In the Epic of Gilgamesh, what material is used to build the walls of Uruk?

In the Epic of Gilgamesh, the walls of Uruk are built from baked brick.

The poem’s opening directs the reader to look at Uruk’s massive walls and its foundation platform. Their construction is presented as evidence of Gilgamesh’s achievements and as a lasting monument that outlives an individual human life. The baked-brick walls therefore frame the epic’s central concern with fame and permanence.

Mesopotamian builders commonly used mud brick because southern Mesopotamia had abundant clay but little natural building stone or timber. Sun-dried mud brick was widespread, while baked brick offered greater durability for important structures and exposed surfaces. The epic’s wording connects the city’s monumental appearance with this durable material.

The walls are sometimes confused with Uruk’s temples or with the Cedar Forest, whose trees are part of a separate episode. The text does not say that Uruk’s walls were made of cedar or ordinary stone. Instead, baked brick is the specific material celebrated in the poem’s famous opening description.