Ziggurat of Ashur — ziggurat
Ashur · Qalat Sherqat, Iraq · Old, Middle and Neo-Assyrian periods, 2nd–1st millennium BCE; the main construction is that of Shamshi-Adad I, c. 1808–1776 BCE
The ancient capital of Assyria on the Tigris. The ziggurat of the god Ashur stood in the sacred quarter above the river. The monument has suffered from erosion and wars; it belongs to the northern type, associated with the citadel.
Dossier
- Type: Assyrian
- Ancient city: Ashur
- Modern location: Qalat Sherqat, Iraq
- Deity: Ashur
- Dating: Old, Middle and Neo-Assyrian periods, 2nd–1st millennium BCE; the main construction is that of Shamshi-Adad I, c. 1808–1776 BCE
- Builders: Shamshi-Adad I (original construction); later restored by Middle and Neo-Assyrian kings
- Material: mud brick (unfired) on a stone base; the monument is badly ruined, and no details of the facing of the upper tiers survive
- Plan: a free-standing stepped tower with an almost square base of ~60×60 m, west of the temple complex of the god Ashur in the northern part of the city
- Base: 60 × 60 m
- Survived: yes, the ruins can be visited
What matters
The ziggurat of Ashur was built under Shamshi-Adad I (c. 1808–1776 BCE); unlike most Mesopotamian ziggurats, the tower stood apart, not adjoining the temple. Its base is square, about 60×60 m. After the city was taken by the Medes in 614 BCE the tower was badly damaged, and in the Parthian period its ruins were rebuilt as a fortress — so the original height, the number of tiers and the arrangement of the ascents are unknown.