Chapter 2 Art of the Ancient Near East

SABAN Sumer Akkad Babylon Assyria Neo-Babylonia

THE FIRST CITIES

Jericho Walls – 20 feet high, 5 feet wide –Defense against neighbors –Diversion of flood waters Burials beneath the floors of houses –Skeletons often lacked skulls, which were buried separately Plaster casts of human bodies & skulls have been found –Ancestor worship?

Great Stone Tower of Settlement Wall Jericho, Israel/Gaza ca B.C.E.

Human Skulls with Restored Features from Jericho, Israel/Gaza ca B.C.E. skulls, plaster, shells

Çatalhöyük, Turkey Neolithic village; 6500 – 5500 BCE –1,000 houses with population of 5,000 Religious images of mother goddess Trade with other local villages Specialized skilled workers – toolmakers/jewelers –Obsidian Easy defense –No open areas; unbroken exterior walls

Çatalhöyük Turkey ca B.C.E.

Deer Hunt detail of a wall painting from Level III Çatalhöyük, Turkey ca B.C.E.

Çatalhöyük Turkey ca B.C.E.

Landscape with Volcanic Eruption Çatalhöyük, Turkey ca watercolor copy of a wall painting

SUMERIAN ART Southern Mesopotamia

Emergence of Civilization Civilization – Complex culture in which large numbers of humans share a number of common elements –Cities –Government – organize & regulate human activity –Religion – explanation of nature & existence –Writing – creative expression & record keeping –Artistic activities –Economy

Mesopotamia Mesopotamia – “Land between two rivers” –Tigris & Euphrates –Fertile Crescent – from the Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf Rich soil sustained abundant crops – silt deposits from the rivers River flood yearly because of melting snow –Unpredictable – how much & when? Rivers brought water but could also be destructive

Fertile Crescent

Sumerian Civilization Economy –Farm-based –Trade Inventions –Wheel, sundial, arch, numbers based on 60; 12 month calendar based on the moon –Writing – first writing system Cuneiform

White Temple and ziggurat Uruk (modern Warka) Iraq ca B.C.E. mud brick Stairway to Heaven

White Temple and ziggurat Uruk (modern Warka) Iraq ca B.C.E. mud brick

Sumerian Ziggurat He built Uruk. He built the keeping place of Anu and Ishtar. The outer wall shines in the sun like brightest copper; the inner wall is beyond the imagining of kings. Study the brickwork, study the fortification; Climb the greatest ancient staircase to the terrace; Study how it is made; from the terrace see The planted and fallow fields, the ponds and orchards. This is Uruk, the city of Gilgamesh.

Ziggurats Built out of mud brick; most do not survive –Did not have access to limestone Long staircases ascending from terrace to terrace, climbing toward heaven –Only priests were allowed to use the stairs & enter the temple at the top

Female head from Uruk (modern Warka) Iraq ca B.C.E. marble approximately 8 in. high RECOVERED

Statuettes of worhippers from Eshnunna (modern Tell Asmar) Iraq ca B.C.E. gypsum, shell, black limestone tallest 30 in. high SOME MISSING

Statuettes of worhippers from Eshnunna (modern Tell Asmar) Iraq ca B.C.E. gypsum, shell, black limestone tallest 30 in. high

Statuettes of worhippers from Eshnunna (modern Tell Asmar) Iraq ca B.C.E. gypsum, shell, black limestone tallest 30 in. high

The Eyes Have It! Votive Statue – an image created as a devotional offering to a god or other deity Votives were created to represent Sumerian worshippers; they were placed in front of statues of the gods Why are they bug-eyed? –Meant you were devout or awestruck in the presence of a god – couldn’t take your eyes off him or her

Ziggurat at Ur (modern Tell Muqayyar) Iraq ca B.C.E. mud brick

Ziggurat (restored) at Ur (modern Tell Muqayyar) Iraq ca B.C.E. mud brick

Bull-headed lyre from Tomb 789, Royal Cemetery Ur (modern Tell Muqayyar) ca B.C.E. wood, gold leaf, lapis lazuli approximately 65 in. high

Iconography Iconography – meaning of images Register – horizontal bands that tell a story –Bottom register – scorpion man = land of demons –2 nd register from bottom = animals playing an instrument –3 rd register = a hyena (butcher?) carries meat while a lion follows with a large jar –Top register = athletic man (the dead man)

Ram in a thicket from Tomb 789, Royal Cemetery Ur (modern Tell Muqayyar) Iraq ca B.C.E. gold, silver, lapis lazuli, copper, shell, red limestone, bitumen 42.6 cm. high

Cylinder seals ca B.C.E. approximately 2 in. high MANY MISSING

Cylinder seal from the tomb of Pu-abi Royal Cemetery Ur (modern Tell Muqayyar) Iraq ca B.C.E. approximately 2 in. high

AKKADIAN ART

Mesopotamian Empires Akkadia –Sargon I – 2340 BC – leader created an empire, a vast political state that controlled many people/territories Used art as propaganda rather than to honor the gods –Empire fell due to weak leadership following his death Babylon –Hammurabi – expanded his empire through military –Code of Hammurabi – effort to reorganize, consolidate, and preserve previous laws –Code based on social levels

Head of an Akkadian ruler from Ninevah (modern Kuyunjik) Iraq ca B.C.E. copper 14 3/8 in. high MISSING

Compare Head of Akkadian Ruler Abu Temple Statuette

Victory stele of Naram-Sin from Susa, Iran ca. 2,254-2,218 B.C.E. sandstone 79 in. high Stele – Stone slab placed vertically and decorated with inscriptions or reliefs –Used as a grave marker or memorial

Victory stele of Naram-Sin from Susa, Iran ca. 2,254-2,218 B.C.E. sandstone 79 in. high

Seated statue of Gudea holding temple plan from Girsu (modern Telloh) Iraq ca. 2,100 B.C.E. diorite 29 in. high

Stele with code of Hammurabi from Susa, Iran ca. 1,780 B.C.E. basalt 88 in. high

Stele with code of Hammurabi from Susa, Iran ca. 1,780 B.C.E. basalt 88 in. high The laws were intended to “cause justice to prevail in the land and to destroy the wicked and the evil, that the strong might not oppress the weak nor the weak the strong.”

ASSYRIAN ART

Assyrian Empire Upper Tigris River – no natural defense Empire included Mesopotamia; parts of Iranian plateau; sections of Asia Minor; Syria; Palestine & Egypt to Thebes King with absolute power Iron weapons Army was large, well organized & disciplined –Foot soldiers; charioteers; cavalry; archers CRUEL, CRUEL, CRUEL warriors

Reconstruction drawing of the citadel of Sargon II, Dar Sharrukin (modern Khorsabad) Iraq ca B.C.E. The Architects: Urban Planning Complex city centered around the temple –7 story ziggurat –Workshops, storehouses & residential quarters The Palace –25 acres –200 rooms & courtyards Destroyed c. 600 B.C.E.

Lamassu (winged human headed bull) from the citadel of Sargon II, Dar Sharrukin (modern Khorsabad) Iraq ca B.C.E. limestone 13 ft. 10 in. high

Assyrian archers pursuing enemies from the Northwest Palace of Ashurnasirpal II, Kalhu (modern Nimrud) ca B.C.E. gypsum 2 ft. 10 3/8 in. high

Ashurbanipal hunting lions from the North Palace of Ashurbanipal, Ninevah (modern Kuyunjik) Iraq ca B.C.E. gypsum approximately 5 ft. high

Ashurbanipal hunting lions from the North Palace of Ashurbanipal, Ninevah (modern Kuyunjik) Iraq ca B.C.E. gypsum approximately 5 ft. high

Ashurbanipal hunting lions from the North Palace of Ashurbanipal, Ninevah (modern Kuyunjik) Iraq ca B.C.E. gypsum approximately 5 ft. high

Sculpture Bas relief (or low relief) – A sculpture that sticks out slightly from the surface it is carved from, but is not completely detached from it.

NEO-BABYLONIAN ART

Neo-Babylonia Ancestors of Hammurabi’s Babylonia King Nebuchadnezzar – 605 – 562 BC – rebuilt Babylon into most city of ancient world Hanging Gardens of Babylon

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

Compare Detail of Lion, Ishtar Gate Detail of Lion, Assurnasirpal series

PERSIAN ART

The Persians Modern-day Iran Indo-European nomads came from north of the Black Sea; settled in 2000 BC Cyrus – 559 – 530 BC; created strong army –Immortals – best 10,000 fighters in the army –Captured Mesopotamia & Babylonia Allowed enslaved Jews to return to Jerusalem Darius I – 522 – 486 BC –Extended Persian Empire to the Indus River; invaded Greek mainland –Divided Persian government in 20 provinces, called satrapies Satrap (governor) collected taxes, provided justice & security, and recruited soldiers for the royal army –Well maintained roads

Persian Empire under Darius

Palace of Darius I and Xerxes I Persepolis, Iran ca B.C.E.

Palace of Darius I and Xerxes I Persepolis, Iran ca B.C.E.

Palace of Darius I and Xerxes I Persepolis, Iran ca B.C.E.

Palace of Darius I and Xerxes I Persepolis, Iran ca B.C.E.

Daric coin From Persia 4 th century B.C.E. gold

Essential Questions What is the difference between prehistoric art and ancient Near Eastern art? What developments occur with civilization as time passes? How does greater civilization change the way people see themselves, each other, and their relations?