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Carole maintains the popular ancient history photo-blog Following Hadrian, where she travels the world in the footsteps of emperor Hadrian.
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Raddato, C. (2019, May 17). Chogha Zanbil Ziggurat, Iran.Ancient History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.ancient.eu/image/10669/
Chicago Style
Raddato, Carole. 'Chogha Zanbil Ziggurat, Iran.'Ancient History Encyclopedia. Last modified May 17, 2019.https://www.ancient.eu/image/10669/.
MLA Style
Raddato, Carole. 'Chogha Zanbil Ziggurat, Iran.'Ancient History Encyclopedia. Ancient History Encyclopedia, 17 May 2019. Web. 17 Apr 2020.
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A ziggurat is a structure which takes the form of a terraced pyramid, with a flat platform at its apex. Ziggurats can be found scattered across lands once occupied by Mesopotamian civilizations, and also in parts of Mesoamerica. These mammoth structures are quite remarkable, when one considers that the people who built them did not have access to modern architectural, engineering, and construction tools, and they are fascinating sites to visit and study.
Some people believe that the Mesopotamian ziggurat served as the model for the Egyptian pyramid, and this is certainly possible. In some cases, parts of ziggurats were even covered with smooth facing, causing them to closely resemble pyramids, but they also featured stairs and ramps for access, and the platform on top typically housed a temple, as ziggurats were used as places of worship, rather than burial.
From archaeological evidence, historians surmise that the Sumerians and Babylonians viewed ziggurats as homes of the gods, and access to them appears to have been restricted to priests and other religious officials. These officials cared for the ziggurat and made offerings to the god it housed, holding various ceremonies to honor the gods and ask them to help the community. These massive temple towers were typically enclosed in large complexes with space to house priests, sacrificial animals, and an extensive support staff.
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