Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
A ziggurat is a massive stepped tower made of mud-brick or stone that served as a religious temple or shrine in ancient Mesopotamia.
Related terms
Sumerians: An ancient civilization that inhabited southern Mesopotamia and built many ziggurats.
Ur-Nammu: The king who constructed one of the earliest known ziggurats called "Ur-Nammu Ziggurat" dedicated to Nanna (the moon god).
Etemenanki: The name given to the famous ziggurat located in Babylon. It was said to have been built by King Nebuchadnezzar II and was dedicated to the god Marduk.