Sumerian Babylonian Assyrian Persian Egyptian Iraq, Iran, Egypt 3500 BCE - 331 BCE.
Sumerian Ziggurats (Assyrian word “zigguratu”= height)
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Transcript of Sumerian Ziggurats (Assyrian word “zigguratu”= height)
Sumerian ZigguratsSumerian Ziggurats
(Assyrian word “zigguratu”= height)(Assyrian word “zigguratu”= height)
General Appearance General Appearance • This was the largest and most important building
located in the center of each Sumerian city. Sumerians believed it was the home of the city’s patron god.
• It was built on a platform called a parraku, designed to dominate the horizon and also to provide protection from floods. Most temples were built on the remnants of older temples that were destroyed or expanded with the city’s population or wealth.
• Each king would add on to the temple with numerous stairways leading to different levels.
*The Ziggurat of Ur was on a platform 200’ long, 150’ wide, and rose 70 feet above the plain.
Building Materials Building Materials • In early Sumer it was made of rectangular mud
bricks because they didn’t have stone or timber.
• It was decorated with clay cones which were dipped into red, black or buff paint and then inserted into the plaster to form zigzags or geometric designs.
• Weep holes were square or rectangular shaped holes placed at different levels in the temple to provide drainage.
Weep Holes
Stairs to levels
Mud Bricks
The Use of the Temple The Use of the Temple • The main purpose of the ziggurat was to have a
place of respect and worship for the gods. Sumerians believed blind obedience and constant gifts and sacrifices would give them protection and success on earth.
• Inside every ziggurat was a rectangular central shrine called a cella, for the god’s emblem or statue.
• In front of the statue was an altar, a mud brick table for offerings to the god.
Cella
Statue of god
In the highest story, visited only by the most important priests, these were done
• The god was served regular meals of fish, mutton, honey, beer and cake.
• The god communicated his wishes to the priests.
• The god received sacrifices.
The temple supplied employment.
• administration (priests)
• maintenance (musicians, singers, hierodules “temple slaves”)
It served as a center for commercial activity
• Food storage and distribution
• Marketplace, trading of goods
• Celebrations
Draw an example of a Sumerian Ziggurat below.