ZIGGURATS Meaning and
Definition
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Ziggurats are an architectural structure that originated in ancient Mesopotamia, particularly in the civilizations of Sumer, Babylonia, and Assyria. The word "ziggurat" is derived from the Akkadian term "ziqqurratu," meaning "to build on a raised area." These structures are massive stepped pyramids consisting of several layers or terraces, each smaller than the one beneath it, typically constructed from mud-bricks.
Ziggurats were typically dedicated to the worship of a certain deity and served as monumental religious complexes. They were built as towering structures to elevate the temple dedicated to a particular god or goddess above the surrounding city. It was believed that the higher up the ziggurat, the closer it was to the realm of the divine.
The ziggurat's purpose was both religious and administrative. They symbolized the power and connection to the gods of the ruling class, facilitating communication between deities and their worshippers. Ziggurats housed the main temple, where priests performed rituals and acted as intermediaries between the people and the gods.
These ancient structures were not only focal points for religious ceremonies but were also built as defensive fortifications, platforms for astronomical observations, and symbols of the city-state's economic prosperity and political power.
Though most ziggurats were built in Mesopotamia, similar stepped structures were found in other regions of the ancient world. Influences from the Mesopotamian ziggurats can be seen in the later pyramids of Egypt and Mesoamerica.
Common Misspellings for ZIGGURATS
Etymology of ZIGGURATS
The word "ziggurats" originates from the Akkadian language, which was spoken in ancient Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq and Syria) during the third millennium BCE. The Akkadian term for these stepped temple structures was "ziggurat", and it was later adopted by other languages such as Sumerian, Babylonian, and Assyrian. The exact etymology of the word is uncertain, but it is believed to have derived from the Akkadian verb "zagāru", meaning "to build high" or "to raise". This connection reflects the characteristic stepped and towering structure of the ziggurats.
Similar spelling words for ZIGGURATS
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