The ziggurats of the ancient near east and the pyramids of Giza are both without a doubt monumental structures. They share many physical similarities while at the same time they greatly differ in their purpose and functions. When looking at the structures it is quite obvious that the pyramids and ziggurats alike share a striking similarity in form. Both are pyramidal in shape. A ziggurat of the ancient near east is basically a stepped pyramid, which can be seen as the blue print or precursor to the pyramidal shape. The ziggurats were at one time in history white washed to enhance their appearance. Similarly the pyramids at one time had a white limestone casing that would beautifully reflect the light. Both share a great importance to their cultures as well as to their religious beliefs. Another thing they both have in common is that they were both built for one person or god that has great power.
However, there are many things that differ between both ziggurats and the pyramids of Giza. The pyramids are far larger than the average ziggurat. The pyramids of Giza standing at a colossal 450 feet make an average ziggurat of the ancient near east at 170 feet tall seem almost insignificant. Ziggurats were made out of sun-dried brick held together with a tar like substance, while the pyramids are made of stone. With each stone weighing in at a mind blowing 2.5 tons. The pyramids were built as a tomb or resting place for the pharohs Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure. Due to them being the burial site of a pharoh the pyramids were not completely solid. There has to be a place for the pharoh to rest, which is the burial chamber located at the center of the pyramid. Ziggurats on the other hand were used as a way to become closer to the gods. It is considered a meeting place or shrine that is between heaven and earth. Ziggurats are built up on terraced earth so they can be as close to the gods as possible and are completely solid. Each ziggurat would function as a place to worship and individual god or goddess. A very important difference between a ziggurat and the pyramids is that pyramids are meant for a person of importance to be laid to rest inside it, while a ziggurat was meant to have a person worship on top of it. While the shapes of both are almost identical the purposes for the shape greatly differ. It is believed that the reason pyramids are shaped in such a way is because slanted angles are suggested to represent the slanting rays of the sun. However, the slanting sides of the ziggurat were made for rain run off. Both the pyramids and the ziggurats are large scale structures that have left many baffled by their immense size and the people's great devotion to the pharohs or gods that they built these great monuments for.
I like the fact that you mentioned the similarities with the shape between ziggurats and pyramids. The particular reference to the early form of step pyramids being very similar to what a ziggurat looks like with the multiple levels. It is interesting that Egypt changed forms so drastically from the mustaba to the huge pyramids seen at Giza, but yet, the form of ziggurats does not appear to have changed significantly. Another interesting point, while polytheistic societies, both are uses for worshiping a single god, or the resting point of a single person.
ReplyDeleteI like the point about the ziggurats functioning as a place of worship. Ziggurats used as a place for many people versus the pyramids which were designed for one person. Both are similar in form, but one being a monument while the other is a place of worship. It is a good point to remember.
ReplyDelete-Brian Popielarczyk
I was unaware that the pyramids were that much larger than the ziggurats. Also, it is cool to know that their physical features hold some function or symbolism in the physical world as well, such as the pyramids' slopes representing the sun's rays or the ziggurat sides as a rain runoff.
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