The capstone was usually made of hard stone – granite or basalt – and could be plated with gold, silver, or electrum and would also be highly reflective.
After 2700 BC, the ancient Egyptians began building pyramids, until around 1700 BC.
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.
The Great Pyramid of Giza is the largest in Egypt and one of the largest in the world.
Built in receding tiers upon a rectangular, oval, or square platform, the ziggurat was a pyramidal structure with a flat top.