1. Religion of Mesopotamia
Mrs. DelGrosso
Social Studies

2. What was the religion of Mesopotamia?
Aim:
What was the religion of Mesopotamia?
Why was the ziggurat such an important building?

3. Polytheism – The belief in more than one God.
Ziggurat – A temple in Mesopotamia with stairs and a shrine at the top.
Polytheism – The belief in more than one God.

4. First, we will be exploring an interactive model
of a ziggurat in partners.

5. The largest and most important building was the
Why were ziggurats built to look like a mountain?
The ziggurats were considered to be
Were ziggurats a place of public worship?
Who were the only people allowed to enter the ziggurat?

6. The largest and most important building was the
ziggurat (temple tower).

7. Why were ziggurats built to look like a mountain?
They were built like a mountain to be closer to the gods.

8. The ziggurats were considered to be
the home of the gods.

9. Were ziggurats a place of public worship?
Ziggurats were not a place of public worship.

10. Who were the only people allowed to enter the ziggurat?
The priests were the only people permitted in the ziggurat.

11. Next, read the short article on the Sumerian ziggurat and answer the questions with a partner.
The Sumerian Ziggurat
Sumerians lived in city-states around 3000 B.C.E. Each city-state had its own god to honor. Since religion was the center of Sumerian life, it was appropriate that the center of each Sumerian city-state contained a temple which was located in the center of the city. This temple, called a ziggurat, was shaped like a pyramid with a large number of steps. It was made of white washed mud bricks. At the very top of the ziggurat was a shrine to the main god of the city-state. The shrine contained a statue of the god. The only people allowed to enter the shrine were priests and priestesses. Ziggurats were often used as storage and distribution centers for surplus crops. This was convenient for religious leaders, who often controlled the crops of the city-state. These storehouses allowed the religious leaders the opportunity to feed poor people as well as the many people who specialized in areas other than farming, such as craft workers.
Each city in Mesopotamia had a primary god. For example, Murdock, Enlil, and Shamash were gods of various cities within Mesopotamia. People believed that they had control over parts of life, such as the sun and water. The ziggurat in each city-state was usually dedicated to a god to show their appreciation for all that they did for their civilization.

12. Describe the architecture of the ziggurat.
What activities took place at the ziggurat?
Why do you think the ziggurat was typically built at the center of the city? (Think! Where was the Code of Hammurabi located/why?)
Was Mesopotamian society polytheistic? How do you know?
How is a ziggurat and Mesopotamian religion similar to and different from temples, churches, and other places of worship with which you are familiar?

13. Describe the architecture of the ziggurat.
It had a large number of steps made of white washed mud bricks. It also has a shrine(holy place) on top to honor gods.

14. What activities took place at the ziggurat?
Ziggurats were often used as storage and distribution centers for surplus crops.

15. Why do you think the ziggurat was typically built at the center of the city? (Think! Where was the Code of Hammurabi located/why?)
It was built in the center of the city so that everyone had fair access to it. Religion is at the center of people’s lives, so they thought it would be important for the ziggurat to be in the center of the city.

16. Was Mesopotamian society polytheistic? How do you know?
It was polytheistic because they believed in many gods. Each ziggurat dedicated their temple to a specific, special god. However, they believed in multiple gods.

17. How is a ziggurat and Mesopotamian religion similar to and different from temples, churches, and other places of worship with which you are familiar?
Ziggurats are different because they are only open to priests, however today places of worship are public.

18. On your post-it, answer today’s aim
Door Slap!
On your post-it, answer today’s aim
What was the religion of Mesopotamia?
Why were ziggurats such important buildings in Mesopotamia?

19. If you have time, click on this link to the British Museum website.