Ancient Near Eastern Art

Adapted from presentation by

William V. Ganis, PhD

Achievements in Ancient Near East Bronze

Age• Sumer: cities, laws, architecture,

pottery, weaving, metalwork• Mesopotamia: early writing,

Judaism, Christianity, Islam….• Egypt: levees and canals, stable

empire for 3000 years, great pyramids, medicine, mummification

Sumerian Art

How was Sumerian society organized?

How did they worship?

White Temple and ziggurat

Uruk (modern Warka) Iraq

ca. 3,200-3,000 B.C.E.mud brick DEDICATED TO SKY GOD, ANU.. Population 40,000

White Temple and ziggurat

Uruk (modern Warka) Iraq

ca. 3,200-3,000 B.C.E.mud brick

Female head (possibly Inanna)

from Uruk (modern Warka) Iraq

ca. 3,200-3,000 B.C.E.marbleapproximately 8 in. highGoddess of Love & War

Wore big, bitumen eyebrows, inlaid eyes with shells and lapiz lazuli

RECOVERED

Warka Vase

from Uruk (modern Warka) Iraq

ca. 3,200-3,000 B.C.E.alabasterapproximately 3 ft. high

Most important relief sculpture…reliefs showing InannaTiered REGISTERS WITH FIRM GROUND LINE

RECOVERED

Warka Vase

from Uruk (modern Warka) Iraq

ca. 3,200-3,000 B.C.E.alabasterapproximately 3 ft. high

HIERARCHY OF SCALEOr heratic sclae

Statuettes of worshippers

from Eshnunna (modern Tell Asmar) Iraq

ca. 2,700 B.C.E.gypsum, shell, black limestonetallest 30 in. high

BIG EYES why??Nude at waist

Also known as Votive Statues

SOME MISSING

Statuettes of worhippers

from Eshnunna (modern Tell Asmar) Iraq

ca. 2,700 B.C.E.gypsum, shell, black limestonetallest 30 in. high

Standard of Ur

from Tomb 779, Royal Cemetery Ur

(modern Tell Muqayyar) Iraq

ca. 2,600 B.C.E.wood, shell, lapis lazuli, red limestoneapproximately 8 x 19 in.

War

Peace

Registers

Found in Sumer

HIERARCHY OF SCALEBigger = better

Standard of Ur (war side)

from Tomb 779, Royal Cemetery Ur (modern Tell Muqayyar) Iraq

ca. 2,600 B.C.E.wood, shell, lapis lazuli, red limestoneapproximately 8 x 19 in.

Standard of Ur (peace side)

from Tomb 779, Royal Cemetery Ur (modern Tell Muqayyar) Iraq

ca. 2,600 B.C.E.wood, shell, lapis lazuli, red limestoneapproximately 8 x 19 in.

Bull-headed lyre

from Tomb 789, Royal Cemetery Ur (modern Tell Muqayyar)

ca. 2,600 B.C.E.wood, gold leaf, lapis lazuliapproximately 65 in. highSound box. Found in sumer.

Bull-headed lyre

from Tomb 789, Royal Cemetery Ur (modern Tell Muqayyar)

ca. 2,600 B.C.E.wood, gold leaf, lapis lazuliapproximately 65 in. high

Ram in a thicket

from Tomb 789, Royal Cemetery Ur (modern Tell Muqayyar) Iraq

ca. 2,600 B.C.E.gold, silver, lapis lazuli, copper, shell, red

limestone, bitumen 42.6 cm. high

Cylinder seals

ca. 2,600-2,000 B.C.E.approximately 2 in. highUsed to sign documentsKeep agricultural recordsProfile w/big eyes (SUMER)

Akkadian Art

Head of an Akkadian ruler

from Ninevah (modern Kuyunjik) Iraq

ca. 2,250-2,200 B.C.E., copper14 3/8 in. highArrogant powerEarliest hollow cast metal sculpture

Victory stele of Naram-Sin

from Susa, Iran

ca. 2,254-2,218 B.C.E.sandstone79 in. high

Why is this significant?

What conventions are used to show importance, space, and time?

What was the purpose of this art work?

Who was it intended for?

FAB FIVE ANALYSIS

Victory stele of Naram-Sin

from Susa, Iran

ca. 2,254-2,218 B.C.E.sandstone79 in. high

Kings were divinely chosen.

Horned crown = divinity

Victory over Iran. Soldiers not generic

Enemies die, plead

Neo-Sumerian Art

Ziggurat (restored)at Ur

Neo sumerian period

at Ur (modern Tell Muqayyar) Iraq

ca. 2,100 B.C.E.mud brick

Gudea?

Statue of Sumerian Prince

Peaceful pose, holds fountain.

Plan of temple, Ensi not King.

Piety, simplicity, simple dress.

ICONOGRAPHY

Several of these statutes exist.

Babylonian Art

Stele with code of Hammurabi

from Susa, Iran

ca. 1,780 B.C.E.basalt88 in. high

Hammurabi codified laws.. 1st known example

Laws & penalties, protections for widows & kids.

An eye for an Eye

No vigilantisms, but system of justice.

Seated sun God giving the rod of justice.

Basis for today’s laws!

Assyrian Art

•1st true empire..Semitic nomads worshipping Ashur

•900 BCE conquered upper Mesopotamia

•Savage culture, militaristic

•Flayed their enemies alive

•Art: perspective, anatomy

•Commemorated victories & hunts (propaganda?)

•Sargon = King of All

•Conquered Mesopotamia, ruled 5 generations

Reconstruction drawing

of the citadel of Sargon II, Dar Sharrukin (modern Khorsabad) Iraq

ca. 720-705 B.C.E.

Lamassu (winged human headed bull)

from the citadel of Sargon II, Dar Sharrukin (modern Khorsabad) Iraq

ca. 720-705 B.C.E.limestone13 ft. 10 in. highGuarded palace… relief AND in the round sculpture… 5 legs

Gilgamesh? Wrestling Lion

from the citadel of Sargon II, Dar Sharrukin

ca. 720-705 B.C.E.limestone13 ft. 10 in. high

Ashurbanipal hunting lions

Last great Assyrian king.. Shows bravery in hunting lions. Dying lioness drags back legs, King hierarchy of scale.

from the North Palace of Ashurbanipal, Ninevah (modern Kuyunjik) Iraq

ca. 645-640 B.C.E.gypsumapproximately 5 ft. high

Ashurbanipal hunting lions

from the North Palace of Ashurbanipal, Ninevah (modern Kuyunjik) Iraq

ca. 645-640 B.C.E.gypsumapproximately 5 ft. high

Ashurbanipal hunting lions

from the North Palace of Ashurbanipal, Ninevah (modern Kuyunjik) Iraq

ca. 645-640 B.C.E.gypsumapproximately 5 ft. high

Neo-Babylonian Art

Ishtar Gate (restored)

from Babylon, Iraq

ca. 575 B.C.E.glazed brick

Ishtar Gate (restored)details of dragon (Marduk) and

bull (Adad)

from Babylon, Iraq

ca. 575 B.C.E.glazed brick

Ishtar Gate (restored)details of lion (Ishtar)

from Babylon, Iraq

ca. 575 B.C.E.glazed brick

Achaemenid Persian Art

Palace of Darius I and Xerxes I

Persepolis, Iran

ca. 521-465 B.C.E.

Palace of Darius I and Xerxes I

Persepolis, Iran

ca. 521-465 B.C.E.

Large complex empire, until conquered by Alexander the Great. Palace at Perspeolis… Controlled Indus river. Gate and hall of 100 columns, held 10,000 people. Carved reliefs, contact with ancient Greece and Egypt.