While in the Country of Iraq, I had the privilege of visiting this ancient Ziggurat. It is located in modern day Aqar Quf. As I approached it, I was in awe of its massive size.
You are looking at part of the temple and palace area. Several restoration projects have been attempted but not totally finished.
One of the best explainations of what a Ziggurat is found on Wikipedia. It says that “The Ziggurat of Dur-Kurigalzu(ancient name) was built in the 14th century BC by the Kassite king Kurigalzu.[4] The core of the structure consists of sun-dried square bricks. The reed mats are actually every 7 layers of brick, as stated, used for drainage and to assist in holding the bricks together by providing a continuous layer of support. The outer layers of the ziggurat are made from fired bricks. An inscription on one of the fired bricks states that it was laid during the reign of King Kurigalzu II. Today both types of brick, sun-dried and fired, are still made in Iraq in the same fashion and used in farm houses.
The ziggurat at Aqar Quf has been a very visible ancient monument for centuries. For camel caravans and modern road traffic, the ziggurat has served as a signal of the near approach to Baghdad. The site has been one of the favorite places where Baghdadi families have gone to picnic on Fridays, even before it was excavated. A small museum, built in the 1960s, has served to introduce visitors to the site. The structure needs renovation, however.
Because of Aqar Quf's easy accessibility and close proximity to the city of Baghdad, it has been one of Iraq's most visited and best known sites. Its ziggurat has been an outstanding monument for centuries, often confused with the Tower of Babel by Western visitors in the area from the 17th century onwards.”
During excavations in the 1940's, over 100 cuneiform tablets from the Kassite period were found. The National Museum of Iraq has them on display.
I was tempted to stick my hand inside one of these holes but I was too worried about the scorpions that frequent dark spaces.
Not only is this an ancient monument, it also doubles as a play ground for this local Iraqi child.
Thank you for taking this journey with me to this wonderful treasure of Iraq. JN