55 - CHAMPDOR (Albert). — Babylon and Mesopotamia.

CHAMPDOR (Albert). — Babylon and Mesopotamia. Paris, Éditions Albert Guillot, 1953. “Les Hauts Lieux de l'Histoire” series, No. 2. Large quarto, approximately 32 × 24 cm, 162 pp. and supplementary folios, publisher’s binding in full gray cloth, title stamped on the cover, with a color-illustrated dust jacket. An important monograph devoted to Babylon and the civilizations of Mesopotamia, written by Albert Champdor (1904–1999), writer, Orientalist, and director of the “Les Hauts Lieux de l’Histoire” series. The book was published in 1953 and constitutes the second volume of this ambitious historical and archaeological series. The author successively discusses the major sites and civilizations of ancient Mesopotamia, the cities of Babylon and Nineveh, the Assyrian and Babylonian kingdoms, their monuments, beliefs, arts, and archaeological discoveries. The book combines views of the sites from the early 20th century, archaeological documents, and reproductions of the major works preserved in museums. It features a wealth of photographic illustrations, with contemporary bibliographies listing 142 photographs—8 of which are in color—some of which are full-page and run outside the text. The plates reproduce, in particular, bas-reliefs, sculptures, clay tablets, and glazed bricks; the famous Mesopotamian decorative pieces in the Louvre, including the winged griffin of Susa, are among the color plates. A review published as early as 1953 specifically highlights the quality of these reproductions and the care taken with the illustrations. A fine copy preserved in its original illustrated dust jacket, which is a notable feature of this volume. The dust jacket is slightly faded, with a few creases, small tears, and scuffing along the edges and flaps; the binding and interior are in good overall condition.