Early explorers ventured into the land of “Arabian Nights” seeking adventure, fame, prestige, honor, glory, knowledge, trinkets, and a certain elusive tower. The 20th century brought forth a new breed of explorer, as much bent on returning souvenirs to their homeland as ascertaining the intricacies of a distant, ancient civilization. Expecting to find an ancient structure, they looked for signs of sheer antiquity. Such was not to be seen, however, Assyrian king Sennacherib sacked Babylon during the seventh century BC, destroying the city and the famous tower, dumping the bricks in a canal.