Creating a LEGO Ziggurat gives your child a better understanding of how ancient people lived, worshiped, and organized their cities. Also, look at my page From Simple to Spectacular: Easy LEGO Ideas for Everyone.
And look at my Ancient Civilizations and Ancient Civilizations II pages.
Ancient Mesopotamia is often called the “Cradle of Civilization.” It was home to some of the world’s first cities, writing systems, and monumental architecture.
One of the most impressive structures built by the Mesopotamian civilizations was the ziggurat that we are going to recreate from LEGO today.
A ziggurat was a massive, stepped temple tower built in ancient Mesopotamia between 3000 and 500 BCE. Ziggurats were constructed by civilizations such as the Sumerians, Akkadians, Babylonians, and Assyrians.
Unlike Egyptian pyramids, which were tombs, ziggurats were religious centers. Each ziggurat was dedicated to a specific god or goddess.
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- Ancient Civilizations: The History & Significance Of The Simple LEGO Ziggurat
KIDS BOOKS ABOUT ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA
Next, look at some books about ancient Mesopotamia.
7 Books to Read About Ancient Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia is a region situated within the Tigris–Euphrates River system, in the northern part of the Fertile Crescent. Today, Mesopotamia occupies modern Iraq. In the broader sense, the historical region included present-day Iraq and parts of present-day Iran, Kuwait, Syria, and Turkey.
Gilgamesh, half-god and half-man, in his loneliness and isolation becomes a cruel tyrant over the citizens of Uruk. To impress them forever he orders a great wall to be built, driving his people to exhaustion and despair so that they cry to the Sun God for help.
5,000 years ago in ancient Mesopotamia during a terrible drought, Jomar and Zefa's father must send his children away to the city of Ur because he can no longer feed them. At fourteen, Jomar is old enough to apprentice with Sidah, a master goldsmith for the temple of the moongod, but there is no place for Zefa in Sidah's household. Zefa, a talented but untrained musician, is forced to play her music and sing for alms on the streets of Ur.
Describes the enormous accomplishments of the Sumerians and Babylonians of ancient Mesopotamia in every scientific area, a heritage which affects our own everyday lives
Explores Sumerian, Babylonian, and Assyrian cultures, discussing social structure, lifestyles, and the military in these societies.
Lugalbanda woke with a jolt. He opened his eyes and what did he see but the terrible Anzu bird beating its wings in its nest high above. . . . Did he quake? Did he quail? No. Lugalbanda the Brave sat and stared, and into his head came a brilliant idea.
Presents the history of ancient Mesopotamia, describing the different groups of people who lived there, and their government, cities, everyday life, religion, and writing.
Invites readers them to become the main character. Each book uses humorous illustrations to depict the sometimes dark and horrific side of life during important eras in history.
Then, look at more about ziggurats.
ABOUT ZIGGURATS
The temple at the top was believed to be the dwelling place of the deity, and only priests were allowed to enter. Ordinary citizens worshiped at the base.
Ziggurats also showed a city’s power and wealth. Building one required organized labor, skilled workers, and careful planning. This reveals how advanced Mesopotamian governments were and helps us understand the importance of cooperation, leadership, and shared belief systems in early civilizations.
Ziggurats were built in tiered levels, with each level smaller than the one below it. This gave them a staircase or pyramid-like appearance.
Common features of a ziggurat included:
- A rectangular or square base
- Multiple levels (usually 2–7 tiers)
- Staircases or ramps leading to the top
- A temple shrine at the summit
- Thick walls made of sun-dried mud bricks
Because Mesopotamia had very little stone, builders relied heavily on mud bricks. To protect the structure from rain, the outer layers were often coated with fired bricks or bitumen (natural tar).
One of the most well-known ziggurats is the Great Ziggurat of Ur, built around 2100 BCE in the Sumerian city of Ur (modern-day Iraq). It was dedicated to Nanna, the moon god. At its original height, it stood about 100 feet tall, making it one of the tallest structures of its time.
Religion was central to Mesopotamian life. People believed the gods controlled natural events like floods, droughts, and disease.
Ziggurats symbolized a connection between heaven and earth, serving as a meeting place between humans and the divine.
Priests played an important role, offering sacrifices, interpreting omens, and caring for the temple. Ziggurats were often located in the center of the city, surrounded by homes, markets, and government buildings.
KEY ZIGGURAT FACTS
Here are some quick facts to share with your learner while building your own..
- Only priests entered the top temple
- Ziggurats were religious temples, not tombs
- Built mainly from mud bricks
- Found in ancient Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq)
- Dedicated to specific gods or goddesses
- Located at the center of the city
Also, look at more ziggurat resources and hands-on activities.
LEGO ZIGGURAT RESOURCES AND HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES
- Watch the fascinating video –Interesting Facts About Ancient Mesopotamia Ziggurat.
- Locate Mesopotamia on a map and identify the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers.
- Learn How to Make Unleavened Bread: Ancient Mesopotamia Bread Recipe
- Have students write a diary entry from the perspective of a priest or city resident.
- Hands-on Ancient Egypt: Israelite Mud Bricks for Kids
- Check out my post on How To Make A LEGO Map Of The Mesopotamian Civilization for an eagle eye view of life back then.
- Ancient Mesopotamia STEM Ideas! – Student Savvy
- Discuss how mud bricks were made and why they worked in a hot, dry climate.
HOW TO BUILD A LEGO ZIGGURAT
You will need:
- A variety of tan LEGO bricks
- Tan baseplate if you have one
First, gather up all the tan LEGO bricks you can find, of all sizes. Though it’s a small build, it will take more than you think.
If you don’t have enough tan, you can make it in white or yellow as well.
Begin by building boxes using small tan baseplates and create a border around them with 1-stud or 2-stud wide bricks. Start with a small one. No need to fill in the center and use up extra bricks.
Top it off with another small tan baseplate.
Build another larger one and place it underneath, and snap it into place.
Repeat the steps, building these boxes, going larger and larger until you have created 3-5 to stack together.
If you have a baseplate or smaller pieces, you can put them together to form a base and put your structure on it.
Build stair steps up the structure, leaving a space of 2 studs wide. Place a 1×2 stud at the base to hold the next step in place.
Add a 2-stud wide, tall baseplate at an angle to create the “steps”.
You can add steps around several sides if you like, or just leave it on the one.
The temple is thought to have been painted and maintained in an indigo color. You can top your structure with a blue LEGO brick to give it this look.
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