The Ziggurat of Ur: The original FLEX
J.M. Duică (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
E.P.N. Schreurs – Mentor (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
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Abstract
The thesis explores the relationship between the Ziggurat of Ur and the origin of power. The meaning and interpretations of power and origin are studied from an architectural point of view. The implications of architecture as a tool used to express specific beliefs are questioned. By blending archaeology, architecture, and anthropology, it examines how the ancient structure communicated divine rule and the will of its ruler. Built-in the 21st century BC, the Ziggurat not only served as a physical monument but as a tool of storytelling, reinforcing the power of its creators through its monumental form and celestial symbolism. The thesis investigates how the early stories of the Ziggurat were crafted, why they were so powerful, and how their influence is still visible today. Ultimately, it is questioned whether we are still building "ziggurats"—using storytelling and architecture to flex political power in the modern world.