Ancient Near East 3500 BC- 500 BC The Artist as Magician

Developed at the same time as Egypt Physical region had few natural defenses- many different cultures dominated Discouraged uniting under single ruler No defining culture, but art thrived Sumerians were the first to settle- language was unrelated to any other Sumerians had own developed writing- Cuneiform used for records, but also for literature (Gilgamesh) Not a lot of archeological evidence of the culture Used brick and mud which leaves very little remains (poor natural resources- depended on trade) Most information found on inscribed clay tablets

Ziggurat- platform on which the temple stood White Temple, Uruk, 3000 BCE Temples were dominant form of architecture- religion was city-state-based. Each had its own god who was regarded as king. Human ruler was seen as the god’s steward on earth who governed people to worship the God. In return, the God was expected to plead the case of the city-state among the other deities who controlled fertility, the weather, water, etc. Administrative and religious center was the temple Ziggurat- platform on which the temple stood

Ziggurat of King Urnammu, Ur, 2500 BC - most famous was the Tower of Babel. Height of 40 Ft- mountain tops are the dwelling place of the gods, stairs and ramps lead up to the sanctuary. Space not meant for crowds- select few. -Main room is called the cella, where sacrifices were made. The entrance faces away from the stairs- the worshipper must work to be able to worship- an angular spiral path

Sculpture was found in Cella- used as cult statue- eyes and eyebrows were originally inlaid with colored materials and the hair was covered with gold/copper wig- the rest of the figure was probably made up of wood- (because of expense) severe style Female Head, Uruk, 3500-3000 BCE

Statues from Abu Temple, c.2700-2500 BCE Geometric No real likeness Important people are taller Simplified faces and bodies No distraction from the eyes Forms based on cone and cylinder Statues from Abu Temple, c.2700-2500 BCE Votive Statues

Close up of worshipper Big eyes now interpreted as the eternal wakefulness needed to worship their deity Votive sculpture

Victory Stele of Naram-Sin c.2300-2200 BCE Akkadians- after the decay of the Sumerian society (due to ambitious rulers trying to conquer each other)- nomadic people moved in from the Near East Sargon of Akkad and successors (2340-2180 BC) proclaimed ambition to rule the earth New task for art- personal glorification of rulers Steele- immortalizing military victory Both soldier and leader are active Only celestial bodies are above him in importance Space is more real, less organized horizontally Victory Stele of Naram-Sin c.2300-2200 BCE

Head of Akkadian Ruler c.2200 BCE Persuasive likeness Very detailed and elegant Surface texture Cast in copper, a complex technique Head of Akkadian Ruler c.2200 BCE

One of the Sumerian city states remained independent- Gudea was the ruler- still retained ruler- god idea, but he did have many statues of himself in shrines Carved of diorite, extremely hard stone, imported and difficult to sculpt Not very individualized features More realistic human characteristics Head of Gudea, c.2150 BCE

Stele of Hammurabi c.1780 BCE Babylon- 1760-1600 BC- power was controlled by the Babylonians Hammurabi was its founder Main goal was to provide justice to the people Hammurabi’s Code- earliest form of written law Top of code shows Hammurabi confronting the sun god- announcing code Related to the Gudea sculpture in style and technique Very high relief Eyes are in the round- establishes the relationship between god and man Entire Stele is 7 ft. tall Stele of Hammurabi c.1780 BCE

The Sack of the City of Hamanu by Ashurbanipal, c. 650 BCE Assyrians- Controlled all of Mesopotamia and surrounding areas Drew on Sumerian achievements and reinterpreted them Sack of city-has foreground and middle ground and background Artist’s purpose was to show the story clearly and economically- people are in composite view The Sack of the City of Hamanu by Ashurbanipal, c. 650 BCE

Ashurnasirpal II Killing Lions, c. 850 BCE Subject used for personal glorification of king not real hunts- ceremonial- lions were already caged and then released Energy and emotion are obvious- meant to show courage, nobility, and strength of the king

Neo-Babylonians Ishtar Gate, c.575 BCE Assyrians fell in 612 BC Babylon had a final era of artistic growth 612-539 BC Used glazed bricks rather than stone slabs- used for surface ornamentation Ishtar Gate has been completely rebuilt and restored Continuation of the theme of animals in Mesopotamian art Ishtar Gate, c.575 BCE

Persia-- Painted Beaker, 5000-4000 BCE Area which is now called Iran- always a nomadic land- art is a collection of objects known as the “Animal Style” Decorative use of animal motif in an abstract manner Painted Beaker, 5000-4000 BCE

Palace of Darius and Xerxes Persepolis, Iran c. 500 BCE Babylon became huge empire-included Egypt and Asia Minor- only toppled by Alexander the Great (331 BC) Religion was Zoroastrianism- altars were in open air so no religious architecture was created Secular palaces instead Palace of Darius and Xerxes Persepolis, Iran c. 500 BCE Columns were used on a grand scale- Egyptian influence Use of the motif of animals everywhere

Darius and Xerxes Giving Audience c. 490 BCE Relief within the palace is formal and stiff, solemn, repetitive and ceremonial Subservient to the architecture Assyrian’s energy and expression has been rejected Overlapping garments are completely new Body parts can be seen underneath the fabric (probably taken from the Greeks)