Ziggurat of Ur

One of the chaplains on LSA Anaconda arranged a trip down to Tallil Airbase to visit the Ziggurat of Ur.

Please CLICK ON THE THUMBNAIL to see the larger pictures. The number in ( ) tells the size of the large picture.

  Images of a Sherpa. We flew down to Tallil in one of these.
 
 

 

A herd of camels walked across the road in front of the bus.   (133kb)  Our guide. (294kb) Our guide shows us a picture of what the ziggurat looked like before the ravages of time.  (209kb)

 

The ziggurat from a distance (145kb) Ur is credited with being the first to create arched doorways.  This may well be the oldest arch in the world, from about 6,000 BC. (303kb)

 

The Vorpal Bunny checking out the ruins.  (252kb)
 (236kb)  Walking among the ruin of the city of Ur.  The city is several kilometers long by a couple kilometers wide. (279kb)

 

 Some of the excavated city walls. (252kb)
 The royal tomb of King Shulgi. (292kb)  In the previous picture, I didn't know I was standing on an inverted arch, (where those people are now...)
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 Looking into the tomb of king Shulgi. (314kb)
 Inside Shulgi's tomb. (282kb)  The wood was a reinforcing piece added during the 1922 excavations. (252kb) The Vorpal Bunny and I, on the steps to Shulgi's tomb.  
(375kb)

 

 The Vorpal Bunny checking out the other royal tomb. (270kb) Bricks with cunform writings are prevalent throughout Ur.  (102kb)  Another set of cuinform. (222kb)
 The rebuilt (on the original foundations) of the home of Terah, merchant father of Abraham.
(298kb)

 

 A slightly different angle showing the expansive 27 room building. (298kb)  One of the open courtyards with a water drainage hole. (306kb)
 Another view. (247kb) The Vorpal Bunny and I on the steps to the upper floor of Abraham's home.  
(279kb)

 

 The largest courtyard. (287kb)
MAJ Chris Daniels and I in the largest courtyard of Abraham's home.  
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The ziggurat.  (158kb)  A close up of the left front corner. (271kb)
Near the bottom of the 109 steps to the top of the ziggurat.
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 (276kb)  Looking out at Tallil Airbase from the top of the ziggurat.
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The Vorpal Bunny wanted to explore the ziggurat.  (298kb)  The Vorpal Bunny at the top of the steps. (327kb)  Looking out over the city of Ur.  The city extended all the way to the trees in the background.
(252kb)

 

The right front corner of the ziggurat. (275kb)  At the top of the steps. (310kb) The group of soldiers who came from LSA Aanconda to see the ziggurat.  (457kb)
 
 The Vorpal Bunny didn't want to be left out, so he had to get in this shot. He made the trip too!
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  After visiting the ziggurat, we went to have Italian food at a little cafe on Tallil Airbase, and the Vorpal Bunny had to inspect my antipasto to ensure there were no carbs.
 (273kb)

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