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71-567: Ziggurats were huge religious monuments built in the ancient Mesopotamian valley and western Iranian plateau , having the form of a terraced step pyramid of successively receding stories or levels. There are 32 ziggurats known at, and near, Mesopotamia. Twenty-eight of them are in Iraq , and four of them are in Iran . Notable Ziggurats include the Great Ziggurat of Ur near Nasiriyah , Iraq,

142-456: A basis for a proposed Proto-Igbo cultural heartland antecedent to contemporary Igbo culture. Much of the Igbo population is believed to have expanded from a smaller area in this region, diverging into several independent Igbo-speaking tribes, village-groups, kingdoms and states. The movements were generally broken into two trends in migration: a more northerly group that expanded towards the banks of

213-528: A distinct Igbo ethnic identity. Missionaries had started arriving in the 1850s. The Igbo, at first wary of the religion, started to embrace Christianity and Western education as traditional society broke down. Christianity had played a great part in the introduction of European ideology into Igbo society and culture often time through erasure of cultural practice; adherents to the denominations were often barred in partaking in ancient rites and traditions, and joining fraternities and secret societies were forbidden as

284-489: A divine leader and civiliser sent from heaven to begin civilisation. In contrast, Eri's origins generally suggest a north easterly origin which has sparked up debate pertaining to a possible Igala (not a fact) origin for Eri. Due to historic trade and migration of old, other people also entered the Igboland in about the fourteenth or fifteenth centuries and mixed with the natives. Towards the western end of Igboland, across

355-547: A high place on which priests could escape rising water that annually inundated lowlands and occasionally flooded for hundreds of kilometres. They also offered security; since the shrine was accessible only by way of three stairways, a small number of guards could prevent non-priests from spying on the rituals at the shrine on top of the ziggurat, such as initiation rituals like the Eleusinian mysteries , cooking of sacrificial food and burning of sacrificial animals. Each ziggurat

426-585: A large limestone slab, now at the foot of the mound, may have served as an altar." The most prolific builders of these step pyramids were the pre-Columbian civilizations. The remains of step pyramids can be found throughout the Mayan cities of the Yucatán , as well as in Aztec and Toltec architecture. In many of these cases, successive layers of pyramids were built on top of the pre-existing structures, with which

497-456: A resident named Isiah Anozie found them in the process of digging a cistern. This led to the discovery of a larger network of linked metal works from the 9th century. The works were based in Igbo Ukwu. Further finds were made found by archaeology teams led by Thurstan Shaw in 1959–60, and in 1964 in the compound of Jonah Anozie. Initially, throughout the 1960s and 1970s, scholars believed that

568-473: A shrine or temple at the summit. Access to the shrine was provided by a series of ramps on one side of the ziggurat or by a spiral ramp from base to summit. It was also called Hill of Heaven or Mountain of the gods. The earliest Egyptian pyramids were step pyramids. In the First Dynasty at Saqqara , a large step pyramid like structure was found within the interior of Mastaba 3808 dating to the reign of

639-571: A stalemate. Both sides arranged a marriage between the king of Obong Okon Ita and a woman from Amanagwu. The marriage eventually failed to bring peace but played a decisive role in the war. Oke Nnachi was led by Nnachi Ipia who was a dibia or priest among the Edda people and was called by Agwu Inobia to help in the war against the Ibibio. These groups were followed by a third non-Igbo Ekoi -cultured group, Akpa or Ibom Oburutu who were led by Akuma Nnaubi,

710-638: A stepped pyramid with earth in between. The exposed portion each layer was covered with clay roof tiles, totaling about 60,000 in all. A structure similar to the Dotō is the Zutō in the Takabatake neighborhood of Nara city . In the year 2023, archeologists discovered a 3,400 year old step-pyramid in Kazakhstan, that were used as tombs as well as for religious ceremonies. These pyramids and structures showed ties to

781-450: A temple of exquisite proportions. The temple is thought to have been painted and maintained an indigo color, matching the tops of the tiers. It is known that there were three staircases leading to the temple, two of which (side flanked) were thought to have only ascended half the ziggurat's height. According to Herodotus , at the top of each ziggurat was a shrine, although none of these shrines has survived. Functionally, ziggurats offered

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852-538: A temple sat, to marvels of mathematics and construction which spanned several terraced stories and were topped with a temple. An example of a simple ziggurat is the White Temple of Uruk , in ancient Sumer . The ziggurat itself is the base on which the White Temple is set. Its purpose is to get the temple closer to the heavens, and provide access from the ground to it via steps. The Mesopotamians believed that these pyramid temples connected heaven and earth. In fact,

923-532: A trade agreement with Igbo chief, Tshukuma (Chukwuma) Obi from Aboh clan, one of the leading Igbo clans, which engaged in early active trading with Europe . Similarly, Baikie recounted that "after our salutations, I spoke of friendship, of trade, and of education, and particularly enlarged upon the evils of war, and the benefits of peace, all of which was well received", when signing a trade agreement on August 30, 1885 with Ezebogo, an Igbo chief in Asaba . Due to

994-563: A true pyramid which at some point this layer collapsed. Though there is disagreement among Egyptologists whether Sneferu or his predecessor Huni built the tower core, it is generally accepted Sneferu at the least was responsible for converting it to a true pyramid. Sneferu is also credited with building two other pyramids, the Bent Pyramid and the Red Pyramid at Dahshur , which were the first true pyramids to be built as such from

1065-418: Is 36 m (118 ft). Originally on the top platform stood a huge lingam probably more than 4 m (13 ft) high and having a weight of several tons. Inscriptions say that it was the tallest and most beautiful Shiva-ling-am. The ling-am probably stood in a shrine which some researchers say could have been about 15 m (49 ft) high. On the north side of the pyramid is a steep staircase leading to

1136-718: Is a United States government building in Laguna Niguel , California , built between 1968 and 1971. Further examples include The Ziggurat in West Sacramento , California, and the SIS Building in London. Igboland Igbo land ( Standard Igbo : Àlà Ị̀gbò ), east is the indigenous homeland of the Igbo people . It is a cultural and common linguistic region in southeastern Nigeria. Geographically, it

1207-533: Is based on the native beliefs that mountains and high places are the abode for the spirit of the ancestors . The step pyramid is the basic design of 8th century Borobudur Buddhist monument in Central Java . However the later temples built in Java were influenced by Indian Hindu architecture, as displayed by the towering spires of Prambanan temple. In the 15th century Java during the late Majapahit period saw

1278-628: Is divided into two sections by the: an eastern (the larger of the two) and western. Its population is characterized by the diverse Igbo culture Politically, Igboland is divided into several southern Nigerian states ; culturally, it has included several subgroupings, including the Awka - Enugu - Nsukka , Anioma - Enuani , the Umueri - Aguleri -Anam groups, the Ngwa , the Orlu - Okigwe - Owerri communities,

1349-402: Is non-existent ... The likelihood of such a shrine ever being found is remote. Erosion has usually reduced the surviving ziggurats to a fraction of their original height, but textual evidence may yet provide more facts about the purpose of these shrines. In the present state of our knowledge it seems reasonable to adopt as a working hypothesis the suggestion that the ziggurats developed out of

1420-537: Is unclear what cultural links there are between these pre-historic artefacts and the people of the region today. Later human settlement in the region may have links with other discoveries made in the wider area, particularly with the culture associated with the terracotta discoveries at Nok , which spanned a wide area of present-day north-central Nigeria. Some local villagers retain what they believe are original names of settlements, such as Umuzuoka, The Blacksmiths Ụzụoka, Ọkigwe, Ịmọka, etc. The Nsukka-Okigwe axis forms

1491-661: The 4th millennium BC , and the latest date from the 6th century BC. The earliest ziggurats probably date from the latter part of the Early Dynastic Period of Sumer . Built in receding tiers upon a rectangular, oval, or square platform, the ziggurat was a pyramidal structure. Sun-baked bricks made up the core of the ziggurat with facings of fired bricks on the outside. The facings were often glazed in different colors and may have had astrological significance. Kings sometimes had their names engraved on these glazed bricks. The number of tiers ranged from two to seven, with

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1562-519: The Andronovo culture . Ziggurat A ziggurat ( / ˈ z ɪ ɡ ʊ ˌ r æ t / ; Cuneiform : 𒅆𒂍𒉪, Akkadian : ziqqurratum , D-stem of zaqārum 'to protrude, to build high', cognate with other Semitic languages like Hebrew zaqar (זָקַר) 'protrude' ) is a type of massive structure built in ancient Mesopotamia . It has the form of a terraced compound of successively receding stories or levels. Notable ziggurats include

1633-744: The British Empire after several decades of resistance on all fronts; some of the most famous of the resistance include the Ekumeku Movement , the Anglo-Aro War , and the Aba Women's Riots which was contributed to by women of different ethnic backgrounds in eastern Nigeria. A number of polities rose either directly or indirectly as a result of Nri; the most powerful kingdom of these was the Aro Confederacy which rose in

1704-580: The Great Ziggurat of Ur near Nasiriyah , the Ziggurat of Aqar Quf near Baghdad , the no longer extant Etemenanki in Babylon , Chogha Zanbil in Khūzestān and Sialk . The Sumerians believed that the gods lived in the temple at the top of the ziggurats, so only priests and other highly-respected individuals could enter. Sumerian society offered these individuals such gifts as music, harvested produce, and

1775-588: The Hausa and the Yoruba , became sharper. British rule brought about changes in culture such as the introduction of warrant chiefs as Eze (traditional rulers) where there were no such monarchies. Following the independence of Nigeria from the United Kingdom in 1960, most of Igboland was included in its Eastern Region . Following a coup in 1966 which saw mostly Igbo soldiers assassinating politicians from

1846-1010: The Mbaise , the Ezza , Bende , the Ikwuano - Umuahia (these include Ohuhu , Ubakala , Oboro , Ibeku , etc.), the Ogba , the Omuma , the Abam - Aro - Ohafia ( Abiriba and Nkporo ), the Waawa , the Mbaise ,the Ikwerre , the Ndoki , the Isu and the Ekpeye . Igboland is surrounded on all sides by large rivers, and other southern and central Nigeria indigenous tribes, namely Igala , Tiv , Yako , Idoma and Ibibio . In

1917-620: The Niger River , rose a man known as Eze Chima who fled Benin with his accomplices after a dispute with the Oba of Benin who consequently exiled him in the 1560s. As they left Benin City heading eastwards, Eze Chima and his followers settled in a number of lands and established monarchies with the natives in those areas. Other accounts point to Eze Chima coming from Ife as a result of Ekaladeran, an Bini prince who migrated to Ife from Bini and usurped

1988-524: The Ziggurat of Aqar Quf near Baghdad , Iraq, Chogha Zanbil in Khūzestān , Iran, the most recent to be discovered – Sialk near Kashan , Iran and others. Ziggurats were built by the Sumerians , Babylonians , Elamites and Assyrians as monuments to local religions. The probable predecessors of the ziggurat were temples supported on raised platforms or terraces that date from the Ubaid period during

2059-601: The 10th century based on Umunri traditions, is credited with the foundation of much of Igboland's culture, customs, and religious practices. It is the oldest existing monarchy in present-day Nigeria. It was around the mid-10th century that the divine figure Eri is said to have migrated, according to Umunri lore, to the Anambra ( Igbo : Omambara ) river basin — specifically at its meeting with Ezu river known as Ezu na Omambara in present-day Aguleri . The exact origins of Eri are unknown and much of Nri traditions present him as

2130-577: The British Royal Navy had opened up trade with coastal towns Bonny and Opobo and further inland on the Niger with Asaba in the 1870s. The palm oil industry, the biggest export, grew large and important to the British who traded here. British arrival and trade led to increased encounters between the Igbo and other polities and ethnic groups around the Niger River and led to a deepening sense of

2201-583: The Cross River region in the 17th century and declined after British colonisation in the early 20th century. The Aro state centred on Arochukwu followed Nri's steady decline, basing much of its economic activities on the rising trade in slaves to Europeans by coastal African middlemen. The present site of Arochukwu was originally settled by the Ibibio people under the Obong Okon Ita kingdom before

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2272-549: The Dynastic Egyptians themselves, contemporaneously or in numerous later Dynastic writings about the character, did not credit him with either the designing of the Pyramid of Djoser or the invention of stone architecture. Djoser's pyramid was first built as a square mastaba like structure, which as a rule were known to otherwise be rectangular, and expanded several times by way of a series of accretion layers to produce

2343-650: The Igbo Ukwu bronze and copper items found here had been made elsewhere and were trade goods or were influenced by outside technology due to their technical sophistication. The opposite was revealed to be true: local copper deposits had been exploited by the 9th century and anthropological evidence, such as the Ichi-like scarifications on the human figures, show the items were of local Igbo cultural origin. The works have since been attributed to an isolated bronze industry, which had developed without outside influence over time and reached great sophistication. Igbo trade routes of

2414-630: The Niger and the upper quadrant of the Cross River; the other, following a southerly trail, had risen from the Isu populations based closer to the axis from which the majority of southern Igbo communities emerged. Mbaise are notably the best examples of an Igbo group claiming autochthony; they reject theories of many migratory histories about their origins. Based on the proximity of traditions to those of their neighbours, and familial and political ties, many of these groups are apparently culturally northern or southern Igbo. The first Igbo Ukwu metal and precious artefacts finds were made accidentally in 1939, when

2485-696: The North American Southeast), step pyramids were constructed as ceremonial centers by the Mississippian cultures (900–1500 CE), and are regarded as a facet of the Southeastern Ceremonial Complex . The largest earthen work step pyramid of this type in North America is Monks Mound , located in present-day Cahokia , Illinois. With the base of the structure exceeding 16 acres Monks Mound is also one of

2556-763: The Okigwe, Oka Igwe, and known today as Awka. In 1978 a team led by Thurstan Shaw , with the University of Nigeria at Nsukka, excavated a rock quarry. They found that it was a mine for tool and pottery making for a 'stone civilisation' nearby at Ibagwa . Anthropologists at the University of Benin have discovered fossils and use of monoliths dating to 4500 BC at Ngodo in the Uturu town. Further evidence of ancient settlements were uncovered at what researchers believe may be an Nsukka metal cultural area from 3000 BC, and later settlements attributed to Ngwa culture at AD 8-18. It

2627-772: The Savannah climate around Nsukka . In Nigeria today, Igboland is roughly made up of Abia , Anambra , Ebonyi , Enugu , Imo , Northern Delta and Rivers states. More than 30 million people inhabit Igboland and with a population density ranging from 140 to 390 inhabitants per square kilometre (350 to 1,000/sq mi) it could be the most densely populated area in Africa after the Nile Valley . Altogether Igboland has an area of some 40,900 to 41,400 km (15,800 to 16,000 sq mi). Igboland's culture has been shaped by its rainforest climate, its ancient trade along

2698-527: The Tower of Babel Stele describing its restoration by Nebuchadnezzar II . According to some historians the design of Egyptian pyramids , especially the stepped designs of the oldest pyramids ( Pyramid of Zoser at Saqqara , 2600 BCE), may have been an evolution from the ziggurats built in Mesopotamia. Others say the Pyramid of Zoser and the earliest Egyptian pyramids may have been derived locally from

2769-601: The archaeological site of Monte d'Accoddi , in Sardinia , dating to the 4th millennium BC: "a trapezoidal platform on an artificial mound, reached by a sloped causeway. At one time a rectangular structure sat atop the platform ... the platform dates from the Copper Age (c. 2700–2000 BC), with some minor subsequent activity in the Early Bronze Age (c. 2000–1600 BC). Near the mound are several standing stones, and

2840-574: The beginning. Though with this innovation the outwardly appearance of Egyptian stepped pyramids came to an end in favor of smooth-sided true pyramids, the pyramids that followed whose cores have been exposed all show some form of stepped pyramid at their center. One of the unique structures of Igboland was the Nsude Pyramids, at the Nigerian town of Nsude, northern Igboland. Ten pyramidal structures were built of clay/mud. The first base section

2911-614: The bench-shaped mastaba tomb. The shape of the ziggurat experienced a revival in modern architecture and Brutalist architecture starting in the 1970s. The Al Zaqura Building is a government building situated in Baghdad . It serves the office of the prime minister of Iraq . The Babylon Hotel in Baghdad also is inspired by the ziggurat. The Chet Holifield Federal Building is colloquially known as "the Ziggurat" due to its form. It

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2982-470: The central area, from where the majority of the Igbo-speaking population is believed to have migrated. The northern Igbo Kingdom of Nri , which rose around the 10th century CE, is credited with the foundation of much of Igboland's culture, customs, and religious practices. It is the oldest existing monarchy in present-day Nigeria. In southern Igboland several groups developed, of which the most notable

3053-416: The church grew stronger. Due to the incompatibility of the Igbo decentralized style of government and the centralized system required for British indirect rule, British colonial rule was marked with open conflicts and much tension. Under British colonial rule, the diversity within each of Nigeria's major ethnic groups slowly decreased and distinctions between the Igbo and other large ethnic groups, such as

3124-481: The conflict. Historically, Igboland has taken up a large part of southeastern Nigeria, mostly on the eastern side of the Niger River . Their territory extends westward across the Niger to the regions of Aniocha, Ndokwa, Ukwuani, and Ika in present-day Delta State. Its eastern side is terminated by the Cross River , although micro-communities exist over on the other side of the river; its northernmost point enters

3195-730: The conquest of what became Obinkita in the 17th century by two main Igbo groups: the Eze Agwu clan and the Oke Nnachi assisted by the Ibom Isi (or Akpa) mercenaries under the leadership of the Nnubi dynasty . Led by Agwu Inobia , a descendant of Nna Uru from Abiriba , the Eze Agwu clan was centered at their capital Amanagwu and were resisted by Obong Okon Ita which led to the start of the Aro-Ibibio Wars . The war initially became

3266-576: The creation of devotional statues to entice them to live in the temple. The word ziggurat comes from ziqqurratum (height, pinnacle), in ancient Assyrian. From zaqārum , to be high up. The Ziggurat of Ur is a Neo-Sumerian ziggurat built by King Ur-Nammu , who dedicated it in honor of Nanna/Sîn in approximately the 21st century BC during the Third Dynasty of Ur . Ziggurats were built by ancient Sumerians , Akkadians , Elamites , Eblaites and Babylonians for local religions. Each ziggurat

3337-424: The earlier temples on platforms and that small shrines stood on the highest stages ... Access to the shrine would have been by a series of ramps on one side of the ziggurat or by a spiral ramp from base to summit. The Mesopotamian ziggurats were not places for public worship or ceremonies. They were believed to be dwelling places for the gods , and each city had its own patron god. Only priests were permitted on

3408-610: The early second millennium reached the cities of Mecca , Medina and Jeddah through a network of trade routes journeyed by middlemen. Beads that originated in India in the 9th century have been found in Igbo Ukwu burial sites: Thousands of glass beads were uncovered from the ruined remains of a nobleman's garments. The burial site was associated with the Nri Kingdom, which began around the same century, according to indigenous history. The northern Igbo Kingdom of Nri , rising around

3479-409: The first Eze Aro, the title of the king of the Aro. In southern Igboland several groups developed mostly independent of Nri influence. Most of these groups followed a migration out of Isu communities in present-day Imo State , although some communities, such as the Mbaise cluster of village groups, claim to be autochthonous . Following the British parliament's abolition of the slave trade in 1807,

3550-417: The head of state of the new republic. The Nigerian Civil War (or the "Nigerian-Biafran War") lasted from 6 July 1967 until 15 January 1970, after which Biafra once again became part of Nigeria. The Republic of Biafra was defeated after three years of war by the federal government of Nigeria from 1967 to 1970 with military support from the United Kingdom (strategy and ammunition), Soviet Union (ammunition),

3621-411: The largest pyramids by area in the world (after El Mirador and Great Pyramid of Cholula ). The archaeological site of Koh Ker in northern Cambodia contains a seven‑tiered pyramid called Prang which was probably the state temple of Jayavarman IV . Construction of the sanctuary was started in 928 AD. At ground level one, side of the square building measures 62 m (203 ft). The height

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3692-460: The method of his killers; Ironsi had his legs tied to the back of a Land Rover and was driven around town while still attached. The Eastern Region formed the core of the secessionist Republic of Biafra. A regional council of the peoples of Eastern Nigeria decided the region should secede as the Republic of Biafra on May 30, 1967. Nigerian General Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu on this day made a declaration of independence of Biafra from Nigeria and became

3763-414: The native common linguistic standard and interrelated cultures in Igboland, the lower Niger River , which divides Igboland into unequal eastern and western parts, has from ancient times provided easy means of communication, trading and unity amongst the Igbo on both sides of the river. It also enabled ancient trade and migration of people into Igboland, and between Igboland and rest of the world. Some of

3834-443: The notable ancient trade and export routes in Igboland included the famous lower Niger and Njaba - Oguta lake - Orashi navigational routes via Asaba - Onitsha - Aboh , and Awo-omamma - Oguta - Ogba–Egbema–Ndoni - Aboh ferry services, respectively. There is evidence of Late Stone Age (late Paleolithic) human presence from at least 10,000 years ago. Early settlement of Igboland is dated to 6000 BC based on pottery found in

3905-412: The original Igbo rulers. . Ife was originally inhabited by Igbos prior to 1300. Those grew into major village groups and towns after the 16th century. Collectively, these places are known as Umuezechima which translates as 'the children or descendants of king Chima'. Igboland was historically known as the Ibo(e) , Ebo(e) , and Ibwo Country by early European explorers. Igboland was conquered by

3976-474: The pharaoh Anedjib . Egyptologist Walter B Emery found other mastabas of this late 1st Dynasty period that may have been of similar design in which several inscriptions depicting step pyramids during this era are also found, mostly credited to Anedjib's successor Qa'a . The first recognized step pyramid, however, dates to the beginning of the Third Dynasty attributed to the pharaoh Djoser . Though Egyptologists often credit his vizier Imhotep as its architect,

4047-434: The pyramids expanded in size on a cyclical basis. This is true of the Great Pyramid of Cholula and of the Great Pyramid of Tenochtitlan . Step pyramids were also a part of South American architecture, such as that of the Moche and the Chavín culture . There are a number of earthwork step pyramids within North America. Often associated with mounds and other mortuary complexes across the Eastern Woodlands (concentrated in

4118-516: The revival of Austronesian indigenous elements as displayed by Sukuh temple that somewhat resembles a Mesoamerican pyramid, and also stepped pyramids of Mount Penanggungan. There are earthwork step pyramids in Japan . Those are Buddhist relics built as pagodas during the Nara period . One of them Dotō are located at the ruins of Onodera Temple in Sakai , Osaka . The earthen pagoda, about 53 meters on each side and about 9 meters height, consists of 13 layers of clay blocks stacked side by side in

4189-441: The rivers, migration, and social history within its various clans and peoples. It has been influenced by its ancient trading neighbours, allies, and more recently by relations with Europeans. Mid-nineteenth century trader W. B. Baikie said, "I seized the moment, and, by our interpreter, told Tshukuma, that we had come to make his acquaintance and his friendship, and to ascertain if the people were willing to trade with us." He signed

4260-407: The sea only by petty tribes, all of which trace their origin to this great race. It is primarily situated in the Lowland forest region of Nigeria. They can also be found in some parts of the Niger-Delta . Here the Niger river fans out into the Atlantic Ocean in a vast network of creeks and mangrove swamps on the Bight of Bonny . The earliest found settlements in Igboland date to 900 BCE in

4331-445: The stepped pyramid structure we see today. Later pharaohs, including Sekhemkhet and possibly Khaba , built similar structures, known as the Buried Pyramid and the Layer Pyramid , respectively. In the Fourth Dynasty , the Egyptians began to build "true pyramids" with smooth sides. The earliest of these pyramids, located at Meidum , was first constructed as a finished "tower-shaped" step pyramid like structure and later converted to

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4402-461: The top. Concerning the seventh tier some scientists say, this was the platform of the shrine because on its sides beautiful reliefs of Garudas were made. As well as menhirs , stone tables, and stone statues Austronesian megalithic culture in Indonesia also featured earth and stone step pyramid structure, referred to as punden berundak as discovered in Pangguyangan site near Cisolok and in Cipari near Kuningan. The construction of stone pyramids

4473-420: The western and northern regions of Nigeria, Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi seized control of Lagos, the capital, and came into power as military head of state of Nigeria. In revolt and retaliation against the government General Aguiyi-Ironsi was ambushed and assassinated by Northern members of the military on 29 July 1966 in a revolt against that had strong ethnic overtones. Ironsi's assassination stood out more because of

4544-402: The words of William B. Baikie: Igbo settlement, extends east and west in the Niger-Delta region which is owned by the Middle-Belt, formerly known as Bendel, from the Old Kalabar river to the banks of the Kwora, Niger River , and live in some territory at Aboh , an Igbo clan, to the west-ward of the latter stream. On the north it borders on Igara, Igala and A'kpoto , and it is separated from

4615-503: The ziggurat at Babylon was known as Etemenanki , which means "House of the foundation of heaven and earth" in Sumerian . The date of its original construction is unknown, with suggested dates ranging from the fourteenth to the ninth century BC, with textual evidence suggesting it existed in the second millennium. Unfortunately, not much of even the base is left of this massive structure, yet archeological findings and historical accounts put this tower at seven multicolored tiers, topped with

4686-452: The ziggurat or in the rooms at its base, and it was their responsibility to care for the gods and attend to their needs. The priests were very powerful members of Sumerian and Assyro-Babylonian society. One of the best-preserved ziggurats is Chogha Zanbil in western Iran . The Sialk ziggurat, in Kashan , Iran , is the oldest known ziggurat, dating to the early 3rd millennium BCE. Ziggurat designs ranged from simple bases upon which

4757-498: Was 60 ft. in circumference and 3 ft. in height. The next stack was 45 ft. in circumference. Circular stacks continued, till it reached the top. The structures were temples for the god Ala/Uto, who was believed to reside at the top. A stick was placed at the top to represent the god's residence. The structures were laid in groups of five parallel to each other. Because it was built of clay/mud, time has taken its toll requiring periodic reconstruction. A step pyramid exists in

4828-449: Was part of a temple complex that included a courtyard, storage rooms, bathrooms, and living quarters, around which a city spread, as well as a place for the people to worship. It was also a sacred structure. The biblical account of the Tower of Babel has been associated by modern scholars to the massive construction undertakings of the ziggurats of Mesopotamia , and in particular to the ziggurat of Etemenanki in Babylon in light of

4899-413: Was part of a temple complex with other buildings. Before the ziggurats there were raised platforms that date from the Ubaid period during the sixth millennium BCE. The ziggurats began as platforms (usually oval, rectangular or square). The ziggurat was a mastaba -like structure with a flat top. The sun-baked bricks made up the core of the ziggurat with facings of fired bricks on the outside. Each step

4970-444: Was slightly smaller than the step below it. The facings were often glazed in different colors and may have had astrological significance. Kings sometimes had their names engraved on these glazed bricks. The number of floors ranged from two to seven. According to archaeologist Harriet Crawford , It is usually assumed that the ziggurats supported a shrine, though the only evidence for this comes from Herodotus , and physical evidence

5041-401: Was the Aro Confederacy . During the late 19th century, Igboland was made part of the Southern Nigeria Protectorate of the British Empire and was amalgamated into modern-day Nigeria in 1914. Nigeria gained independence in 1960. Shortly afterward, Igboland was involved in its biggest war during Biafra's movement for secession . It ended in 1970, when Nigerian government forces prevailed in

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