Final answer:
The correct answer is 'd. Frescoes,' as frescoes were not typically used in the temple of Uruk, whereas massive platforms, colonnades, and stepped pyramids were.
Step-by-step explanation:
The main answer to what is NOT a major visual or formal characteristic of the temple of Uruk is d. Frescoes. While Ziggurats, massive platforms, and colonnades were prominent features in Mesopotamian religious architecture, frescoes were not characteristic of the temple of Uruk. Mesopotamian temples, including the White Temple of Uruk, were typically built on massive platforms and featured ziggurats which were terraced step pyramids with a temple at the top. These structures were made of mudbrick and often decorated with glaze, paint, or reliefs, but frescoes, which are a kind of mural painted on fresh, wet plaster, were not a standard decorative element for temples in this region. Instead, temples could be adorned with cones, tiles, and in some cases, elements plated with precious metals but frescoes were more commonly found in other ancient civilizations, such as Minoan Crete.