(in ancient Mesopotamia) a rectangular stepped tower, sometimes surmounted by a temple. Ziggurats are first attested in the late 3rd millennium bc and probably inspired the biblical story of the Tower of Babel (Gen. 11:1–9) (古代美索不达米亚的)金字形神塔(一种矩形的塔式建筑,有台阶可登,部分塔顶筑有神殿;最初证实为公元前3000年晚期建筑,据推测《圣经》中《创世纪》第11章第1至9节关于巴别通天塔的故事可能受神塔启示而产生)