"Mesopotamian Architecture and its Evolution
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Mesopotamian architecture, developed in the ancient region between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers (modern-day Iraq), is one of the earliest forms of monumental building. Known for its use of sun-dried and fired mud bricks, Mesopotamian architecture includes massive ziggurats (stepped temple towers), palaces, and city walls. Structures often featured buttresses, pilasters, and decorative facades with niches and cone mosaics. Religious and civic buildings were central to city planning, reflecting the society's theocratic nature. Innovations such as the arch and vault were also pioneered in this region, influencing later architectural traditions.
"Mesopotamian Architecture and its Evolution
- 1. History of Architecture 1 Lecture (3) : Mesopotamia 2 by : Dr. Sumanta Deb
- 2. Mesopotamia Architecture: Temples ,Palaces and Houses . In all the Mesopotamia ages 2
- 3. 3 Mesopotamia Temples • Temple was one of the most important buildings styles in Mesopotamia Architecture because , of the natural of Mesopotamian society was very conservative , full of religious values and beliefs. • Its represent the principal architectural monuments of Sumerian cities. • Temple plays an important and fundamental role during the times when the religious and secular authorities were integrated . • Temples are generally classified into two main types : 1. Ground temples . 2. High temples(Ziggurats) .
- 4. Mesopotamia Temples 1. Ground temples : • Represent the main type of Mesopotamia Architecture temples. • This pattern is consist of a simple building contain : 1. Small space called (Cella) . 2. Place for sacrifices (Alter) . 3. In the end a place made in the wall for the (Nitsh) . • This pattern appeared for the first time in Erido (Sumerian city) . An plan for a simple temple in Erido consist of cella ,Alter and Nitsh 4
- 5. 1. Ground temples : • In general , later ages , this type has seen many developments , included several changes in its facilities , spaces organization , Mesopotamia Temples mass formation and detailed treatment, According to these changings , Ground temple classified into two main types : 1. Integrated with palaces , merged with the Governor's Palace . 2. Integrated with high temples (Ziggurat), Temple at Ashnona beside the royal palace A (space-node) connect between palace and temple to make king’s movement easier to do his refigures rituals in the temple. Temple and Ziggurat Tal al-Rammah near Nineveh . 5
- 6. Mesopotamia Temples 6 2. High temples : • The basic idea of this type came from the result of repeated construction of the temples on the same sacred site, which over time led to the emergence of a plateau or a high artificial mountain with a new temple above it. • There are two main types of high temples: 1. The terrace temple: • A medium-artificial plateau, topped by the temple. • dedicated to the appearance of God to people in its symbolic form • example , the white temple in Uruk , the oval temple in khafaja.
- 8. Mesopotamia Temples: 8 2. High temples : Oval Temple- Khafaje
- 9. 9 Mesopotamia 2. Ziggurat: • The terrace temple has replaced The ziggurat. • It derives from the verb zaqaru, ‘to be high'. • These buildings are described as being like mountains linking Earth and heaven , The God house when he descend to earth. • A huge artificial hill from mud-brick consist of gradient layers and its faces are covered with stone or colored glazed brick and with a distinctive geometric design. • The ziggurat is generally a three layers building like great ziggurat in ur , five layers like Kessites ziggurat . Babylon Ziggurat is seven layers, • The great ziggurat in ur is the first and oldest one known in Mesopotamia.
- 10. Mesopotamia 18 2. Ziggurat: styles and classification of ziggurat according to location and shape : • First Style : The rectangular tower: it can be found in the southern part of Mesopotamia, such as great ziggurat in Ur and Kessites, it use one stairway in the front and the two sides. • Second Style: The Square tower: It can be found in the northern part of Mesopotamia, such as Assur and Khorsabad Ziggurats , it used only ramps on this type. • Third style: The Integral Tower: It can be found in the middle part of Mesopotamia, has a square base as the second type, but stairs used to reach to the first layer and ramps to the rest of the layers. (Babylon
- 11. Kessites ziggurat near Baghdad great ziggurat in ur 11
- 12. 12 • Palaces appearance was from the Dawn of the Sumerian breeds (4500-2000B.C) • Palace development start with the change of the political hegemony centers and the separation between the legislative power and the religious authority . • After this change the palace became a new powerful construction style in Mesopotamia Architecture. • Palaces have evolved and reached the peak of their development in the Assyrian period. • Important palaces takes mostly the northern corner of the city to face the fresh wind, Its four corners are oriented toward the four holy universes corners or slightly deviated from them . Mesopotamia Palaces
- 13. 13 • There are two types of palaces: 1. Royal Palaces: • It began to develop as a distinctive Architectural style in Assyrian architecture in particular, where the clear distinction between the Royal Palace and the King's residence and as a center of government and other palaces . 2. Minor palaces: • Residence palaces for the Crown Prince or for senior officials of the palace, which was developed by the Assyrians and extended in the Babylonian Architecture, but on a narrow scale . The Assyrian cities are known for having more than a secondary palace, some of them within the borders of the main fortress, some outside its borders, as in the palaces of Khorsabad, Nimrud and Nineveh. Mesopotamia Palaces
- 14. The basic components of Mesopotamia palaces In general according to their importance: • The main reception hall • Throne Hall • The entrance space is the separation (space –node) between public and internal space. • Inner palace spaces • The property was distinguished by the fact that the towers were surrounded by mythical animals (winged bulls and statues) • It was characterized by a series of sequential or broken entrances down to the main public space and the palaces also contained service spaces • A special temple as in the royal palace in Khorsabad Mesopotamia Palaces North palace in Erido: the first appear of courtyard Hierarchy broken entrance 22
- 15. court court court broken entrance court court court court Mesopotamia Palaces Nar am-seen palace in Assur 23
- 16. Mesopotamia Palaces Sargon palace: Khursabad city plan city main complex 24
- 17. Palace entrance ziggurat Thorn room Sargon palace plan Seven stepped Ziggurat Mesopotamia Palaces Sargon palace: 25
- 18. Mesopotamia Palaces Nebuchadnezzar’s palace plan Nebuchadnezzar’s palace Note: the main courtyard is facing the throne room and the Hierarchy in the size of courtyards 26
- 20. • Courtyard – Need for privacy, climate • The central court was brick paved and slopes toward a central drain. • The stairs and the lavatory were opposite to the guest room across the courtyard . • The family lived on the second level in a layout essentially duplicating the ground floor • Roofs were made of mud layered on mats which were placed on wooden panels Mesopotamia Houses: 20
- 21. 21 THANK YOU …