I chose the topic Ziggurat of Ur because I knew absolutely nothing about Ziggurats and had no idea where Ur was located. I figured since I'm back in college after a decade, I'd try and learn some new things. That's what college is all about , right folks ? So, here's what I found.

A ziggurat is a rectangular tiered temple mound erected by ancient Babylonians. Ziggurat is the moderm term derived from the Akkadian word ziggurratu.  It is made of mud-brick and stone. By the third milleniun builders had mastered building techniques.Ziggurats are similar to pyramids because they have stair-stepped shape and temple tops. Ur is a Sumerian city in southern Iraq.Ur is identified in the bible as the home of Abraham.  Ur is in a channel of the Euphrates River. The first serious excavations at Ur were made after World War I by H.R. Hall of the British Museum. Followed was  Mr Leonard Woolley led the well published excavations between 1922 and 1934. An ur is a "tell" , which is an artificial mound containing remains of accumulated habitants. Woolley's excavations gave the world much information about Ur, mostly about the walls, tombs, houses and religious center. Woolley's work greatly expanded our knowledge of Mesopotamian history. There is some evidence that the occupation of Ur ended with a flood, which was one described in Genesis in the Bible. The excavations further showed that the architects were familiar with columns, arches, vaults and domes.

The Ziggurat of Ur was the first known structure of its kind anywhere in the world. It was constructed approximately at the time of (2112-2095 B.C.). It was constructed under the direction of King Ur-Nammu. Ur-Nammu directed the construction of ziggurats in the cities of Eridu, Uruk and Nippur.Nanna is the moon god, who was the patron deity and divine king of Ur.Discoveries at other sites have supplemented the unusually full record obtained from the excavations at Ur. Knowledge of the peoples life, history business and art is now fairly complete and remarkably detailed.

It is one of the few examples of these type of ancient structures to remain standing today.

Many ziggurats have seven tiers. The seven tiers are thought to represent the seven known planets or seven heavens.The ziggurat is the most enduring symbol of the Mesopotamian era. The ziggurat was a striking marker of human impact on the landscape of southern Iraq. They are monuments of their kings as well as to the combined labor forces of the time.

The Ziggurat of Ur was basically the center for many community activities such as religion,economy and government. Excavations have revealed storerooms, courtyards,other buildings and a shrine. Excavations have also revealed massive treasures of gold, silver, bronze and semiprecious stones. The Ziggurat of Ur is thought to be what is referred to in the biblical story of the Tower of Babel.Unlike Egyptian pyramids, ziggurats were never tomb buildings. So far , archaeologists have found the remains of thirty-two ziggurats in and around the Mesopotamian plains. Ancient Mesopotamians were the first to build canal systems, create glass, produce wheeled war machines as well as recipes for perfume, beer, dyes and medicine.

My personal reaction to the Ziggurat of Ur was true amazement. It encompassed so many variations of things that are taken for granted in the world today. Noone gives a second thought to columns or canals or glass. The sheer size of the structure must have taken thousands of people years to construct. That is fantastic to know thaat so many people could work together so long for a common project. Its refreshing to know people did things for each other rather than just themselves in the times of 2100 B.C.

The ziggurat was an icon of the community at the time. It was the center of activity for its people. It was used very frequently and was the most significant structure in the area. Judging by the detail of what was found in the excavations of Woolley and Hall, it contained items relevant to religion,art,science,industry and government.

The Ziggurat of Ur compares specifically to other works of its type and time in that it was the FIRST.