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Mesopotamian Temples & Monuments

Welcome to our captivating exploration of Mesopotamian temples and monuments, where we unravel the architectural marvels and delve into the sacred spaces that played a central role in the spiritual and cultural life of ancient Mesopotamia. Mesopotamia, often referred to as the "Cradle of Civilization," was home to a myriad of temples and monuments that stood as testaments to the religious devotion and architectural prowess of the ancient Mesopotamians.

In this section of our website, we invite you to embark on a journey through the sacred landscapes of Mesopotamian temples and monuments. From towering ziggurats to intricately adorned sanctuaries, each structure holds a story of religious significance and cultural legacy waiting to be discovered.

Representational image of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Source: Creative Digital Art / Adobe Stock
20 August, 2023 - 19:00 Joanna Gillan

Searching for the Hanging Gardens of Babylon

The real location of the elusive Hanging Gardens of Babylon has eluded researchers for centuries. It is the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World whose location is still unknown, yet...
2,500-year-old city of Persepolis in Iran
17 November, 2014 - 22:21 aprilholloway

Excavations uncover large ancient gate in 2,500-year-old city of Persepolis in Iran

Excavations at Persepolis, a magnificent palace complex in Iran founded by Darius the Great around 518 BC, have uncovered a great ancient gate in Tale-Ajori, within the Firouzi Complex. Even older...
A panoramic view of the gardens and outside of the Palace of Darius I of Persia in Persepolis.
30 November, 2015 - 04:11 dhwty

The Spectacular Monumental Architecture of the Achaemenid Empire

The Achaemenid Empire is traditionally believed to have been founded by Cyrus the Great during the middle of the 6 th century B.C. In 559 B.C., Cyrus became the king of Persis, and 9 years later,...
Hand-colored engraving of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon (19th Century)
17 August, 2015 - 01:01 Riley Winters

The Magnificent Constructions of King Nebuchadnezzar II

Neo-Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II remains known as the leader of one of the most powerful ancient empires to have preceded that of the Athenians in Greek's Classical period. However, aside from...
Ritual site - cultic platform found under the war god’s temple. Source: British Museum.
30 March, 2020 - 22:56 Ed Whelan

Ritual Site Dedicated to Mesopotamian War God Discovered in Iraq

Archaeologists working in Iraq have made an intriguing discovery. They have found a sacred area that was dedicated to a Mesopotamian war god. The site is up to 5,000 years-old and is in one of the...
Pasargadae Tomb in Shiraz, Iran.
20 April, 2017 - 13:59 dhwty

Was the Magnificent Monumental Tomb of Pasargadae Really Built for Cyrus the Great?

The tomb of Cyrus the Great is the name given to a monument located in the ancient Persian city of Pasargadae. This city was founded by Cyrus, and served as the capital of the Achaemenid Empire until...
Objects in the "Apadana" reliefs at Persepolis: armlets, bowls, and amphorae with griffin handles are given as tribute.
10 January, 2017 - 21:51 Theodoros Karasavvas

2,400-Year-Old Tomb in Iraq Holds 6 Skeletons and Bronze Goods – But It Was NOT Wealthy

A tomb in northern Iraq held a pile of skeletons of at least six people, including those who lived 2,400 years ago. Apart from the human remains, valuable objects where discovered in the tomb as well...
Naqsh-e Rustam
13 September, 2020 - 11:04 dhwty

Naqsh-e Rustam: Ancient Tombs of Powerful Persian Kings

Naqsh-e Rustam is one of the most spectacular and awe-inspiring ancient sites of the Achaemenid Empire, consisting of the colossal tombs of Persian kings dating back to the first millennium BC. It...
Ruins of ancient Persepolis, Iran, with the columns of the Apadana Hall on the right. Source: pawopa3336 / Adobe Stock.
29 September, 2019 - 02:03 Aleksa Vučković

Apadana – The Everlasting Hall of the Achaemenids

Throughout countless centuries, across all kinds of different epochs, the great hypostyle hall of Apadana has been an impressive source of wonder and inspiration for all manner of folk. This once...
The tower of Babel
6 March, 2019 - 22:41 dhwty

The Legendary Tower of Babel: What Does it Mean?

One of the many fantastic stories in the Book of Genesis is the Tower of Babel, a tall construction made in Babylonia after the Deluge. The gist of the story is: All human beings used to speak the...
The baked tablet that had been deciphered by Dr George. It is finely carved with a relief showing the king and tower and chiseled with text saying how people were gathered from all over to construct the ziggurat.
8 May, 2017 - 22:59 Mark Miller

Ancient Babylonian Tablet Provides Compelling Evidence that the Tower of Babel DID Exist

Half the world seems to say the Bible is pure bunk, while the other half says it’s, well, the word of God. Now comes a professor who isn’t religious to say that a baked tablet from ancient Babylon...
‘The Tower of Babel’ (1595) by Lucas van Valckenborch.
10 May, 2018 - 18:57 Mark Oliver

Inside Etemenanki: The Real-Life Tower of Babel

If there was a tower of Babel, it was Etemenanki: a massive, stone ziggurat at the center of Babylon built to be a passageway up to heaven. The Babylonians didn’t see their tower of Babel as a...
The ziggurat Choga Zanbil in Ira
29 August, 2018 - 23:34 dhwty

Ziggurat: A Mesopotamian Manmade Mountain to Reach the Gods

With their massive terraces decreasing in size as the building rises, ziggurats can easily be called manmade mountains. They are identifiable structures most often associated with ancient...
The White Temple and the Great Ziggurat in the Mesopotamian City of Uruk
17 October, 2016 - 14:43 marinasohma

The White Temple and the Great Ziggurat in the Mesopotamian City of Uruk

The Egyptian pyramids are not the only ancient mystery of the old world; the ziggurat also sustains a substantial position of wonder. The ancient land of Uruk was once located in southern Mesopotamia...
The walls of the ancient Citadel of Erbil in Iraq as seen from the bazaar. Source: Levi Clancy / CC BY-SA 4.0
4 January, 2022 - 14:00 Aleksa Vučković

The Magnificent Citadel of Erbil - A True Archaeological Sandwich

The Iraqi city of Erbil is truly magnificent - and in many ways. With the settlement origins dating back at least 8,000 years, it is one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities in the...
The Kesh Temple Hymn: 5,600-Year-Old Sumerian Hymn Praises Enlil, Ruler of Gods
3 January, 2017 - 14:45 Veronica Parkes

The Kesh Temple Hymn: 4,600-Year-Old Sumerian Hymn Praises Enlil, Ruler of Gods

Like many foundational inventions that we use every day, such as wheels and law codes, the Ancient Sumerians living in Ancient Mesopotamia, the so-called cradle of civilization, created the oldest...
Sumerian Ziggurat. Source: Michael Rosskothen / Adobe Stock
12 March, 2023 - 19:52 Joanna Gillan

View the Majesty of a Sumerian Ziggurat in 3D Virtual Tour (Video)

A Sumerian ziggurat was a towering, stepped structures built in ancient Mesopotamia over 4,000 years ago. They were constructed by the Sumerians , who were one of the earliest civilizations in human...