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The reconstructed facade of the Neo-Sumerian Great Ziggurat of Ur, near Nasiriyah, Iraq

Ziggurats (Akkadian ziqqurat, D-stem of zaqāru "to build on a raised area") were massive structures built in the ancient Mesopotamian valley and western Iranian plateau, having the form of a terraced step pyramid of successively receding stories or levels.

Notable ziggurats include the Great Ziggurat of Ur near Nasiriyah, Iraq; the Ziggurat of Aqar Quf near Baghdad, Iraq; Chogha Zanbil in Khūzestān, Iran; and Sialk near Kashan, Iran.

Description[link]

Ziggurats were built by the Sumerians, Babylonians, Elamites, Akkadians, and Assyrians for local religions. Each ziggurat was part of a temple complex which included other buildings. The precursors of the ziggurat were raised platforms that date from the Ubaid period^[1] during the fourth millennium BC. The earliest ziggurats began near the end of the Early Dynastic Period.^[2] The latest Mesopotamian ziggurats date from the 6th century BC. Built in receding tiers upon a rectangular, oval, or square platform, the ziggurat was a pyramidal structure with a flat top. 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. It is assumed that they had shrines at the top, but there is no archaeological evidence for this and the only textual evidence is from Herodotus.^[3] 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 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 society.

CAD rendering of Sialk's largest ziggurat based on archeological evidence.

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 BC. Ziggurat designs ranged from simple bases upon which 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,^{[citation needed]} and provide access from the ground to it via steps. The Mesopotamians believed that these pyramid temples connected heaven and earth. In fact, the ziggurat at Babylon was known as Etemenankia or "House of the Platform between Heaven and Earth".

An example of an extensive and massive ziggurat is the Marduk ziggurat, or Etemenanki, of ancient Babylon. 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 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.

Etemenanki, the name for the structure, is Sumerian and means "The Foundation of Heaven and Earth". 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.^[4]

Interpretation and significance[link]

According to Herodotus, at the top of each ziggurat was a shrine, although none of these shrines has survived.^[1] One practical function of the ziggurats was a high place on which the priests could escape rising water that annually inundated lowlands and occasionally flooded for hundreds of miles, as for example the 1967 flood.^[5] Another practical function of the ziggurat was for security. Since the shrine was accessible only by way of three stairways,^[6] a small number of guards could prevent non-priests from spying on the rituals at the shrine on top of the ziggurat, such as cooking of sacrificial food and burning of carcasses of sacrificial animals. Each ziggurat was part of a temple complex that included a courtyard, storage rooms, bathrooms, and living quarters, around which a city was built.^[7]

See also[link]

• Dur-Kurigalzu
• Chogha Zanbil
• Step pyramid
• Pyramid

Notes[link]

References[link]

• T. Busink, "L´origine et évolution de la ziggurat babylonienne". Jaarbericht van het Vooraziatisch-Egyptisch Genootschap Ex Oriente Lux 21 (1970), 91-141.
• R. Chadwick, "Calendars, Ziggurats, and the Stars". The Canadian Society for Mesopotamian Studies Bulletin (Toronto) 24 (Nov. 1992), 7-24.
• R.G. Killick, "Ziggurat". The Dictionary of Art (ed. J. Turner, New York & London: Macmillan), vol. 33, 675-676.
• H.J. Lenzen, Die Entwicklung der Zikurrat von ihren Anfängen bis zur Zeit der III. Dynastie von Ur (Leipzig 1942).
• M. Roaf, Cultural Atlas of Mesopotamia and the Ancient Near East (New York 1990), 104-107.
• E.C. Stone, "Ziggurat". The Oxford Encyclopedia of Archaeology in the Near East (ed. E.M. Meyers, New York & Oxford 1997), vol. 5, 390-391.
• J.A. Black & A. Green, "Ziggurat". Dictionary of the Ancient Near East (eds. P. Bienkowski & A. Millard, London: British Museum), 327-328.
• Harriet Crawford, Sumer and the Sumerians, Cambridge University Press, (New York 1993), ISBN 0-521-38850-3.
• A. Leo Oppenheim, Ancient Mesopotamia, University of Chicago Press, (Chicago 1977), ISBN 0-226-63187-7.
• Beck, Roger B.; Linda Black, Larry S. Krieger, Phillip C. Naylor, Dahia Ibo Shabaka, (1999). World History: Patterns of Interaction. Evanston, IL: McDougal Littell. ISBN 0-395-87274-X. 
• Leick, Gwendolyn (2002). Mesopotamia: The Invention of the City. Penguin Books. ISBN 0-14-026574-0. 

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Ziggurats

• Website of Choqa Zanbil ziggurat, Iran.
• Article on status of Sialk ziggurat, Iran.

Tim Rogers
Background information
Birth name	Timothy Adrian Rogers
Born	(1969-09-20) 20 September 1969 (age 42)
Genres	Rock, Country
Occupations	Musician, Songwriter
Instruments	Guitar, Vocals
Years active	1989–present
Associated acts	You Am I
Website	youami.com.au
Notable instruments
Piers Crocker 'Crockenbacker' Fender Telecaster Fender Jazzmaster Guild JF30 Mini Maton

Tim Rogers (born Timothy Adrian Rogers 20 September 1969) is an Australian musician, best known as the frontman of Australian rock band You Am I. He is also a solo artist, as well as having fronted and released albums with bands The Twin Set and The Temperance Union.

History[link]

Originally from Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, Rogers moved around a lot during his adolescence, including stints in Adelaide and Canberra. He later became School Captain at his Sydney-based school Oakhill College. He then went on to study law at the Australian National University. It was during this time that he met long time You Am I band mate, Andy Kent (bass player), who originally was You Am I's sound mixer.

Rogers formed You Am I with his school friend Nick Tischler and his own older brother Jaimme Rogers in 1989, though the lineup shifted around early on, settling on Andy Kent on bass and Mark Tunaley on drums. After the recording of their first album, Sound As Ever, Tunaley was asked to leave the band and Russell Hopkinson joined, forming the 'classic' You Am I lineup. Second guitarist Davey Lane — initially part of The Twin Set touring band — joined in 1999. (for more history on You Am I, see You Am I History)

Also in 1999, Tim released his first solo album, What Rhymes With Cars And Girls. Not intended as a sign of You Am I's demise, it was simply a case of Rogers having some songs and some time to himself:

I had some time alone and I found myself writing some songs and then I just thought, well it looks like You Am I's not going to be recording for a while, while we're waiting for albums to come out overseas, so I wanna make a record…^[1]

Recorded at Jen Anderson's (Weddings Parties Anything) home studio, the album showed a mellower side to Rogers' songwriting, being predominantly a country/folk affair, rather than the raucous rock You Am I were renowned for. Tim named the backing band for the album and consequent tour The Twin Set. He later won an ARIA award for Best Male Artist in for the album.

The initial release of You Am I's fifth album, Dress Me Slowly also contained a bonus disc entitled The Temperance Union EP, consisting of 8 songs Tim had recorded and written, mostly solo. He took the name of the EP — based loosely on the Woman's Christian Temperance Union — to name his backing band for his subsequent solo albums, starting with Spit Polish in 2004.

2005 saw the release of a Temperance Union double album, Dirty Ron/Ghost Songs, featuring various special guests including Missy Higgins, Donna Simpson and Rebecca Barnard.

In 2006 Rogers teamed up with long-time friend Tex Perkins to form T'N'T,^[2] eventually releasing the album My Better Half, an eclectic mix of acoustic originals and cover tunes. Arguably it included some of Rogers' finer solo writing, but received mixed reviews for its minimal production values and tongue in cheek covers, such as Rod Stewart's Tonight's the Night.

In 2007 he released his fourth solo album, The Luxury Of Hysteria, his first credited solely to his name (though The Temperance Union do play on the album). He also created his own record label, Ruby Q, to deal with the release.

Writing[link]

Tim Rogers has written for Australian publication The Monthly on two occasions, contributing a review of fellow musician Don Walker (musician)'s memoir Shots in March 2009 ^[3] and a small non-fiction piece in December 2010.^[4]

Movies, acting, TV and media[link]

Rogers has been involved with two movie soundtracks over the course of his careerears, producing the Idiot Box soundtrack along with Nick Launay in 1999, as well as producing the soundtrack for Dirty Deeds, in which he also had a cameo appearance along with the rest of You Am I. On both soundtracks, You Am I contributed several songs.

Along with You Am I's cameo in Dirty Deeds, Rogers has made various forays into acting. His first film experience was a small cameo in Jane Campion's Holy Smoke!. He made his television acting debut on 28 July 2005, in an episode of ABC TV's medical drama series MDA. He played Joel Palmer, a rock star who donated a kidney to a daughter he didn’t know he had fathered. He also acted in a Michael Weisler short film called Hunter Finkelstein, which was shown at the 2005 Melbourne International Film Festival. He has often appeared as a guest on variety or entertainment shows such as RocKwiz, Rove Live, Talkin' 'bout Your Generation and The Fat. Additionally, he appeared in sketches as "himself" in both the second series of The Micallef Program, and in the "Be a Rock Star" episode of Lawrence Leung's Choose Your Own Adventure. Roger's latest media appearance and interview on Andrew Denton's Enough Rope (15 September 2008) coincided with the September 2008 launch of You Am I's latest studio album.

In February 2009, Rogers made his professional stage debut at the Malthouse Theatre as 'The Entertainer' in their production of Woyzeck, directed by Michael Kantor with music by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis.

Controversy[link]

In 2003 there was an incident between Tim Rogers and Mark Holden in an Adelaide airport terminal. A drunken Rogers taunted Holden with claims that You Am I were told to 'make way' (from their record label) for new Idol winners. Holden gave Rogers the 'look' and fists flew, mostly in Holden's direction. Both parties were reprimanded by airport authorities.

At the 2004 Falls Festival in Marion Bay, Tasmania, You Am I were one of the headline bands. Tim staggered and slurred his way through the first few songs of their setlist, in between making comments about the "hippy shit" music performed by the other festival bands. After less than six songs he apologised for being an embarrassment to his mates and himself and walked off stage. Guitarist Davey Lane tried to stop him but Rogers became aggressive and continued.^[5] Less than a week later, Rogers posted on the band website:

"I fucked up and take total responsibility for my actions,"

and:

"I've got some problems with intoxicants that I haven't dealt with in a long time and it's come back and bit me".

Rogers returned to Tasmania two months later to perform in the A Day On The Green series at Tolosa Park.

Sports fan[link]

An avid sports fan since childhood, Rogers has been known to enjoy a game of Australian rules football, most recently playing in the Community Cup charity match for the Annual Sacred Heart Mission, Melbourne in 2005 and for Reclink Charity for the homeless in 2009. He is also a very vocal supporter of the North Melbourne Football Club, joining in the fight against the Australian Football League's push to relocate the club to the Gold Coast, Queensland, including hosting a benefit concert called 'Roo-sistence', featuring You Am I, T'N'T as well as many other popular Australian rock bands.^[6] He is also an avid fan of the South Sydney Rabbitohs, and performed before the 2010 NRL Grand Final.

In late 2004, he wrote an ad jingle, 'Our Time Begins Again Today', for the Australian Cricket Board's summer ad campaign, 'Long Live The Weekend'.[1]

Guitars and equipment[link]

Over the course of his career, Rogers has been most associated with a series of Rickenbacker 360F copies made by Sydney luthier Piers Crocker, affectionately known as 'Crockenbackers'. Rogers owns 4 of the 5 Crockenbackers in existence, including a 12-string, bought after borrowing Brad Shepherd's Fender Coronado 12-string to record Hourly, Daily. Rogers bought his first Crockenbacker just before the recording of Hi Fi Way, and has used them ever since. Previous to Hi Fi Way, his main guitar was a Gibson ES-345.

He has used various guitars alongside the Crockenbackers, predominantly Fender Telecasters, including a '52 Reissue, a 70s Telecaster Deluxe and a '72 Thinline Reissue. The latter guitar was given to Davey Lane shortly after his joining the band. During the recording of Dilettantes, Rogers also began using Fender Jazzmasters, using them on all subsequent tours to date alongside the Crockenbackers.

For acoustics, Rogers predominantly used a Guild JF30 dreadnought and a custom-built Piers Crocker acoustic. Recently he has made the switch to playing Cole Clark Fat Lady acoustics, though he has also been seen with Maton acoustics at various times.

Whilst recording Sound As Ever, Rogers became enamoured with Lee Ranaldo's Fender Tonemaster amp, and shortly thereafter bought one for himself, which he has used for all You Am I work from Hi-Fi Way onwards. For his work with The Temperance Union, however, he uses a Sunn combo amp.

Rogers uses an overdrive pedal and a tremolo pedal custom made by Colin Bloxom, as well as a wah and occasionally a Route 66 overdrive/compression pedal.^[7] Tim currently users an overdrive pedal built by Ramblin' Guitars.

One of Rogers' self-confessed most important tools is his capo:

"Probably 90 percent of every song I've ever written involves a capo... When first using one, the possibilities of things become realisations, and you could write in different keys and things. I think I want to be buried with one."^[8]

Backing bands[link]

Over the course of his solo albums, Tim has used two main backing bands, though membership between the two has overlapped.

The Twin Set[link]

Formed from the recording of What Rhymes With Cars And Girls, The Twin Set were country and folk influenced, and featured Jen Anderson (from Weddings Parties Anything), Davey Lane (who would shortly afterwards join You Am I on second guitar), as well as Stuart Speed and Ian Kitney who would go on to form the rhythm section for The Temperance Union.

The Temperance Union[link]

Keeping the rhythm section from The Twin Set and adding guitarist Shane O'Mara (from Rebecca's Empire and Paul Kelly's band), The Temperance Union kept the country influence of The Twin Set but added a rock'n'roll swagger to it. After the recording of Dirty Ron/Ghost Songs Stuart Speed died and was soon to be replaced by Peter Lawler (aka Dr Pump) but never forgotten.

Discography[link]

LPs[link]

• with You Am I:
  • See You Am I article
• with The Twin Set:
  • What Rhymes With Cars And Girls (1999) - #14 Australia
• with The Temperance Union:
  • Spit Polish (2004) - #52 Australia
  • Dirty Ron/Ghost Songs (double album) (2005) - #48 Australia
• with T'N'T (Tim Rogers and Tex Perkins):
  • My Better Half (2006)
• as Tim Rogers:
  • The Luxury of Hysteria (2007)

EPs[link]

• The Temperance Union EP (bonus 8 track EP released with You Am I's Dress Me Slowly initial digipack release) (2001)
• Vampires/Cleveland (limited edition 7" vinyl release recorded with The Temperance Union) (2004)

Movie Soundtracks[link]

• Idiot Box (1999)
• Dirty Deeds (2002)

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Tim Rogers

• Official You Am I site
• Tim Rogers official site
• You Am I fan site
• Tim Rogers at the Internet Movie Database