Bible Dictionaries
Ur

　　Ur, light, land of light? Genesis 11:28; Genesis 11:31; Genesis 15:7; Nehemiah 9:7. Some have identified the city Ur with Edessa, the modern Orfah. Others suppose it to be Warka. But late explorations identify it with Mugheir, where considerable ruins exist. It is situated on the right bank of the Euphrates near the marshes, and in periods of inundation the ruins are surrounded by water. They are of an oval shape, and measure about half a mile from north to south. The temple ruins are in the form of a parallelogram 198 by 133 feet. The lower story is supported by thick buttresses; and the height of the whole is 70 feet. The exterior is faced with red kiln-baked bricks; and the interior is constructed of bricks burnt or sun-dried. The name of Urukh, an early king, 2230 b.c., has been found upon the bricks; and the place was probably the capital of this monarch. The temple was dedicated to the moon-god Hurki: hence perhaps the town derived its name.