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Chapter 2 Ancient Near East

Empires of Mesopotamia before Islam Sumerians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Persia, Sasanians. Chapter 2 Ancient Near East. MESOPOTAMIA: Greek for “ Land between Rivers ” AKA “ Fertile Crescent ”. Invention of Wheel and Plow Biblical Garden of Eden Birth of three world religions

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Chapter 2 Ancient Near East

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  1. Empires of Mesopotamia before Islam Sumerians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Persia, Sasanians Chapter 2 Ancient Near East

  2. MESOPOTAMIA: Greek for “Land between Rivers” AKA “Fertile Crescent” • Invention of Wheel and Plow • Biblical Garden of Eden • Birth of three world religions • Judaism, Christianity, Islam *Much of the artwork from this region was found in what is now modern day Iraq and Afghanistan.

  3. Sumer • Sumer was a region made up of “City-States” • Each “City-State” was controlled by a deity and a divinely inspired ruler • Each City State had a “Ziggurat” in the center of the town devoted to the local god

  4. Written Language • Pictographs, made with a stylus • Later simplified into Cuneiform (wedge-shaped signs) • Used for inventory and transactions (traded wood, stone, metal) • Left to right top to bottom

  5. White Temple, (Sumerian, City-State of Uruk), c.3200BCE • (Iraq) • Gilgamesh • Gods reside above us • “White” washed walls • Ziggurat: platform 40ft above street, temple on top with waiting room or “cella” • Dedicated to Anu, sky god *Cross Cultural Connection: This temple at Chichen Itza in Mexico was built by people in Central America around 4,000 years later. Could they have known about the other temples built toward the heavens made by Sumerians and Ancient Egyptians?

  6. Female Head, Sumerian (city-state of Uruk),c.3200BCE,marble • Inanna? (aka Ishtar) • Flat back • Marble was imported • Empty grooves and eyes…

  7. Low Relief/Bas Relief High Relief Sunken Relief

  8. In the Round

  9. Presentation of Offerings to Inanna, Sumerian (city-state of Uruk), c.3200BCE, alabaster,3’ • 1st great work of narrative relief • Bas-relief/Low-relief • depicts religious festival for Inanna • Registers Bottom, ewes and rams in profile like cave paintings. Shown above crops and wavy water. Thanking Inanna for good herds and crops  Top Register: naked men present fruit as a “VOTIVE” offering to Inanna or her priestess

  10. Statuettes of Worshippers from the Square Temple at Eshnuna, Sumerian (city-state of Eshnuna), c.2700BCE, Gypsum inlaid with shell and black limestone • 12-30” • Buried beneath temple at Eshnuna • Mortals holding beakers used in religious rites • Tiny Hands, Huge Eyes (Eternal wakefulness)

  11. Standard of Ur,Sumerian (city-state of Ur), from Royal Cemetery at Ur,Wood, Lapis Lazuli, Shell2600-2400BCE • Ur, home of Abraham • Wealthy buried here • Servants buried with them (like Ancient Americans) • War Side and Peace Side • Registers • Shell, red limestone, lapis lazuli • Originally on a pole?

  12. Standard of Ur, Sumerian (city-state of Ur), from Royal Cemetery at Ur, 2600-2400BCE War Side • Donkey’s carry chariots that mow down enemies • Naked bound captives presented to kings • -how do we know he’s important? “Hierarchy of Scale”

  13. Standard of Ur, Sumerian (city-state of Ur), from Royal Cemetery at Ur, 2600-2400BCE Peace Side • Bottom: men carry war booty on backs • Middle: men bring animals/spoils of war for feast • Top: Great banquet, dignitaries, king, musicians on right

  14. Bull Lyre, Sumerian (city-state of Ur), 2680BCE, Wood with gold, lapis lazuli, and shell • from Royal Cemetery of Ur • Man-bulls common • Heraldic Composition : symmetrical on either side of a central figure • Men shown in mixed perspective • Animals shown in strict profile • Beginning of animals acting like people

  15. Head of an Akkadian ruler, Akkadian, c.2250-2200BCE, Copper, 1’2” • In 2334 BCE, several city-states in Sumer began to be ruled by one ruler, Sargon of Akkad (Sargon means “true king”) • Absolute Monarchy was a new concept, lasted about 300 years • Head was originally attached to a body, but knocked down during attack. • Damage is due to deliberate mutilation • Combination of naturalism and abstract patterning • Earliest known example of hollow cast sculpture (using the “lost wax method”)

  16. Lost Wax Method • Clay Model • Master Mold • Remove master mold, reassemble and spread a layer of hot wax on the inside • Wax cools, leaving a wax mold. Extra details added. • Fill hollow wax mold with clay • Cover hollow wax mold with clay • Connect all three layers with pins • Melt out the wax and refill with Bronze or copper • Remove clay layers, and tada!

  17. Stele of with Law Code of Hammurabi, Babylonian, c.1780BCE, Basalt, 7’4”, (Louvre) • Shamash (sun god) Gives rod and ring of rope to King Hammurabi to symbolize his authority. (rod = BUILD social order, rope= MEASURE people’s lives) • Flame shoulders • Foreshortening

  18. Lamassu, Assyrian, c.720-705BCE, Limestone, 13’10” (Louvre) • Winged man-headed bull • Ward off enemies • 5 legs (conceptual, not optical perspective) • Partially “in the round” Bernini’s “David” is an example of a sculpture that was created “In the round”

  19. Ishtar Gate, Babylonian, c.575BCE, Glazed Brick • Ishtar and Inanna are the same: Goddess of Love and War • Each brick glazed separately • Ishtar’s lion, Marduk’s dragon, Adad’s bull (Babylon was conquered by Persia soon after this was built)

  20. Head of a Sasanian King,Sasanian, c.350, Silver with mercury guilding (At The Met) . • Sasanians ruled the region until 636, when they were conquered by the Arabians. • Repousse technique: shape is hammered out from a single sheet of metal. Form is pushed out from behind.

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