--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Ankh-Morpork! Pearl of cities! This is…" description: "\"Ankh-Morpork! Pearl of cities! This is not a completely accurate description, of course — it was not round and shiny — but even its worst enemies would..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad6/terry-pratchett-19_accurate_ankh-morpork-pearl-of-cities-this-is-not_2453688.jpg" --- # Ankh-Morpork! Pearl of cities! This is not a completely… ![“Ankh-Morpork! Pearl of cities! This is not a completely accurate description, of course — it was not round and shiny — but even its worst enemies would agree that if you had to liken Ankh-Morpork to anything, then it might as well be a piece of rubbish covered with the diseased secretions of a…” quote by Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad6/terry-pratchett-19_accurate_ankh-morpork-pearl-of-cities-this-is-not_2453688.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad6/terry-pratchett-19_accurate_ankh-morpork-pearl-of-cities-this-is-not_2453688.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad6/terry-pratchett-19_accurate_ankh-morpork-pearl-of-cities-this-is-not_2453688.jpg) > “Ankh-Morpork! Pearl of cities! This is not a completely accurate description, of course — it was not round and shiny — but even its worst enemies would agree that if you had to liken Ankh-Morpork to anything, then it might as well be a piece of rubbish covered with the diseased secretions of a dying mollusc.” [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The city is depicted as chaotic, filthy, and grotesque, highlighting its moral decay and absurdity **In simple terms:** Ankh-Morpork is a dirty, chaotic place Key Takeaway Recognize and critique societal flaws Themes satire urban decay humor Mood wry critical Type satirical observational When to use this quote - political commentary - urban planning - cultural analysis Key Concepts social criticism absurdism morality Questions to Reflect On - How does satire reveal truth? - What does the city's condition say about society? A Different Perspective Even a ruined city can inspire reflection on human nature ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accurate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accurate/) [Agree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agree/) [Ankh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ankh/) [Cities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cities/) [Covered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/covered/) [Description](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/description/) [Discworld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discworld/) [Dying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dying/) [Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) [Might](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/might/) [Morpork Pearl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morpork-pearl-592265/) [Morpork Piece](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morpork-piece-592266/) [Pearls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pearls/) [Piece Rubbish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/piece-rubbish-592268/) [Pieces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pieces/) [Rubbish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rubbish/) [Rubbish Covered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rubbish-covered-592267/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) [Worst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worst/) ## Related quotes > [Luck is my middle name. Mind you, my first name is Bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/luck-is-my-middle-name-mind-you-my-first-name-is-bad/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“A number of religions in Ankh-Morpork still practiced human sacrifice, except that they didn't really need to practice any more because they had got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/a-number-of-religions-in-ankh-morpork-still-practiced-human-sacrifice/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Of course, Ankh-Morpork's citizens had always claimed that the river water was incredibly pure. Any water that had passed through so many kidneys, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/of-course-ankh-morpork-s-citizens-had-always-claimed-that-the-river/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [I think I was always driven because I came from absolutely nothing. I was that piece of rubbish from a block of flats on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-ballas/i-think-i-was-always-driven-because-i-came-from-absolutely-nothing-i/) [Shirley Ballas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-ballas/) > [The people of Ankh-Morpork had a straightforward, no-nonsense approach to entertainment, and while they were looking forward to seeing a dragon slain, they'd be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-people-of-ankh-morpork-had-a-straightforward-no-nonsense-approach/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Technically, the city of Ankh-Morpork is a Tyranny, which is not always the same thing as a monarchy, and in fact even the post…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/technically-the-city-of-ankh-morpork-is-a-tyranny-which-is-not-always/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Poets have tried to describe Ankh-Morpork. They have failed. Perhaps it's the sheer zestful vitality of the place, or maybe it's just that a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/poets-have-tried-to-describe-ankh-morpork-they-have-failed-perhaps-it/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [There's a saying that all roads lead to Ankh-Morpork. And it's wrong. All roads lead away from Ankh-Morpork, but sometimes people just walk along…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-s-a-saying-that-all-roads-lead-to-ankh-morpork-and-it-s-wrong/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [When a man is tired of Ankh-Morpork, he is tired of ankle-deep slurry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/when-a-man-is-tired-of-ankh-morpork-he-is-tired-of-ankle-deep-slurry/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [I think that sick people in Ankh-Morpork generally go to a vet. It's generally a better bet. There's more pressure on a vet to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/i-think-that-sick-people-in-ankh-morpork-generally-go-to-a-vet-it-s/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [The point is that descriptive writing is very rarely entirely accurate and during the reign of Olaf Quimby II as Patrician of Ankh-Morpork some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-point-is-that-descriptive-writing-is-very-rarely-entirely-2/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [He found that he had this sudden desperate longing for the fuming, smoky streets of Ankh-Morpork, which was always at its best in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/he-found-that-he-had-this-sudden-desperate-longing-for-the-fuming/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [It was Carrot who'd suggested to the Patrician that hardened criminals should be given the chance to 'serve the community' by redecorating the homes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/it-was-carrot-who-d-suggested-to-the-patrician-that-hardened/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Sergeant Colon of the Ankh-Morpork City Guard was on duty. He was guarding the Brass Bridge, the main link between Ankh and Morpork. From…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/sergeant-colon-of-the-ankh-morpork-city-guard-was-on-duty-he-was/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Ankh-Morpork had dallied with many forms of government and had ended up with that form of democracy known as One Man, One Vote. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/ankh-morpork-had-dallied-with-many-forms-of-government-and-had-ended/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## More by Terry Pratchett > [“This one’s mental.’ ‘Eccentric.’ ‘What’s the difference?’ ‘A bag of cash.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/this-one-s-mental-eccentric-what-s-the-difference-a-bag-of-cash/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“But I did not return until half past four this morning and I distinctly remember stubbing my toe on the stairs. 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Much family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/it-s-an-interesting-fact-that-fewer-than-17-of-real-cats-end-their/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [You can't trust folk songs. They always sneak up on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-can-t-trust-folk-songs-they-always-sneak-up-on-you/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Either dragons should exist completely or fail to exist at all, he felt. A dragon only half-existing was worse than the extremes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/either-dragons-should-exist-completely-or-fail-to-exist-at-all-he/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Magrat wondered what it was like, spending your whole life doing something you didn’t want to do. 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