Sumerian Architecture
The first cities known to mankind were pronounced Ur and Uruk. The city had a couple layers. The first layer was the farmland. Then the city. The houses and buildings, and walls that the Sumerians made were made out of mud from the river mixed with reeds and dried to make bricks. A wall surrounded the city. Its bronze gates stayed open during the day, and closed at night to keep out any wild animals and bandits that might come in. Part of the reason that the upper class people lived in the center of the town, was because that the merchants we actually the upper class people, as well as priests. The upper class houses were made with two stories, with the second story looking out into a courtyard. The middle class was made out of government officials, shopkeepers and artisans. Their houses also looked out into a courtyard, however only had one story. The farmers would live nearer to the farms, which is far from the city therefore making them lower class.
In the center or perimeter of the city was a ziggurat, the temple for the Sumerian gods. The word ziggurat means mountain of god, or hill of heaven. The ziggurat was made like a square pyramid, in that each level was smaller and the one bellow it. Only priests were allowed to enter this place.
