From Babylon to Boney M ...

THE reality behind the legends of Babylon are revealed in a new exhibition at the British Museum.

The Tower of Babel did exist, but details of the Hanging Gardens are sketchy. King, Nebuchadnezzar never did go mad. And the whore of Babylon was a metaphor for eastern decadence deployed by Greek historians such as Herodotus.

The exhibition, pictured left, focuses on the city at the height of its power under Nebuchadnezzar from 605-562BC. As well as treasures from the site it features artworks that show how the city has inspired people right up to the present - from J M W Turner to Verdi to Boney M.

The curators hope to further the cause of making Babylon, badly damaged during the Iraq war, a World Heritage Site.

The show opens on Thursday and runs until 15 March, with admission charge.