Editing Architecture of Mesopotamia (section)

{{Short description|Western Asian architectural style}}
{{More citations needed|article|date=December 2024}}
{{Infobox art movement
| name = Architecture of Mesopotamia civilization
|image = {{photomontage
|photo1a= The Gate of Nimrud (Metropolitan Museum).jpg
|photo2a= Ziggurat of UrInbound1427286134917083377.jpg
|photo3a= Ishtar Gate.gif
|size = 240
|color_border = #AAAAAA
|color = #F9F9F9
}}
| caption = Top: [[Lamassu]] from The Gate of [[Nimrud]],  [[Nineveh]], approximately 1350 BC; <br /> Centre: The [[Ziggurat of Ur]], approximately 21st century BC; <br />
Bottom: [[Reconstruction (architecture)|Reconstruction]] of the [[Ishtar Gate]] of [[Babylon]], approximately 575 BC in the Pergamon Museum
| yearsactive = 10th millennium-6th century BC
|countries = [[Mesopotamia]]
}}
The ''' architecture of Mesopotamia''' is ancient architecture of the region of the [[Tigris]]–[[Euphrates]] river system (also known as [[Mesopotamia]]), encompassing several distinct cultures and spanning a period from the 10th millennium BC (when the first permanent structures were built) to the 6th century BC. Among the Mesopotamian architectural accomplishments are the development of [[urban planning]], the [[courtyard house]], and [[ziggurat]]s. Scribes had the role of architects in drafting and managing construction for the government, nobility, or royalty.

The study of ancient Mesopotamian architecture is based on available [[archaeological]] evidence, pictorial representation of buildings, and texts on building practices. According to [[Archibald Sayce]], the primitive pictographs of the [[Uruk period]] era suggest that "Stone was scarce, but was already cut into blocks and seals. Brick was the ordinary building material, and with it cities, forts, temples, and houses were constructed. The city was provided with towers and stood on an artificial platform; the house also had a tower-like appearance. It was provided with a door which turned on a hinge, and could be opened with a sort of key; the city gate was on a larger scale, and seemed to have been double. ... [[Demon]]s were feared who had wings like a bird, and the foundation stones&nbsp;– or rather bricks&nbsp;– of a house were consecrated by certain objects that were deposited under them."<ref name="Sayce">[[Archibald Sayce|Sayce, Rev. A. H.]], Professor of Assyriology, Oxford, [https://archive.org/stream/archaeologyofcun00sayc/archaeologyofcun00sayc_djvu.txt "The Archaeology of the Cuneiform Inscriptions"], Second Edition-revised, 1908, Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, London, Brighton, New York; at pages 98–100 [https://archive.org/details/archaeologyofcun00sayc Not in copyright]</ref>

Scholarly literature usually concentrates on the architecture of temples, palaces, city walls and gates, and other monumental buildings, but occasionally one finds works on residential architecture as well.<ref>{{Cite book|first=Sally|last=Dunham|chapter=Ancient Near Eastern architecture|title=A Companion to the Ancient Near East|url=https://archive.org/details/companiontoancie00snel_442|url-access=limited|editor=Daniel Snell|location=Oxford|publisher=Blackwell|year=2005|pages=[https://archive.org/details/companiontoancie00snel_442/page/n286 266]–280|isbn=978-0-631-23293-3}}</ref> Archaeological surface surveys also allowed for the study of urban form in early Mesopotamian cities.