Two circular platforms can be seen on the northwestern and southwestern fronts of the ziggurat about which various opinions have been expressed. All around the ziggurat, one can see a number of bricks on which the names of the constructor and the purpose of its construction have been inscribed in Elamite cuneiform. Some of the bricks used in the ziggurat are glazed and some others have stud-shaped decorations that are among the oldest tiles in the world. The interior texture of the walls was made of clay bricks and the exterior was made of baked bricks. Except for the first and fifth floors, which were hollow and had room-shaped extensions, the rest of the floors were filled with clay bricks. The ziggurat of Chogha Zanbil was originally measured 105.2 meters (345 ft.) on each side and about 53 meters (174 ft.) in height, only 25 meters of which are left now. The ziggurat was originally a five-story construction, two of which have survived. It is believed that there were other places of worship built for the gods and goddesses of Elam in Chogha Zanbil. can be noticed in the local dialect.Ĭhogha Zanbil Temple is located in a town called “Dur Untash” and covers an area of approximately 130 hectares and consists of three concentric walls which define the main areas of the town, which constitute the main temple (ziggurat) located in the center of the first fence, palaces and smaller temples located within the second fence, and the royal underground tombs, royal palaces and the water treatment plant located inside the third fence. In the northern part of Khuzestan plain, the word Chogha means “hill of antiquities” and a number of cases beginning with this term, like Chogha Zanbil (ancient hill in the shape of a basket), Chogha Mish (ancient hill in the shape of a sheep), Chogha Pahn (wide and large ancient hill), etc. The locals call the abnormal hills “Chogha” and “Zanbil” means basket, and because this place was in the form of an inverted basket before the excavations, it was called Chogha Zanbil. Ziggurat means peak, mountain peak, and high place and in the Sumerian language, it means multi-story temple and stairs-shaped. This ancient place of worship was built by Untash Gal, the great king of ancient Elam, in honor of god Inshushinak, the guardian of Susa (ancient city), during the time of the Elamites and around 1250 BC. Chogha Zanbil (or the Ziggurat Dur Untash) is an ancient Elamite complex located in the Shush (Susa) County of the Khuzestan Province of Iran.
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