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By 1st Lt. Theresa Ockrassa
DHI QAR, Iraq - The soldiers of Company G, 3rd Battalion, 29th Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Infantry Division took a break from their support operations to experience some of the culture and history of Iraq.
The Ziggurat of Ur stands proudly outside Camp Adder and is believed to be 4,000 years old. While originally a temple to the moon god, it has become a symbol of honor for Iraqi ingenuity and culture, as well as being the birth place of the prophet Abraham.
Over the course of three weeks, the entire Company ventured out to the Ziggurat and met with the local tour guide Dhiaf Mahsen, who willingly shared his knowledge of Iraq as well as the historical site. The trip started with a trek to the top of the Ziggurat where Dhiaf discussed the history of the people of Ur, the significance of the Ziggurat and the temple that used to stand on top of it.
“It was really cool to stand on top of the Ziggurat and see the whole area we have been working in for months. It gave me a new perspective,” said Pvt. Dante Tate, of St. Louis, Mo.
While learning about the historical city of Ur, as well as the structural specifications of the Ziggurat, Soldiers also learned a few interesting bits of trivia from Dhiaf. They learned that the city of Ur had the first written law under king Ur-namu and that it predated the Code of Hammurabi by almost 300 years. Dhiaf shared that the first wheel had been built in the area and that despite its lasting impact on human society and technology, it was originally designed as a child’s toy.
“The wealth of knowledge we got from our guide was amazing. This guy knows his history,” said Spc. Dorian Johnson of Stoudsburg, Pa.
After the view from the top of the Ziggurat, the Ghost Riders headed down into the ruins of the Ur-namu Shugli Palace near the base. Despite being over 4000 years old, the Ghost Riders were able to see the original foundations and got to walk into the excavated royal tombs.
Within the tombs, many of the ancient technology fascinated the Ghost Riders. The door hinges made of wood tied to a door in a stone base and the ancient written language of cuneiform were particular favorites.
“It was amazing to be around all the old artifacts and structures,” said Spc. Cody Bryan of Dayton, Ohio. “The most interesting part was the three original bricks still engraved with cuneiform.”
The Ziggurat stands by the remains of the biblical prophet Abraham’s birth home and many soldiers were excited to see this portion of religious history in person. The house had fallen to its foundations over time, but was rebuilt in 1999.
“Actually seeing Abraham’s house and knowing an actual prophet lived there was really awesome and a once in a lifetime experience,” said Spc. David Adkins of Harker Heights, Texas.
The time at the Ziggurat and the surrounding historical sites was beneficial for the Ghost Riders and helped them understand a portion of Iraq’s history in a way they had not understood before.
“It was interesting to see something from so long ago still standing and show the ingenuity and progress of mankind,” said Johnson. “The trip was enlightening.”
The soldiers returned from their adventures feeling inspired and more connected to the history of the country they have been working to support.
| Date Taken: | 03.02.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 03.02.2011 15:16 |
| Story ID: | 66340 |
| Location: | DHI QAR, IQ |
| Web Views: | 229 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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