A member of the Iraqi Antiquities Authority maintenance team, walks along a path as works take place to restore the Great Ziggurat temple in the ancient city of Ur, believed to be the birthplace of Abraham, the patriarch of the world’s three monotheistic religions, located now in Iraq's southern Dhi Qar province, some 16 kilometres from the centre of the city of Nasiriyah, on May 4, 2026. The ziggurat, one of several structures built by the ancient Sumerians in what is now modern-day Iraq, was believed to be the dwelling place of the gods. The temple at its summit was therefore off-limits to all but priests and other highly revered figures. Today, the Great Ziggurat is undergoing careful restoration, carried out by local craftsmen using regionally sourced materials, including bricks specially produced to match original ancient samples. (Photo by Assad NIYAZI / AFP)
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