Final answer:
Mesopotamian architecture is marked by the use of sun-baked bricks and clay, with ziggurats representing monumental public structures and houses reflecting a division between public and private spaces. Assyrian architecture evolved to include unique features such as domes and a variety of building materials.
Step-by-step explanation:
The style of Mesopotamian architecture is characterized by the use of sun-baked bricks and clay as primary materials due to the region's lack of stone. Babylonian architecture featured structural elements such as pilasters, columns, and decorative aspects including frescoes and enameled tiles. Assyrian architecture, while initially influenced by the Babylonian style, developed its own unique characteristics, incorporating stone and a variety of building materials alongside brick, and adorning palaces with sculptured and colored slabs of stone.
Ziggurats are one of the most notable achievements of Mesopotamian construction, exemplifying the monumental scale of public architecture. These massive terraced structures, typically featuring a shrine or temple at their summit, signified advances in construction technique and religious significance. Domestic architecture, on the other hand, was typically more modest, with smaller rooms organized around a central space and courtyards to provide cooling effects, reflecting a clear division between public and private spheres.
Over time, Assyrian architecture began to display unique features such as domes, and the use of diverse materials like woods, stones, and metals. The construction of massive fortified walls around cities and palaces reflected the turbulent political climate of the period, indicating a need for defensive architecture. Lamassu, guardian figures with human heads, wings, and the bodies of lions or bulls, became iconic symbols of Assyrian architectural decoration.