Dur-Kurigalzu (Ziggurat at Aqar Quf)

Dur-Kurigalzu (modern Aqar Quf, Baghdad Governorate) was a fortified city and royal residence of the Kassite dynasty, founded by Kurigalzu I around 1400 BC near the confluence of the Tigris and Diyala rivers [1]. Its ziggurat, dedicated to the Sumerian god Enlil, still stands approximately 52 metres high with ancient reed mats and twisted ropes still binding its mudbrick layers together [1] [2]. The city spanned 425 hectares and included a royal palace covering 420,000 square metres and painted wall decorations [1] [2]. An Iraqi-Italian expedition from the University of Bologna has been conducting new excavations [1] [2].