Alexander Hislop's memorable work, wherein he theorizes that the Catholic church is a covert continuation of the ancient Babylonian belief systems, offers a colorful interpretation of pagan traditions. This edition includes the original drawings.

From the outset, Hislop claims to have unearthed proof that the papal office is a refined, veiled presentation of Babylonian worship. Specifically, the hunter Nimrod and his wife are the actual influencer of Catholicism, rather than Christ and Christian beliefs. In support of his hypothesis, Hislop attaches more than sixty drawings comparing Babylonian idols and aesthetics with those adopted by the Catholic creed - these, say Hislop, prove that the church is not an authentic organization which supports God or Jehovah, but a systematically pagan outfit.

Today, Hislop's claims are generally considered as lacking in value or veracity by most scholars and theologians, with Hislop's interpretations of Babylonian culture and lore dismissed as inaccurate and fanciful.