Version 1.0.0 · Reconstructed

Neo-BabylonianMesopotamiaBabylonianfortification

1880 line segments, 770 faces

Thicknesses, the gap and the tower spacing are measured on the stretch east of Homera. The city outline, the heights and the moat width are illustrative.

Parameters
ParametersDefaultSource
rect m[-1250,-1300,900,1250]illustrative city outline
thickInner m6.5koldewey1914, The inner city wall: western wall 6.5 m thick
gap mkoldewey1914, The inner city wall: intermediate space 7.2 m
thickOuter m3.72koldewey1914, The inner city wall: eastern wall 3.72 m thick
towerStep mkoldewey1914, The inner city wall: towers at intervals of 18.1 m
towerWidth m9.5koldewey1914, The inner city wall: frontage 9.4 to 9.7 m
towerStepOuter m20.5koldewey1914, The inner city wall: eastern wall towers every 20.5 m
towerWidthOuter m5.1koldewey1914, The inner city wall: frontage 5.1 m
h millustrative: the height is not preserved
moat millustrative: a moat is attested, its width here is not

Sources: R. Koldewey, trans. A. S. Johns, The Excavations at Babylon, 1914, The inner city wall Verified · R. Koldewey, trans. A. S. Johns, The Excavations at Babylon, 1914, The moat wall of Imgur-Bel Verified

JSON
{
 "model": "city-wall",
 "id": "my-city-wall",
 "label": "Inner double wall round a city, in plan",
 "rect": [
  -1250,
  -1300,
  900,
  1250
 ],
 "thickInner": 6.5,
 "gap": 7.2,
 "thickOuter": 3.72,
 "towerStep": 18.1,
 "towerWidth": 9.5,
 "towerStepOuter": 20.5,
 "towerWidthOuter": 5.1,
 "h": 15,
 "moat": 50
}

Courtyard houses, a procedural field

courtyard-house · Version 1.0.0 · Illustrative

Neo-BabylonianMesopotamiaBabylonianhousing

384 line segments, 160 faces

Blocks of houses round courtyards, generated. The form follows the excavated houses of Merkes in general; no house is a record.

Parameters
ParametersDefaultSource
area m[300,-1230,880,1230]illustrative
block millustrative
street millustrative

Sources: R. Koldewey, trans. A. S. Johns, The Excavations at Babylon, 1914, Merkes; The great house in Merkes Verified

JSON
{
 "model": "courtyard-house",
 "id": "my-courtyard-house",
 "label": "Courtyard houses, a procedural field",
 "area": [
  300,
  -1230,
  880,
  1230
 ],
 "block": 46,
 "street": 9
}

Clay barrel cylinder with its text rows

cylinder-object · Version 1.0.0 · Reconstructed

AchaemenidMesopotamiaBabylonianinscribed object

3870 line segments, 320 faces

A barrel profile with the text in rows round it; the wedge marks are schematic, not the signs. Dimensions to verify against the museum’s record.

Parameters
ParametersDefaultSource
length cmbm: about 22.5 cm (to verify)
diameter cmbm: about 10 cm (to verify)
lines linescylinder translation: lines 1 to 45 (secondary)
fragmentB linecylinder translation: fragment B from line 36 (secondary)

Sources: The British Museum, The Cyrus Cylinder, BM 90920 (1880,0617.1941), collection record, 2026, collection record To verify · I. Finkel (ed.), The Cyrus Cylinder: The King of Persia’s Proclamation from Ancient Babylon, 2013, introduction To verify

JSON
{
 "model": "cylinder-object",
 "id": "my-cylinder-object",
 "label": "Clay barrel cylinder with its text rows",
 "length": 22.5,
 "diameter": 10,
 "lines": 45,
 "fragmentB": 36
}

Stone garden channel with basins

garden-channel · Version 1.0.0 · Illustrative

AchaemenidFarsPersiangarden

22 line segments, 5 faces

Cut-stone channels with basins at intervals, as at Pasargadae. Every size here is illustrative until checked against Stronach’s drawings.

Parameters
ParametersDefaultSource
width millustrative
depth millustrative
length millustrative
basinStep millustrative
basin millustrative

Sources: D. Stronach, Pasargadae, 1978, the garden and its channels To verify

JSON
{
 "model": "garden-channel",
 "id": "my-garden-channel",
 "label": "Stone garden channel with basins",
 "width": 0.25,
 "depth": 0.2,
 "length": 60,
 "basinStep": 14,
 "basin": 0.8
}

Inner double wall, a measured stretch with its section

inner-wall-section · Version 1.0.0 · Reconstructed

Neo-BabylonianMesopotamiaBabylonianfortification

148 line segments, 36 faces

Plan measures are Koldewey’s. The crests are dashed: the heights are not preserved. Mud bricks measure 32 cm square on the western wall and 33 cm on the eastern wall.

Parameters
ParametersDefaultSource
length millustrative stretch: about three tower intervals
walls m[{"id":"inner-west","label":"Western wall, mud brick, 6.5 m","x":0,"thick":6.5,"…koldewey1914, The inner city wall: thicknesses, gap 7.2 m, tower spacing, frontage and depth; heights illustrative
gapDim m[6.5,13.7]koldewey1914, The inner city wall: intermediate space 7.2 m

Sources: R. Koldewey, trans. A. S. Johns, The Excavations at Babylon, 1914, The inner city wall Verified

JSON
{
 "model": "inner-wall-section",
 "id": "my-inner-wall-section",
 "label": "Inner double wall, a measured stretch with its section",
 "length": 58,
 "walls": [
  {
   "id": "inner-west",
   "label": "Western wall, mud brick, 6.5 m",
   "x": 0,
   "thick": 6.5,
   "h": 14,
   "mat": "mud",
   "towers": {
    "step": 18.1,
    "front": 9.55,
    "depth": [
     11.4,
     8.06
    ],
    "out": 1,
    "depthSource": "Koldewey 1914"
   }
  },
  {
   "id": "inner-east",
   "label": "Eastern wall, mud brick, 3.72 m",
   "x": 13.7,
   "thick": 3.72,
   "h": 11,
   "mat": "mud",
   "towers": {
    "step": 20.5,
    "front": 5.1,
    "depth": [
     5.8
    ],
    "out": 1,
    "depthSource": "Koldewey 1914"
   }
  }
 ],
 "gapDim": [
  6.5,
  13.7
 ]
}

The Ishtar Gate: double gateway, wings and relief rows

ishtar-gate · Version 1.0.0 · Reconstructed

Neo-BabylonianMesopotamiaBabyloniangate

8459 line segments, 2066 faces

Measured: the double gateway, the wings and three entrances, the row module and the order of rows and techniques. Reconstructed: plan sizes and every height above the rows; Koldewey has little to guide the superstructure. Figures are schematic outlines, not tracings. Glazed rows are drawn in tone (black, white and red, decision D46); in Berlin’s reconstruction the ground is blue with yellow and white figures (to verify).

Parameters
ParametersDefaultSource
rowHeight mkoldewey1914, The wall decorations of bulls and dragons: 24 courses measure almost exactly 2 m
rows rowskoldewey1914, The wall decorations of bulls and dragons: 13 rows in the schema

Range

Sources: R. Koldewey, trans. A. S. Johns, The Excavations at Babylon, 1914, The Ishtar Gate Verified · R. Koldewey, trans. A. S. Johns, The Excavations at Babylon, 1914, The wall decorations of bulls and dragons Verified · J. Marzahn, The Ishtar Gate (Vorderasiatisches Museum Berlin), 1992, the reconstruction in Berlin To verify

JSON
{
 "model": "ishtar-gate",
 "id": "my-ishtar-gate",
 "label": "The Ishtar Gate: double gateway, wings and relief rows",
 "rowHeight": 2,
 "rows": 13
}

Outer wall with towers astride, in plan

outer-wall · Version 1.0.0 · Reconstructed

Neo-BabylonianMesopotamiaBabylonianfortification

222 line segments, 90 faces

The north-east front measures 4400 m; on the south-east the wall can be traced for 2 km (koldewey1914, The outer city walls). The course drawn here is illustrative.

Parameters
ParametersDefaultSource
pts m[[900,-1700],[2100,-450],[2100,650],[900,1650]]illustrative course
h millustrative: the height is not preserved
towerStep mkoldewey1914, The outer city walls: towers 52.5 m apart, centre to centre
towerWidth m8.37koldewey1914, The outer city walls: towers 8.37 m wide

Range

Sources: R. Koldewey, trans. A. S. Johns, The Excavations at Babylon, 1914, The outer city walls Verified

JSON
{
 "model": "outer-wall",
 "id": "my-outer-wall",
 "label": "Outer wall with towers astride, in plan",
 "pts": [
  [
   900,
   -1700
  ],
  [
   2100,
   -450
  ],
  [
   2100,
   650
  ],
  [
   900,
   1650
  ]
 ],
 "h": 12,
 "towerStep": 52.5,
 "towerWidth": 8.37
}

Outer wall, a stretch with its section

outer-wall-section · Version 1.0.0 · Reconstructed

Neo-BabylonianMesopotamiaBabylonianfortification

229 line segments, 19 faces

On the crown ran a road wide enough for a team of four horses, by Koldewey’s reading of the classical writers. Tower projection and every height are illustrative.

Parameters
ParametersDefaultSource
length millustrative stretch: two tower intervals
walls m[{"id":"outer-mud","label":"Wall of mud brick, 7 m","x":0,"thick":7,"h":13,"mat"…koldewey1914, The outer city walls: 7 m, about 12 m apart, 7.8 m, moat wall 3.3 m, towers 8.37 m wide every 52.5 m; heights illustrative
fill m[7,19,12]koldewey1914, The outer city walls: the space between was filled with rubble, a road ran on the crown
fosse m{"x":36,"label":"The moat lay in front; its far side was not yet found"}koldewey1914, The outer city walls

Sources: R. Koldewey, trans. A. S. Johns, The Excavations at Babylon, 1914, The outer city walls Verified

JSON
{
 "model": "outer-wall-section",
 "id": "my-outer-wall-section",
 "label": "Outer wall, a stretch with its section",
 "length": 110,
 "walls": [
  {
   "id": "outer-mud",
   "label": "Wall of mud brick, 7 m",
   "x": 0,
   "thick": 7,
   "h": 13,
   "mat": "mud",
   "towers": {
    "step": 52.5,
    "front": 8.37,
    "depth": [
     11
    ],
    "astride": true,
    "depthSource": "projection illustrative"
   }
  },
  {
   "id": "outer-baked",
   "label": "Wall of baked brick, 7.8 m",
   "x": 19,
   "thick": 7.8,
   "h": 12,
   "mat": "baked"
  },
  {
   "id": "outer-fosse",
   "label": "Moat wall of baked brick, 3.3 m",
   "x": 26.8,
   "thick": 3.3,
   "h": 5,
   "mat": "baked"
  }
 ],
 "fill": [
  7,
  19,
  12
 ],
 "fosse": {
  "x": 36,
  "label": "The moat lay in front; its far side was not yet found"
 }
}

Palace with courts in a row

palace-hall · Version 1.0.0 · Illustrative

Neo-BabylonianMesopotamiaBabylonianpalace

37 line segments, 6 faces

The Southern Citadel is drawn as a block of courts in a row. Its throne room, 17 by 52 m with walls 6 m thick on the longest side (koldewey1914), is not drawn separately yet.

Parameters
ParametersDefaultSource
size m[300,14,190]illustrative overall
courts courtsillustrative

Sources: R. Koldewey, trans. A. S. Johns, The Excavations at Babylon, 1914, The Southern Citadel Verified · R. Koldewey, trans. A. S. Johns, The Excavations at Babylon, 1914, The principal court of the Southern Citadel Verified

JSON
{
 "model": "palace-hall",
 "id": "my-palace-hall",
 "label": "Palace with courts in a row",
 "size": [
  300,
  14,
  190
 ],
 "courts": 5
}

Processional Way between walls

processional-way · Version 1.0.0 · Reconstructed

Neo-BabylonianMesopotamiaBabylonianroad

55 line segments, 0 faces

North of the gate the street ran between two walls with towers; their two friezes of 180 m carried about 120 lions, 60 a side (koldewey1914).

Parameters
ParametersDefaultSource
pts m[[250,-1350],[250,-700],[230,-350],[230,600]]illustrative course
width millustrative

Sources: R. Koldewey, trans. A. S. Johns, The Excavations at Babylon, 1914, The Kasr. The ascent and Procession Street Verified · R. Koldewey, trans. A. S. Johns, The Excavations at Babylon, 1914, The Procession Street south of the Ishtar Gate Verified

JSON
{
 "model": "processional-way",
 "id": "my-processional-way",
 "label": "Processional Way between walls",
 "pts": [
  [
   250,
   -1350
  ],
  [
   250,
   -700
  ],
  [
   230,
   -350
  ],
  [
   230,
   600
  ]
 ],
 "width": 20
}

River with banks

river · Version 1.0.0 · Illustrative

Neo-BabylonianMesopotamiaBabylonianwater

8 line segments, 0 faces

The Euphrates has changed its course since antiquity; the course drawn here is illustrative.

Parameters
ParametersDefaultSource
pts m[[-260,-1500],[-180,-700],[-230,0],[-170,700],[-240,1500]]illustrative course
width millustrative

Sources: R. Koldewey, trans. A. S. Johns, The Excavations at Babylon, 1914, The Euphrates and its course Verified

JSON
{
 "model": "river",
 "id": "my-river",
 "label": "River with banks",
 "pts": [
  [
   -260,
   -1500
  ],
  [
   -180,
   -700
  ],
  [
   -230,
   0
  ],
  [
   -170,
   700
  ],
  [
   -240,
   1500
  ]
 ],
 "width": 140
}

Clay tablet with ruled lines

tablet · Version 1.0.0 · Illustrative

AchaemenidMesopotamiaBabylonianinscribed object

398 line segments, 23 faces

A generic tablet. Sizes are illustrative, not those of any one tablet.

Parameters
ParametersDefaultSource
size cm[8,10,2.5]illustrative
lines linesillustrative
broken flagtrueillustrative

Sources: I. Finkel (ed.), The Cyrus Cylinder: The King of Persia’s Proclamation from Ancient Babylon, 2013, the tablet copies of the text To verify

JSON
{
 "model": "tablet",
 "id": "my-tablet",
 "label": "Clay tablet with ruled lines",
 "size": [
  8,
  10,
  2.5
 ],
 "lines": 12,
 "broken": true
}

Temple with a court and a forecourt (Esagila)

temple-court · Version 1.0.0 · Reconstructed

Neo-BabylonianMesopotamiaBabyloniantemple

128 line segments, 52 faces

The plan of the main building and its court is measured, reached by deep shafts and galleries 21 m below the hill of Amran. Heights and the annex are illustrative.

Parameters
ParametersDefaultSource
main m[79.3,85.8]koldewey1914, Esagila: northern front 79.3 m, western front 85.8 m
court m[31.3,37.6]koldewey1914, Esagila: court 31.3 m broad, 37.6 m long
fore m[116,103]illustrative: the western annex, only its circuit recovered

Sources: R. Koldewey, trans. A. S. Johns, The Excavations at Babylon, 1914, Esagila, the temple of Marduk Verified

JSON
{
 "model": "temple-court",
 "id": "my-temple-court",
 "label": "Temple with a court and a forecourt (Esagila)",
 "main": [
  79.3,
  85.8
 ],
 "court": [
  31.3,
  37.6
 ],
 "fore": [
  116,
  103
 ]
}

Stylised mountain relief

terrain-patch · Version 1.0.0 · Illustrative

anyZagrosanyterrain

A stand-in until an elevation model is approved (feeds/sources.json, copernicus-dem-glo90). It draws only on map sets, so it has no preview of its own.

Parameters
ParametersDefaultSource
axis deg[[44.6,36.6],[56.4,27.6]]illustrative
width deg2.4illustrative
ridges ridges4illustrative
height units45illustrative

Sources: Natural Earth, Natural Earth 1:50m and 1:110m, 2024, coastlines only; the relief is not elevation data Verified

JSON
{
 "model": "terrain-patch",
 "id": "my-terrain-patch",
 "label": "Stylised mountain relief",
 "axis": [
  [
   44.6,
   36.6
  ],
  [
   56.4,
   27.6
  ]
 ],
 "width": 2.4,
 "ridges": 4,
 "height": 45
}

Stepped plinth with a gabled chamber

tomb-plinth · Version 1.0.0 · Reconstructed

AchaemenidFarsPersiantomb

247 line segments, 46 faces

Proportions after Stronach, to verify against the measured drawings.

Parameters
ParametersDefaultSource
base m[13.35,12.3]stronach1978 (to verify)
steps stepsstronach1978 (to verify)
chamber m[6.4,5.35,2.1]stronach1978 (to verify)
roofH millustrative

Sources: D. Stronach, Pasargadae, 1978, ch. 2, the tomb of Cyrus To verify

JSON
{
 "model": "tomb-plinth",
 "id": "my-tomb-plinth",
 "label": "Stepped plinth with a gabled chamber",
 "base": [
  13.35,
  12.3
 ],
 "steps": 6,
 "chamber": [
  6.4,
  5.35,
  2.1
 ],
 "roofH": 3.3
}

Temple tower with stairs and precinct (Etemenanki)

ziggurat · Version 1.0.0 · Reconstructed

Neo-BabylonianMesopotamiaBabyloniantemple tower

172 line segments, 42 faces

Drawn after the Esagila tablet as Smith read it. Koldewey warns not to attach great importance to the stage figures, knows of no safe ground for stepped terraces, and writes that the complete height is not known.

Parameters
ParametersDefaultSource
levels m[[91,91,33],[79,79,18],[61,61,6],[52,52,6],[43,43,6],[33,33,6],[24,21,15]]koldewey1914, Appendix, Smith’s Esagila tablet: stages of 15, 13, 10, 8.5, 7 and 5.5 gar, heights 5.5, 3 and 1 gar; top 4 by 3.5 by 2.5 gar; 1 gar taken as about 6.1 m (Smith’s 20 feet)
temenos m[400,400]illustrative precinct
alt m[{"h":50,"label":"About 50 m: the stair's height, from the length of its foundat…koldewey1914, The peribolos of Etemenanki

Range

Sources: R. Koldewey, trans. A. S. Johns, The Excavations at Babylon, 1914, The peribolos of Etemenanki. The tower of Babel Verified · R. Koldewey, trans. A. S. Johns, The Excavations at Babylon, 1914, Appendix: Smith’s Esagila tablet Verified · A. R. George, The Tower of Babel: Archaeology, History and Cuneiform Texts, Archiv für Orientforschung 51, 2006, the Esagila tablet To verify

JSON
{
 "model": "ziggurat",
 "id": "my-ziggurat",
 "label": "Temple tower with stairs and precinct (Etemenanki)",
 "levels": [
  [
   91,
   91,
   33
  ],
  [
   79,
   79,
   18
  ],
  [
   61,
   61,
   6
  ],
  [
   52,
   52,
   6
  ],
  [
   43,
   43,
   6
  ],
  [
   33,
   33,
   6
  ],
  [
   24,
   21,
   15
  ]
 ],
 "temenos": [
  400,
  400
 ],
 "alt": [
  {
   "h": 50,
   "label": "About 50 m: the stair's height, from the length of its foundations (Koldewey)"
  }
 ]
}

Camera paths

orbit-reveal

orbit-reveal

JSON
{
 "persp": false,
 "keys": [
  {
   "u": 0,
   "yaw": -0.5,
   "pitch": 0.15,
   "size": 1.35
  },
  {
   "u": 1,
   "yaw": 0.6,
   "pitch": 0,
   "size": 1
  }
 ]
}

crane-up

crane-up

JSON
{
 "persp": false,
 "keys": [
  {
   "u": 0,
   "yaw": 0,
   "pitch": -0.45,
   "size": 0.85
  },
  {
   "u": 1,
   "yaw": 0.15,
   "pitch": 0.25,
   "size": 1.1
  }
 ]
}

dolly-in

dolly-in

JSON
{
 "persp": true,
 "keys": [
  {
   "u": 0,
   "yaw": -0.15,
   "pitch": 0,
   "size": 1.6
  },
  {
   "u": 1,
   "yaw": 0.1,
   "pitch": -0.05,
   "size": 0.85
  }
 ]
}

fly-through-gate

fly-through-gate

JSON
{
 "persp": true,
 "keys": [
  {
   "u": 0,
   "yaw": 3.1416,
   "pitch": 0.16,
   "size": 0.9,
   "shift": [
    0,
    0,
    -0.9
   ],
   "abs": true
  },
  {
   "u": 0.55,
   "yaw": 3.1416,
   "pitch": 0.08,
   "size": 0.45,
   "shift": [
    0,
    -0.05,
    -0.25
   ],
   "abs": true
  },
  {
   "u": 1,
   "yaw": 3.1416,
   "pitch": 0.06,
   "size": 0.3,
   "shift": [
    0,
    -0.05,
    0.35
   ],
   "abs": true
  }
 ]
}

section-sweep

section-sweep

JSON
{
 "persp": false,
 "keys": [
  {
   "u": 0,
   "yaw": 0.6,
   "pitch": -0.25,
   "size": 1,
   "section": 1
  },
  {
   "u": 1,
   "yaw": 0.6,
   "pitch": -0.25,
   "size": 1,
   "section": 0.5
  }
 ]
}

exploded-reveal

exploded-reveal

JSON
{
 "persp": false,
 "keys": [
  {
   "u": 0,
   "yaw": -0.2,
   "pitch": 0,
   "size": 1,
   "explode": 0
  },
  {
   "u": 1,
   "yaw": 0.2,
   "pitch": 0.05,
   "size": 1.2,
   "explode": 1
  }
 ]
}

map-zoom

map-zoom

JSON
{
 "persp": false,
 "keys": [
  {
   "u": 0,
   "yaw": 0,
   "pitch": 0,
   "size": 2.2
  },
  {
   "u": 1,
   "yaw": 0.1,
   "pitch": 0,
   "size": 1
  }
 ]
}

turntable

turntable

JSON
{
 "persp": false,
 "keys": [
  {
   "u": 0,
   "yaw": -0.6,
   "pitch": 0,
   "size": 1
  },
  {
   "u": 1,
   "yaw": 0.9,
   "pitch": 0,
   "size": 1
  }
 ]
}

hold

hold

JSON
{
 "persp": false,
 "keys": [
  {
   "u": 0,
   "yaw": 0,
   "pitch": 0,
   "size": 1
  },
  {
   "u": 1,
   "yaw": 0.05,
   "pitch": 0,
   "size": 0.96
  }
 ]
}

Build-up recipes

city-from-ground

city-from-ground

JSON
[
 [
  "ground",
  "river"
 ],
 [
  "walls"
 ],
 [
  "ways",
  "buildings"
 ],
 [
  "houses"
 ]
]

object-then-detail

object-then-detail

JSON
[
 [
  "object"
 ],
 [
  "detail"
 ],
 [
  "section"
 ]
]

map-then-spheres

map-then-spheres

JSON
[
 [
  "coast",
  "rivers",
  "relief"
 ],
 [
  "spheres"
 ],
 [
  "places",
  "routes"
 ]
]

Period kits

Achaemenid Iran (6th to 4th century BCE)

achaemenid · Version 1.0.0

Stepped plinth with a gabled chamber · Clay barrel cylinder with its text rows · Clay tablet with ruled lines · Stone garden channel with basins · Stylised mountain relief

  • limestone ashlar with metal clamps
  • baked clay (cylinders)

Sources: D. Stronach, Pasargadae, 1978 To verify · I. Finkel (ed.), The Cyrus Cylinder: The King of Persia’s Proclamation from Ancient Babylon, 2013 To verify · The British Museum, The Cyrus Cylinder, BM 90920 (1880,0617.1941), collection record, 2026 To verify

Elamite (forming)

elamite · Version 0.1.0 · In preparation

Median (forming)

median · Version 0.1.0 · In preparation

Mesopotamia, Neo-Babylonian (7th to 6th century BCE)

neo-babylonian · Version 1.0.0

Inner double wall round a city, in plan · Outer wall with towers astride, in plan · Inner double wall, a measured stretch with its section · Outer wall, a stretch with its section · The Ishtar Gate: double gateway, wings and relief rows · Temple tower with stairs and precinct (Etemenanki) · Temple with a court and a forecourt (Esagila) · Courtyard houses, a procedural field · River with banks · Bridge on ship-shaped piers · Processional Way between walls · Palace with courts in a row · A block of baked brick with its joints

  • mud brick: 32 to 33 cm square (Koldewey 1914, The inner city wall)
  • baked brick: 33 by 33 cm whole, 33 by 16.5 cm half (The Kasr); 31 cm in the bridge
  • asphalt and mud joints of 1 to 1.5 cm, a reed mat every 5 to 13 courses (The Ishtar Gate)
  • glazed and moulded brick reliefs on a blue ground (The Kasr; The wall decorations)
  • limestone flags and breccia slabs on the Procession Street

Sources: R. Koldewey, trans. A. S. Johns, The Excavations at Babylon, 1914 Verified · O. Pedersén, Babylon: The Great City, 2021 To verify · A. R. George, The Tower of Babel: Archaeology, History and Cuneiform Texts, Archiv für Orientforschung 51, 2006 To verify · J. Marzahn, The Ishtar Gate (Vorderasiatisches Museum Berlin), 1992 To verify

Templates

hub

hub

JSON
{
 "id": "",
 "title": "",
 "lede": "",
 "notice": "Illustrative reconstruction, not a survey. Positions and sizes are approximate unless a dimension names its source.",
 "status": "review",
 "lang": "en",
 "checked": "",
 "sources": {},
 "layers": {},
 "props": {},
 "sets": [],
 "chapters": []
}

chapter

chapter

JSON
{
 "id": "",
 "title": "",
 "lede": "",
 "period": "",
 "sets": [],
 "scenes": []
}

scene

scene

JSON
{
 "id": "",
 "title": "",
 "caption": "",
 "explainer": [
  ""
 ],
 "science": [],
 "sources": [
  {
   "id": "",
   "loc": ""
  }
 ],
 "narration": "",
 "durationMs": 20000,
 "camera": {
  "set": "",
  "path": "orbit-reveal",
  "target": [],
  "layers": [],
  "reveal": []
 }
}

science

science

JSON
{
 "kind": "how-we-know | measure | materials | debate",
 "title": "",
 "text": "",
 "sources": [
  {
   "id": "",
   "loc": ""
  }
 ]
}

Images

No image is displayed. Every drawing is computed from data.