This engraving by Coenraet Decker appeared as a fold-out in Athanasius Kircher's final book, Turris Babel (1679). The Jesuit scholar argued that the Tower was constructed by descendants of Ham, the son of Noah whose offspring God had cursed, and that, having descended from the mountains of Ararat, they sought a high place of refuge as protection against attack or divine retribution. The spiral design of the Tower is reminiscent of the archaeological remains of Mesopotamian temple towers. .