Iraq’s most famous archeological site was perhaps the earliest city in the world. It was only a five mile journey from Cedar, Iraq. Ur flourished under the Sumerians between 3500 BC and 4000 BC. Ur has been identified with the birthplace of the biblical patriarch Abraham. In the early decades of the 20th century, excavations uncovered a royal cemetery in which members of the ruling elite were buried with their servants and beautifully-made possessions. Ur’s dominant feature is the remains of a ramped ziggurat. God’s request to Abraham to migrate from Ur was no small request. Abraham’s leaving Ur would be like a person today leaving a city which was prosperous, was filled with opportunity, and provided safety and security.

Tilil Air Base is located right next to the remains of the city of Ur, the birthplace of Abraham. I saw the oldest archway supposedly ever invented and first used. The life of the Ziggurat is closely tied with the city of Ur itself. The city is considered a cradle of civilization, playing a key role in defining urban culture and serving as an example for future city designs. Several thousand years ago, the path of the Euphrates River flowed very close to the city’s walls. Because of its location, Ur became a hub for the development of commerce and the seat of political influence for the entire area. The city’s early history was marked by three separate dynasties in a single millennia, with the first occurring before 3,000 B.C. and the last ending around 2,000 B.C. While the original inhabitants of Ur have faded into history, the Ziggurat of Ur stands a remarkable window into humanity’s past culture. Actually, the Ziggurat today was the foundation of what is left of it. The Temple had been up on top of it at one time. I thought that I had better give a short history lesson on the area that was so close by. Next, I’ll write about my first R & R when I finally got to leave Iraq. Unfortunately, when my time to leave Iraq came, all roads and convoys were shutdown. The highway had gone Red! Luckily, I was fortunate to fly out of that area on a large transport plane known as a C130. It was operated by The West Virginia Air National Guard. My prayer had been answered.