Part of the cone mosaic façade from the Eana temple complex

Development of the sacred Eanna precinct in Uruk culminated at the end of the 4th millennium. There were temples, halls with columns covered with cone mosaics, facilities for bathing, and a so-called reception palace, as well as a large court with terraces for the ritual worship of the goddess Inanna. An open court with four pairs of huge free-standing columns and four engaged columns, elevated upon the northwest terrace, was accessible over a podium-like extension. Staircases at either side of this "podium" led up to the court.Mosaics made of cones with colored heads had been used since the mid-4th millennium as architectural decoration. Now, at the end of the millennium, they became a characteristic feature of cult and representational buildings in the Eanna precinct. Cones about 10cm in length and made of fired clay or gypsum were inserted close to each other into a thick layer of mudplaster applied to walls and columns. The heads of the cones were painted black, red, or white. Larger unpainted cones of clay or stone were also used. Patterns include losenges, triangles, stripes and zigzags in imitation of matting and textiles.Over and above their decorative effect, cone mosaics also had a practical function, since they protected walls and columns against the elements.