The 3,000-year-old Babylonian-era ziggurat of Aqar Quf towers above the landscape in Abu Ghraib town, 30km west of Baghdad. All photos: EPA
The ziggurat, a pyramidal stepped temple tower, stands to a height of about 52m with a base measuring 69m by 67m
It was a temple for Enlil, the ancient Mesopotamian deity of the wind, air, earth and storms
It is currently an archaeological site of the ancient city of Dur Kurigalzu - or Fortress of Kurigalzu
The site was abandoned and looted following the overthrow of Saddam Hussein by the US military
Rain and standing groundwater, as well as the encroachment of modern construction, contribute to the deterioration of ziggurat and damage to the ruins
After being founded by the Kassite King Kurigalzu I in the 14th century BC, the city was controlled by the Assyrians and Elamites several times before being destroyed in the middle of the 11th century BC
The ziggurat at Aqar Quf
The 3,000-year-old Babylonian-era ziggurat of Aqar Quf towers above the landscape in Abu Ghraib town, 30km west of Baghdad. All photos: EPA
The ziggurat, a pyramidal stepped temple tower, stands to a height of about 52m with a base measuring 69m by 67m
It was a temple for Enlil, the ancient Mesopotamian deity of the wind, air, earth and storms
It is currently an archaeological site of the ancient city of Dur Kurigalzu - or Fortress of Kurigalzu
The site was abandoned and looted following the overthrow of Saddam Hussein by the US military
Rain and standing groundwater, as well as the encroachment of modern construction, contribute to the deterioration of ziggurat and damage to the ruins
After being founded by the Kassite King Kurigalzu I in the 14th century BC, the city was controlled by the Assyrians and Elamites several times before being destroyed in the middle of the 11th century BC
The ziggurat at Aqar Quf
The archaeological site of Aqar Quf in Iraq - in pictures
