Koldewey

Koldewey is a German surname. The most prominent bearer is Robert Koldewey (1855–1925), a German architect and archaeologist who directed the Babylon excavations for the German Archaeological Institute. Beginning in 1899, his field campaigns sought to uncover and document the ancient city of Babylon, one of the great centers of Mesopotamian civilization.

Under Koldewey’s leadership, the excavations yielded extensive remains of Babylon’s monumental architecture and urban layout. Notable discoveries included sections of the Processional Way and portions of the Ishtar Gate, as well as extensive evidence of the city’s gates, walls, and public buildings. The work contributed to a more systematic approach to archaeological field methods, emphasizing careful recording, stratigraphic excavation, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Koldewey’s efforts helped shape understanding of ancient Mesopotamian urbanism, architecture, and daily life, providing a foundation for subsequent scholarship on Babylon and the broader region. His legacy in archaeology is often cited for advancing methodological practices as well as for producing substantive historical insights into one of antiquity’s most famous cities.