An early hymn which describes the construction of one of them, states that it was of bronze, and that it rested on the figures of twelve bronze oxen.

It was intended for the ablutions of the priests and the vessels of the sanctuary, and was a representation of that primaeval deep out of which it was believed that the world originated.
One peculiarity the Babylonian temples possessed which was not shared by those of the west.

Each had its _ziggurat_ or "tower," which served for the observation of the stars, and in the topmost storey of which was the altar of the god.

It corresponded with the "high-place" of Canaan, where man imagined himself nearest to the gods of heaven.

But in the flat plain of Babylonia it was needful that the high-place should be of artificial construction, and here accordingly they built the towers whose summits "reached to" the sky.
The temples and their ministers were supported partly by endowments, partly by voluntary gifts, sometimes called _kurbanni_, the Hebrew _korban_, partly by obligatory contributions, the most important of which was the _esra_ or "tithe." Besides the fixed festivals, which were enumerated in the calendar, special days of thanksgiving or humiliation were appointed from time to time.