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Chogha Zanbil Ziggurat, Iran
Chogha Zanbil is a magnificent, 3300-year-old ancient Elamite complex located 30 kilometres (18 miles) south-east of the ancient city of Susa in the Khuzestan province of western Iran. The principal element of this complex is an enormous brick ziggurat, a large stepped pyramidal temple dedicated to the Elamite divinity Inshushinak, the protector and patron god of Susa. Chogha Zanbil was founded around 1250 BCE by the Elamite king Untash-Napirisha as the religious centre of Elam. Its original Elamite name was Dur Untash, a combination of Elamite Dur, meaning place/resident/city, and Untash the Elamite king who built it. The Chogha Zanbil ziggurat is considered to be the best-preserved of its kind and the finest surviving testimony to the once-great Elamite civilization.
Questions & Answers
What was the purpose of the ziggurat in ancient Mesopotamia?
- The ziggurat was the site of worship for the god of the city. The temple at the top of the ziggurat was understood as the god's earthly home.
When were ziggurats built and used?
- Ziggurats were built and used in ancient Mesopotamia from at least c. 3000 BCE until c. 500 BCE when Zoroastrianism changed the model of worship in the region.
What does the ziggurat symbolize?
- The ziggurat symbolizes a mountain. It is an artificial mountain built to elevate the priests toward the realm of the gods.
What is the most famous ziggurat?
- The most famous ziggurat is the Etemenaki at Babylon (no longer extant), which is thought to have inspired the story of the Tower of Babel in the biblical Book of Genesis. The Great Ziggurat of Ur is also well-known, however, as is Chogha Zanbil, the ruins of both still extant.
