The worship of gods did not only take place inside temples, such as have been found during excavations in most of the Canaanitic towns, but also on "Heights", that is: at places in the open air in a high place.
A tangible, three-dimansional depiction of this was found by excavations durung the expedition of J. de Morgan in Sumeria, 1904-1905 (Now to be seen in the Louvre, Paris). It makes it easier for us to understand the lay-out of such a "height". Although this is quite remote from Canaan, by the ancient Elamitic inscription on it, mentioning "Sit Shamshi" (= the rising of the Sun) we can link it to the Semitic cult. Thanks to the king's name, Shilhak-in-Shushinak, also mentioned on it, we can now safely date this object as from the 12th. Century B.C.
The ceremony depicted by it found place at sunset. This may be deduced from the inscription on it. In all religions the moment of sunrise is felt as decisive, in more ways than one.
More than once it does play a role in the Old Testament and also in Zachariah's panegyric we can find a mention of the "Rise from the Height" that will shine on his people. We may safely assume that in the cult too, a parallel can be shown for this moment of the day that has been so meticulously put down, at which the Sun starts its course.
On the bronze reliëf from Susa two naked figures kneel opposite to each other. One is about to sprinkle water over the other's held up hands. It is clear that this is a cleansing ritual, as a necessary prelude to the cultic ritals following it.
The rituals of this cult are performed on a sacred place, where all the essential elements of the oriental sanctuary are present, as on a model, be highly schematized and not all on the same scale; this will in fact obstruct the certainty of full identification somewhat, although still the greater part of the objects may still be recognized with great probability.
In the first place, there are two "zikkurat's." The biggest (A) has a square base and three stories, with a protruding lower part. The sides are vertical, or reclining a little. The second zikkurat (B), a little smaller, is located opposite the first one, separated from it by the two figures and some objects we will explain further on. This tower had only two stories. It is remarkable that both structures have, on their horizontal planes, horseshoe-shaped hollows, that make one wonder if they did not serve as places to put statues of gods, as depicted on a vase from Susa. Or must they be regarded as some kind of platter, on which incense could be burned? Both explanations are of course possible. Of course these may also have been the spots to place the "biogenic batteries" also shown on Assyrian pictures.
On either side of zikkurat A two rows of round objects may be seen (C and C'), which we would like to see as a depiction of offerings, maybe analogous to the sacrificial bread from the Jewish Temple, already mentioned in the Old Testament; they were round and flat in shape.
At the foot of the same zikkurat a square table can be seen (E), with a number of narrow hollows in it, probably a sacrificial table. This is situated between the two pillars (D en D'), that remind us of the Hâmmanîm, that are mentioned in the Old Testament several times as heathen cukt objects (Comparable to “Jachin” en “Boas” in the Freemason's Temples).
Behind one of the figures, towards the edge of the depicted plateau, several objects can be seen: a big jar (H), serving as water reservoir, two square tubs (I en J), three tree-trunks without branches (K), a stèle of the masseba-type (L), that is conneccted to a sort of platform (M) with raised edges, that may be recognized as either an altar, or a bench as also known from other sanctuaries.
So here not only all the elements of the Semitic cult are represented, but additionally also two zikkurats, so characteristic for the Mesopothamic and Iranian architecture. As said before: even if this would be essentially an Iranian monument, it still is unique for the knowledge it offers us about the Semitic ritual and cult.
