Ancient Near Eastern Art Part 2

Babylonian Art

Stele of Hammurabi, c B.C.E., Susa (modern Shush, Iran), basalt. Earliest legal code King Hammurabi is figure on the left, Shamash (Sun god) on right Shamash hands king a rope, ring and rod of friendship 300 laws written below the figures, symbolically given from Shamash to Hammurabi Shamash – frontal/profile simultaneously

Ishtar Gate, c. 575 B.C.E. (neo-Babylonian),glazed brick glazed brick covering mud walls; animals guard entrance to city, Lions – sacred to goddess Ishtar; crenellations give warlike appearance

Hittite Art Anatolia (Modern Turkey)

Lion Gate, c B.C.E., Turkey City gate guarded by lions; massive stone lions; stone construction (Hittites used stone, including huge boulders, instead of mud-brick)

Assyrian Art

Lion Hunt, c. 640 B.C.E., limestone, Iran animals show emotions, but not humans; narrative with bold contours; domination of king over the lion (most fearsome beast)

Lamassu, c. 700 B.C.E., limestone, Iraq human-headed guardian figure; winged; 5 legs; wards off enemies; guarded Palace of Assurnasirpal II ; over 10’ in height

Palace of Sargon II, 720 B.C.E., Iraq platform city – 50’ high; mud-brick; ziggurat inside; 25 acres, 200 rooms, 30 courtyards

Persian Art Persia was an Empire!

Persepolis, c. 500 B.C.E., Iran Constructed by Darius I and Xerxes I for huge receptions and festivals Destroyed by Alexander the Great Built artificial terraces Mud-brick with stone facing Huge lamassu gates Apadama (audience hall) held thousands for kings’s receptions; 36 columns supported wooden roof; stairwell had relief depicting New Year’s festival and representatives of 23 subject nations Columns had bell-shaped bases (lotus blossoms inverted) with capitals of bulls or lions