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History glossary

Tower of Babel

a biblical story about a great tower and the confusion of languages, often associated with Babylon.

Category
Biblical tradition
Region
Associated with Babylon, modern Iraq

What it means

The Tower of Babel is a story in Genesis about people building a tower toward heaven before their languages are confused. Historians often connect the story's setting with Babylon and possibly with memories of large Mesopotamian ziggurats such as Etemenanki.

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