Goals • Understand the cultural changes in the Neolithic Revolution as they relate to the art and architecture. • Understand the concept of civilization and the importance of Sumer in the ancient Near East. • Examine the artistic materials, techniques, subject matter, styles and conventions developed in the ancient Near East. 1 Mesopotamian Religion, Mythology, Gods and Goddesses • How are ancient Near Eastern ideas about religion different from Paleolithic and earlier Neolithic ideas? • Explore how these ideas are depicted in Sumerian sculpture, seals, and funerary objects. • How does the visual representation of the human form evolve in ancient Near Eastern art? Does it retain any elements of the Paleolithic and earlier Neolithic periods? 2 The Ancient Near East Map 2-1 Ancient Mesopotamia and Persia. 3 Chapter 3.1 The Prehistoric and Ancient Mediterranean PART 3 HISTORY AND CONTEXT Mesopotamia: The Cradle of Civilization . “The land between the rivers” (Tigris and Euphrates) often called “Cradle of Civilization” Early urban centers Earliest forms of writing . Sumerians, Akkadians, Babylonians, and Assyrians battled for control . The role of King is now developed Gateways to Art: Understanding the Visual Arts, Second Edition, Debra J. DeWitte, Ralph M. Larmann, and M. Kathryn Shields Chapter 3.1 The Prehistoric and Ancient Mediterranean PART 3 HISTORY AND CONTEXT Sumerians . First great power in Mesopotamia . Cuneiform Earliest known form of writing Wedge-shaped symbols . Probably invented the wheel . Polytheistic . Buried treasures with their leaders-and more Gateways to Art: Understanding the Visual Arts, Second Edition, Debra J. DeWitte, Ralph M. Larmann, and M. Kathryn Shields CUNEIFORM 6 Figure 2-2 White Temple and ziggurat, Uruk (modern Warka), Iraq, ca. 3200–3000 BCE. 7 Figure 2-15 Ziggurat (looking southwest), Ur (modern Tell Muqayyar), Iraq, ca. 2100 BCE. The ziggurat and temple complex served as the seat of not only religious life, but civil and commercial as well. Made of mud brick and plastered white. Height equates to closer to the gods 8 Figure 2-5 Statuettes from the Square Temple at Eshnunna (modern Tell Asmar), Iraq, ca. 2700 BCE. Gypsum, shell, and black limestone, male figure 2’ 4 ¼” high, woman 1’ 11 ¼” high. National Museum of Iraq, Baghdad. ABU MONUMENT FIGURES OFTEN CALLED THE TELL ASMAR HOARD – not gods, but “idealized” mortals making offerings. Some have inscriptions- prayers, supplicant’s name. Large, oversized eyes are linked to many theories-ever- watchful, vigilance, knowing, “star-struck”, etc. 9 Figure 2-7 War side of the Standard of Ur, from Tomb 779, Royal Cemetery, Ur (modern Tell Muqayyar), Iraq, ca. 2600-2400 BCE. Wood, shell, lapis lazuli, and red limestone, 8” x 1’ 7”. British Museum, London. HEIRARCHICAL SCALE 10 Figure 2-8 Peace side of the Standard of Ur, from Tomb 779, Royal Cemetery, Ur (modern Tell Muqayyar), Iraq, ca. 2600- 2400 BCE. Wood, shell, lapis lazuli, and red limestone, 8” x 1’ 7”. British Museum, London. Wooden box with inlaid shell, lapis lazuli, and red limestone Discovered in Royal Cemetery of Ur Early Example of narrative art War side: ruler and his soldiers Peace side: a banquet with musicians 11 Figure 2-9 Bull-headed harp with inlaid sound box, from the tomb of Pu-abi (tomb 800), Royal Cemetery, Ur (modern Tell Muqayyar), Iraq, ca. 2600-2400 BCE. Wood, gold, lapis lazuli, red limestone, and shell, 3’ 8 1/8” high. British Museum, London. 12 Figure 2-10 Sound box of the bull-headed harp from tomb 789 (“King’s Grave”), Royal Cemetery, Ur (modern Tell Muqayyar), Iraq, ca. 2600-2400 BCE. Wood, lapis lazuli, and shell, 1’ 7” high. University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Philadelphia. Original panel made of lapis lazuli and shell Depicts fusion of humans and beasts. Earliest known depiction of animals doing human activities Meaning is not fully understood: sacred event or realm of the dead The top register has a heraldic composition-symmetrical figures border central figure 13 •THE AKKADIANS Figure 2-13 Victory stele of Naram-Sin, set up at Sippar, Iraq, found at Susa, Iran, 2254–2218 BCE. Pink sandstone, 6’ 7” high. Musée du Louvre, Paris. Shown leading his army, King Naram-Sin is wearing the horned headdress signifying divinity First time Mesopotamian king shown as a god Three stars overhead, looks like he is scaling his way to the heavens Not in a horizontal format, but still hierarchical in scale 14 Stele of Hammurabi. c. 1760 BCE. 7 ‘ x 28” Hammurabi, King of Babylon reunited Mesopotamia and instituted the Code of Hammurabi, a comprehensive set of laws addressing nearly all aspects of both civil and criminal offenses. Hammurabi is portrayed receiving the laws directly from Shamash the sun god. (a parallel to Moses). Shamash is the dominate figure— he is seated on his throne, wears a crown and has flames issuing from his shoulders. Although Hammurabi is subservient to the god he still makes a powerful authority statement by addressing the god directly. Even though he has his hand raised in reverence he shows that he has a personal relationship with the gods while mere mortals do not. •THE BABYLONIANS Hammurabi and Shamash detail of the stele of Hammaurabi, (fig. 2-18), from Susa, Iran, ca. 1780 BCE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_w5N GOHbgTw Stele discussion 16 Figure 2-24 Ishtar Gate (restored), Babylon, Iraq, ca. 575 BCE. King Nebuchadnezzar restored Babylon to glory with this and the gardens of Babylon-one of the seven wonders of the ancient world and the Tower of Babel. The dragon represents the gods, Marduk and Nabu and the bull, represents the god, Adad. One of eight gates. 17 Chapter 3.1 The Prehistoric and Ancient Mediterranean PART 3 HISTORY AND CONTEXT Ishtar Gate from Babylon . Main entrance to the streets and temples of Babylon . Golden animal reliefs symbolize gods . Background of blue glazed bricks . Processional Way ran through Ishtar Gate to the local ziggurat Gateways to Art: Understanding the Visual Arts, Second Edition, Debra J. DeWitte, Ralph M. Larmann, and M. Kathryn Shields ETEMENANKI Etemenanki ( TEMPLE OF THE FOUNDATION OF HEAVEN AND EARTH)– The ziggurat linked to the story of the Tower of Babel, seen today, above and recreated. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon •THE ASSYRIANS Figure 2-20 Lamassu (man-headed winged bull), from the citadel of Sargon II, Dur Sharrukin (modern Khorsabad), Iraq, ca. 721–705 BCE. Limestone, 13’ 10” high. Musée du Louvre, Paris. The Horned crown of divinity Another example of the man-animal mix 21 .