Ziggurat
Ziggurat is a temple tower with pyramidal steps that is characteristic of major Mesopotamian cities from 2200 – 500 B.C.E. It is considered one of the most distinctive architectural inventions. They were created as a home for the city’s patron god or goddess. The ziggurat served as the heart of the city. Traditionally, the construction of ziggurats was first started by the Sumerians; however, civilizations such as the Akkadians, Babylonians, and Assyrians also built them.Superscript:
¹ Symbolically, the rising pyramid structure of the ziggurat may have been done to represent the mountains from which the Sumerians descended.² The ziggurat was built with a mud brick core, with an exterior primarily covered in baked bricks. The bottom was the broadest part, and it was shaped like a pyramid, consisting of two to seven tiers. Each tier was smaller than the one beneath it. The base of the ziggurat was square in shape. There was a flat surface at the top of the ziggurat, which consisted of a shrine to the god. It was located at the top to be as close to the heavens as possible. This area was for priests only to visit for the performance of sacrifices and other rituals. There were usually steps leading to the top for the priests to use for access.³ The ancient Near Eastern ziggurat has four sides, usually averaging 170 feet square at the base. The ziggurat was constructed of sun-dried bricks in all of the interior areas, with the out-facing walls consisting of glazed-fired weather resistant bricks.⁴ Each tier of the building was glazed to a different color. It did not consist ordinarily of many internal chambers. The terraces and sloping sides were landscaped with shrubs and trees. There are few remains from the ziggurats constructed during the Neo-Sumerian period because the sun-dried bricks were not durable to withstand the weather conditions of the area.⁵ Ziggurats were one part of a set of buildings or temples which were devoted to taking care of the gods. It also served as an economic center for the city, employing hundreds or thousands of people. It was considered a sacred ground in the city. The ziggurat contained an altar and a statue to the god. |
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Original drawing of ziggurat by Emily Naghshpour
"Ziggurat" Ancient Mesopotamia for Kids. Accessed December 9, 2018. https://mesopotamia.mrdonn.org/ziggurats.html.
"Ziggurat" Ancient Mesopotamia for Kids. Accessed December 9, 2018. https://mesopotamia.mrdonn.org/ziggurats.html.
Image of The Great Ziggurat of Ur
"The Great Ziggurat of Ur" 2014. Ancient Origins. Accessed November 21, 2018. https://www.ancient-origins.net/ancient-places-asia/great-ziggurat-ur-001767.
"The Great Ziggurat of Ur" 2014. Ancient Origins. Accessed November 21, 2018. https://www.ancient-origins.net/ancient-places-asia/great-ziggurat-ur-001767.
¹Marian Moffett, Michael W. Fazio, and Lawrence Wodehouse, A World History of Architecture,
(London: Laurence King, 2003) 16.
²Ibid, 17.
³Ibid, 18.
⁴Ibid, 15.
⁵Ibid, 18.l
(London: Laurence King, 2003) 16.
²Ibid, 17.
³Ibid, 18.
⁴Ibid, 15.
⁵Ibid, 18.l