Ancient Near Eastern Art

Mesopotamian Periods

Sumerian (3500 – 2340 BCE)

Akkadian (2340 – 2180 BCE)

Babylonian (1792 – 1750 BCE)

Hittite (16o0 – 1200 BCE)Assyrian (1000 – 612 BCE)Persia (559 – 331 BCE)

S.A.B.H.A.P (help yourself remember them in order!)

Iraq and Turkey (all Iraq except Hittite, which is Turkey)

KEY IDEAS:

• Birth of art in the service of the state and religion• Objects and writing give us 1st systematic record of

human development• Buildings made for religion (ZIGGURATS)• Buildings made for the state (palaces)• Built of mud-brick, painted or tiled/stone covered• Large STELAI erected throughout Mesopotamia

(commemorate rulers’ achievements)• Guardian figures (man-animal) protect site

entrances• Assyrian lion reliefs- first organized narrative art in

history

EVERYTHING Started in Mesopotamia!!! Wow!

WritingCities

Organized ReligionOrganized Government

LawsAgriculture

Bronze CastingThe Wheel!

• Big population in fertile river valley between Tigris and Euphrates rivers• City centers, urbanization• Groups overtaking each other for control of area (layering of cultures)

STELE OF NARAM-SINFrom Sippar; found at Susa (present-day Shush, Iran).

Naram-Sin r. 2254-2218 BCE. Limestone, height 6'6”

• Kings used artists to help glorify their careers.

• Artists make them look grand

• Brought the gods to life

• Sculpted narrative tales for legacy

• Patron/Artist relationships form

-wrote in CUNEIFORM

-royal names on tablets and sculptures

-permanent records of business

-wedge-shaped script

-laws written down

-tax records

-first written epic, “Gilgamesh”

-narrative painting to illustrate stories

CYLINDER SEAL = private communication between people

CYLINDER SEAL AND ITS MODERN IMPRESSIONFrom the tomb of Queen Puabi (PG 800), Ur (present-day Muqaiyir, Iraq).c. 2600-2500 BCE. Lapis lazuli

• written document is foldedand sealed with stamp

• stamp is made of clay

• pressed cylinder into clay

• arrives with seal unbroken= no one messed with your mail!

INNOVATIONS IN ARCHITECTURE:

• urbanization

• buildings for living, government, and worship

• not much stone or wood- used baked mud bricks (cheap and sustainable)

• built ZIGGURATS (tall, solid structures of mud bricks)

• ZIGGURATS dominated the flat landscape

INNOVATIONS IN PAINTING AND SCULPTURE:

• clothed humans with anatomical precision

• active figures (hunting, praying, rituals)

• people are settled in cities = big sculptures (lamassus)

• palaces filled with large relief sculptures carved into stone

• represent animals with human characteristics and emotions

• trend to combine animal parts with the human head

Sumerian Art (3500 – 2340 BCE)

Development of Cuneiform Building of Ziggurats Small Scale Sculpture in marble,

diorite, hammered gold and lapis lazuli

The writing of Gilgamesh

MAJOR WORKS: SUMERIAN

Votive Figures from Tell Asmar (Iraq c. 2900 – 2600 BCE), limestone, alabaster, and gypsum (biggest one is 30” high)

Can you describe their characteristics?

• different heights = hierarchy of scale

• men: bare chest, skirt, beard in ripple pattern, belt

• women: dress draped over one shoulder

• inscription on back- “it offers prayers”

• figures held cups or branches in their hands

• hands folded in prayer

• huge eyes in awe

• staring at the god(s)

• arms and feet cut away from body

• represent real people

• praying to god Abu?

The Uruk Vase, c. 3300-3000 BCE, alabaster

-Tells story with clarity-Pictures organized into registers (horizontal bands)-Narrative, like a comic strip-Bottom: natural world (plants, etc)-Top: Inanna accepts offering from a king-Ritual marriage between goddess and a human priest-king during New Year’s festival-Festival = fertility of crops, animals, and people-Fertility = Uruk stays strong!

• 2 sides: war and peace• historical narrative• part of a soundbox for musical

instrument? • figures have broad frontal

shoulders, body in profile• emphasized eyes, eyebrows,

and ears• repetition of forms• horses placed behind each

other to suggest depth• organized- reads bottom to top

Standard of Ur, c. 2600 BCE, panel inlayedwith shell, lapis lazuli, and limestone

• hierarchy of scale

• Sumerian king ½ head taller

• came down from his chariot to inspect captives

• enemies nude to suggest defeat and debasement

< peace

< war

More information about The Standard of Ur

A mysterious object with one of the earliest representations of a Sumerian army

This object was found in one of the largest graves in the Royal Cemetery at Ur, lying in the corner of a chamber above the right shoulder of a man. Its original function is not yet understood. Leonard Woolley, the excavator at Ur, imagined that it was carried on a pole as a standard, hence its common name. Another theory suggests that it formed the soundbox of a musical instrument.When found, the original wooden frame for the mosaic of shell, red limestone and lapis lazuli had decayed, and the two main panels had been crushed together by the weight of the soil. The bitumen acting as glue had disintegrated and the end panels were broken. As a result, the present restoration is only a best guess as to how it originally appeared.The main panels are known as 'War' and 'Peace'. 'War' shows one of the earliest representations of a Sumerian army. Chariots, each pulled by four donkeys, trample enemies; infantry with cloaks carry spears; enemy soldiers are killed with axes, others are paraded naked and presented to the king who holds a spear.The 'Peace' panel depicts animals, fish and other goods brought in procession to a banquet. Seated figures, wearing woollen fleeces or fringed skirts, drink to the accompaniment of a musician playing a lyre. Banquet scenes such as this are common on cylinder seals of the period, such as on the seal of the 'Queen' Pu-abi, also in the British Museum.

THE GREAT LYRE WITH BULL'S HEAD

THE SOUND BOX OF THE GREAT LYREc. 2600 BCEFrom Ur (present-day Muqaiyir, Iraq).Wood with gold, shell, and lapiz lazuli

what do you know about this piece?

THE SOUND BOX OF THE GREAT LYRE, c. 2600 BCEFrom Ur (present-day Muqaiyir, Iraq).Wood with gold, shell, and lapiz lazuli

• bulls head (in previous picture)• four panels on this side

Sumerian wrestling two man-headed bulls

wolf carries table with animal parts, preparingfor a ceremony, lion bears wine, jug, cup

donkey plays a bull-harp, bears dance, seatedfox plays rattle

jackal waves rattles, scorpion-man

• animals in profile; people have frontal shoulders• animals have human characteristics (typical)• lyre was found in royal grave, funerary object?

ZIGGURAT!!!

What do you remember about ZIGGURATS?

NANNA ZIGGURAT, Ur (present-day Muqaiyir, Iraq). c. 2100-2050 BCE.

• mud-brick building on colossal scale

• buttresses spaced across surface to create light and shadow pattern

• whitewash to disguise mud appearance

• holes in surface (flags?)

• tapers down = rain water washes off

• small temple on top was set back and removed from general public

• resembles a mountain

• four corners oriented to compass

• three large staircases lead to upper story entrance from three different directions

• dedicated to moon god Nanna

buttresses

Rememberthis guy?

Describe him

Head of Gudea

c. 2150 BC

Gudea = peaceful ruler of Lagash

expresses a sense of calm express a sense wisdom folded hands, long fingers right arm bare, broad shoulders narrow waist, simple contours carved in imported diorite or

dolorite = wealthy/important guy

Gudea commissioned many temples Many statues of him = he’s

familiar

VOTIVE STATUE OF GUDEAFrom Girsu (present-day Telloh, Iraq). c. 2090 BCE. Diorite, height 29"

MAJOR WORKS: AKKADIAN

deification of the king (king is god-like) king rules with gods’ approval, but not

assistance erected permanent stone markers-

STELAI STELAI mark imiportant religious/civic

sites

Victory Stele of Naram-Sin

(Iran c.2254-2218 BCE)

sandstone

What do you rememberabout this?

victory over the Lullubi (mtn. people)

Naram-Sin deifies himself

composition leads up to the heavens as he and his army climb the mountain

stars symbolize three gods

defeats his enemies: one thrown off cliff, one begs for mercy; one has a spear through his throat

Naram-Sin acts with the gods’ blessings, but is independent of them

he wears the horned crown of divinity and carries weapons

figures in composite views

narrative in art

hierarchy of scale, isolation of king

relief sculpture

commemorates victory

Stela of King Naram Sin

(Iran c.2300-2200 BCE)

Palette of Narmerc. 3400 – 3000 BCE

Coming up in Egypt…

Babylonian (1792-1750 BCE)

Babylon is a well-ordered state strict laws handed down from

Shamash (god) Babylon is highly decorated (hanging

gardens and glazed tile)

MAJOR WORKS: BABYLONIAN…….

Stele of Hammurabi, c. 1780 BCE, basalt

One of the earliest law codes (below scene). Laws given from Shamash to Hammurabi.

Sun god, Shamash, enthroned on ziggurat

He’s handing Hammurabi a rope, ring, and rod of kingship

Hammurabi with a speaking/greeting gesture

Shamash: frontal and profile at same time, headdress in profile; rays from behind his shoulder

Shamash’s beard is fuller than Hammurabi’s

Stare at each other

300 law codes under scene- punishment depends on social standing

It’s in Paris at the Louvre!

Smolinski photos

Upper part of stele inscribed with the Law Code of Hammurabi. C. 1760 B.C. Diorite, height of stele approx, 7'; height of relief 28".

Detail of inscription

Ishtar Gate, c. 575 BCE, glazed brick, Neo-Babylonian

• Glazed brick covers mud walls of city

• Animals guard entrance to city

• Crenellations = warlike appearance

• Reconstructed in Berlin, Germany from ruins in Babylon

Crenellations hanging gardens of Babylon

Ishtar Gate

Colorful, sumptuous exterior

Blue background enhances earth-colored animal figures

Lions sacred to goddess Ishtar

Dragons sacred to gods Marduk and Nabu

Bulls sacred to the god Adad

Nebuchadnezzar II built….

• Ishtar Gate

• Ziggurat (tower of babel)

• Hanging gardens of Babylon

HITTITE ART

• Used stone (not mud-brick) as building material• Large uncut boulders are impressive fortifications (protective walls)

MAJOR WORK:

LION GATEHattusha (near present-day Boghazkoy, Turkey).c. 1400 BCE. Limestone.

• Gate to city• Guardian Lions• Huge boulders, no mud-brick• Massive impression

Assyrian 1000 – 612 BCE

Artists praised greatness of king Killing enemies, hunting, masculinity Humans are stoic (emotionless) Animals have emotion (lions cry out) King’s domination over wild animals =

authority CUNEFORM everywhere! Words written across scenes and

figures Shallow RELIEF SCULPTURE is popular

MAJOR WORKS……

Palace of Sargon II, 720-705 BCE, Khorsabad, Iraq,

• City on a platform 40 feet high

• Mud-brick

• Contains ziggurat

• Huge palace complex: 25 acres, 30 courtyards, 200 rooms

• High exterior walls protected city from attack

More info about Sargon’s Palace

• A walled CITADEL (fortress containing palaces and temples) was built near the palace

• Sargon’s Palace complex = buildings where Sargon governed and lived

• Built at the rear of the citadel on a 40-foot platform (man-made)

• Art as propaganda to support political power

• Guarded by 2 towers

• Accessible only by a wide ramp leading up from an open square

• Main courtyard with service buildings and temples

• Courtyards within courtyards

• Narrative relief panels

• King’s throne room guarded by huge guardian figures at gate

• Ziggurat was highest point- functioned symbolically as lofty bridges between the earth and the heavens (a meeting place for humans and their gods)

Lamassu, c. 700 BCElimestone

• Human-headed animal guardian

• Winged

• 5 legs (2 seen from front, four

from side)

• Ward off enemies

• Feeling of harmony and stability.

Four legs seen from side

Two legs seen from front (five total- seems to walk by you as you walk by it!

 Assurnasirpal II Killing Lions, c. 850 BCE, alabaster• A ceremonial hunt• Relief sculpture, bold contours• Animals show emotion, humans none. • Lion is most feared beast. King has power over nature. • Chaotic arrangement of lions• Organized arrangement of humans• Humans as stoic and severe• Ledge acting as ground line

 

Persian 539 – 331 BCE

Largest empire at that time Impress locals and dignitaries from abroad Monumental architecture Huge audience halls Massive buildings for grand ceremonies to

glorify the rulers and country Architecture is characterized by columns

topped by two bull-shaped CAPITALS holding up a wooden roof. MAJOR WORKS….

Persepolis (c. 500 BCE), Iran

• Built by Darius I and Xerxes I• Destroyed by Alexander the Great• Built for spectacular receptions and festivals• Built on artificial terraces• Mud-brick with stone facing• Giant lamassu gates

Relief sculptures show giftsbeing brought to the treasury

Central location of Persepolis=protection of treasury

Columns had bell-shaped base that is an invertedlotus blossom

Capitals are bulls or lions

“Immortals” carved onto stairs(the King’s guard, over 10,000)

• Held thousands of people• Used for king’s receptions• Decorated with reliefs of the New Year’s festival with representatives from 23 nations• Many cultures (Greeks, Egyptians, Babylonians) contributed to the building of the site.

Persepolis Audience hall: 36 columns with wooden roof