The Wall Street Journal – We all used to visit museum shows about antiquity to feast our eyes on gorgeous objects and imagine the cultural wealth of, say, ancient Egypt, Greece or Rome. These days, curators are increasingly changing and deepening the experience. The Institute for the Study of the Ancient World’s latest show, “A Wonder To Behold: Craftsmanship and the Creation of Babylon’s Ishtar Gate,” uses 118 illustrative objects from top museums around the world to profile the celebrated monument from multiple angles, from its construction and ritualistic purpose to its ultimate excavation and near-miraculous re-creation.
