![]() ![]() The most prominent monument is the best preserved ziggurat - stepped pyramid - in the Arab world, initially built by the Sumerians around 4000 BC and restored by Nebuchadnezzar II in the sixth century BC. Here, the first poetry was written, notably the epic Gilganesh, a classic of ancient literature. ![]() Long before the rise of the Egyptian, Greek or Roman empires, it was here that the wheel was invented and the first mathematical system developed. It was the religious seat of the civilisation of Sumer at the dawn of the line of dynasties which ruled Mesopotamia starting about 4000 BC. Ur is believed by many to be the birthplace of the prophet Abraham. There has been no official response to the allegations of vandalism - reported to The Observer by aid workers and one concerned US officer. Access is highly selective, screened and subject to military escorts, which - even if agreed - need to be arranged days or weeks in advance and carefully skirt the areas of reported damage. Land immediately adjacent to Ur has been chosen by the Pentagon for a sprawling airfield and military base. ![]()
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