3,5 oo b.c.e.-331 b.c.e. (turkey, iran, iraq). 1 st monotheism 1 st organized religion 1 st...
TRANSCRIPT
ANCIENT NEAR EAST
3,5oo B.C.E.-331 B.C.E.
(Turkey, Iran, Iraq)
Map of Ancient Near East
1st MONOTHEISM1st organized religion1st written language CUNEIFORM
1st epic poem, Gilgamesh1st codes of law: Hammurabi
1st use of Bronze1st Cities1st Wheel1st potter’s wheel
JERICHO (MODERN DAY ISRAEL)
one of the oldest fortified sites
Included a tower & walls
c. 8,000 B.C.E.
JERICHODwellings -shelter for
the living and housed
the dead.Corpses buried under the floors showed a concern for protecting ancestors.
“JERICHO SKULLS”
skull was used as
an armature on which to rebuild the
face with clay-
to preserve the memory of the
deceased?
c. 7,000 B.C.E.
Largest Neolithic settlement
CATAL HUYUKc. 6,000 B.C.E., Turkey
Agriculture & trade well established
•Mud brick houses connected by rooftops no streets•Ladders to ground level (for defense?)•Built in benches – seats or beds…
CATAL HUYUKc. 6,000 B.C.E., Turkey
CATAL HUYUKIt was the largest and oldest planned town
Skeletons buried under seats or floors. Dead were decorated with pigment and jewelry and weapons were placed with them (indication of a belief in afterlife?)
CATAL HUYUK
SABHAPAre the initials of
each (historic) civilization in
chronological order.
SABHAP
Sumerian c. 3500 B.C.E.
Akkadian c. 2100B.C.E.
Babylonian c.1792- 539 B.C.E.Hittite c. 1600-1200 B.C.E.
Assyrian c.1000-612 B.C.E.
Persian c. 559-331 B.C.E.
MESOPOTAMIA “between rivers” Fertile Crescent
Tigris and Euphratesfertile area, but not always Dependable, but needed
irrigation
Biblical Garden of Eden?
Large populations grewBiggest difference
between prehistoric
world and the Ancient Near East is the new
need to urbanize
buildings needed for
living, governing
& worship
Mesopotamia was great for farmingBut unlike Egypt which was
bordered by deserts and the Mediterranean- Mesopotamia had no such natural defenses to protect it.
MesopotamiaAs a result it was easy to conquer & hard to hold on to. It was an irresistible oasis for outsiders…
Egypt was stable and so was its art. It hardly changed in 3,000 years.
Mesopotamia’s art changed almost as much as its rulers-each conqueror
brought new influences.
Sumer3500 B.C.E.
Sumercluster of city-statesLinked by culture, religion, language: CUNEIFORM(1st written Language)
.
SumerCUNEIFORM
1st written Language.
Religion: human race created out of
clay for sole purpose of serving the gods.
Sumer
Death: spirits ferried across
river to a gloomy existence below the earth. Afterlife is no fun…
This explains the many inscriptions on tablets, in temples, and on sculptures asking gods for a long life.
Sumer
Mother Goddess was the most important deity
Sumerians were very devout
ZigguratsFor DEVOTION to the gods…
It housed a smaller temple at the top.
Mountain-like Ziggurats dominated the flat landscape.
Man made symbolic mountains
Sumerians and Babylonians built Ziggurats to put them in touch with the gods,
not to elevate their personal egos.
(…unlike Egypt and later Near East civilizations…)
ZigguratsOnly priests were allowed to use the steps to the temple
White Temple at Uruk
dedicated
to Anu, the sky god.
3,000 B.C.E.
White Temple at Uruk
white paint on its
outer walls
3,000 B.C.E.
Ziggurats Most Sumerian architecture has
disappeared No access to limestone and
wood was scarce, so ziggurats were made of mud brick.
It was a cheap material and had to be protected from erosion
Ziggurats Most mud brick was either painted or faced with tile
or stone Through the epic
Gilgamesh, we have a written description of the glittering beauty of a Sumerian temple.
Ziggurat, c. 2100 B.C.E. Ur, Iraq
3 stairways- each 100 steps
Sumerian many gods Each city had a local god who acted as a spokesman in the assembly of gods (like a U.S. senator)
Sumerian sculpture Gods lived in the heavens, but
also in their sculptures. Part of a person also lived in
their self sculptures. Therefore, putting these sculptures together- you could commune with the gods personally.
Votive statues Abu Temple statuettes (tallest
is 30”) are examples Notice the dressand STYLIZED hair and beards
Abu Temple StatuettesSumerian, c.2500 B.C.E.
large eyes because their
eyes popped when they saw a god.
Being “bug-eyed” meant you were devout.
awestruck in the presence of god, can’t take your eyes of him.
Sumerian
Abu Temple Statuettes
•beard indicates wisdom
•Symmetry
•Hands in prayer
Figures are either hunting, praying, or performing a ritual.
upturned face
Sumerian
Rippled beard usually painted black (stylized)
Female clothing drapes 1 shoulder
Hierarchial ProportionImportant figures are larger and most centrally placed
Sumerian Art Lyre, c. 2600 B.C.E.Worldly goods
found at Burial sitesbodies of those ritualistically killed to provide companions for the royal family in the afterlife.
Sumerian ArtLyre, c. 2600 B.C.E.
Stylized human beard of lapis lazuli- a semi-precious blue stone
starts ancient tradition of combining animals with human characteristics and emotions.
Lyre
Twisted proportion…
(Neo)Sumerian
Gudea, c.
2100 B.C.E.
Stylized calm, peacefulDIORITE, expensive stone- shows off wealth of the owner & importance of the subject
Sumerian
GudeaIn prayer with an architectural drawing for a temple on his lap.He thought of himself as a
patron of temples.
Standard of Urc. 2600 B.C.E.
historical narrative.frontal /profile.Emphasized eyes, eyebrows, and ears.
AKKADIAN2100 B.C.E.
AKKADIAN Akkadians take over andassimilated much of Sumerian culture. Akkadian & Sumerian gods
merged
Akkadian rulers elevated themselves to divine status.
AKKADIAN Sargon I
regal determination.
Most metal sculpture is lost after defeat it is melted down to be used for other purposes.
AKKADIAN Big change from Sumerian art is the
deification of the king
Victory Stele of Naram-Sin c.2230 B.C.E.
AKKADIANA stele is a
commemorative stone marker
Victory Stele of Naram-Sin
AKKADIANNaram-Sin
grandson of Sargon
6’6” tall
very masculine
culture
AKKADIANNaram -Sin 1st ruler to make himself a god
He’s climbing toward heaven (stars above).
Victory blessed by godsWears horned crown of divinity
AKKADIANDefeated soldiers beg for mercyHierarchy of scaleDepicts a victory over Lullibi- to be seen forever.
AKKADIANIt is “carved in
stone”He has “made a
mark”
Babylonian 1790-540 B.C.E.
Babylonian The capital city beautifully
decorated- “hanging gardens” and walls of glazed tile.
Babylonian Stele of Hammurabi c.
1780 B.C.E.
well ordered state with strict set of laws handed down from the
sun god Shamash.
Babylonian Stele of Hammurabi C.
1780 B.C.E.
7’The relief section at the top is 28”
Babylonian Stele of Hammurabi •1st code of law ever written•300 laws•They stare at one another directly even though their shoulders are frontal
Babylonian “an eye for an eye”-
death for a builder who builds a house that collapses and kills the owner.
If a surgical patient dies, the hand of the doctor is cut off.The guilt or innocence of an adulteress is determined on whether she sank or floated when thrown in the water.
Neo-Babylonian Ishtar Gate C.575
B.C.E.
Ishtar Gate C.575 B.C.E.
named in honor of the Akkadian goddess of love, fertility, and war
Ishtar Gate C.575 B.C.E.
Glazed brick covers mud walls
Animals guard entrance to the city
Lions sacred to the goddess Ishtar
Crenellations give warlike appearance
Hittite1600-1200B.C.E.
Turkey
Hittite Art kept records in cuneiform on
clay tablets stored in an orderly way.
cremated their dead (not much tomb art)
They had monumental palaces, temples, and cities- and massive fortified walls decorated with relief sculpture.
Turkey
Hittite Art CITADEL were elevated fortified
cities. This shows their power and their
need for protection. Lions are guardians of the
entrance because of the ancient belief that lions never sleep.
Turkey
Hittite Art
used stone rather than mud brick
Large uncut boulders-
impressive fortifications.
Turkey
Hittite ArtLion Gatec. 1400 B.C.E.Turkey
Gates to the cityGuardian lionsHuge boulders used in the construction of the cityGives a massive impression
Hittite Art6’6” Hittite war god
ASSYRIAN 1000-612 B.C.E.
ASSYRIAN Rulers intended to
conquer the world.
But they established libraries, -thousands of tablets recording scientific, historical, literary, and religious, and commercial achievements
ASSYRIAN Art A masculine society-
Figures are stoic Animals showed emotion Man’s domination over the wild
beast= symbolic of king’s authority over his people and nature.
Assurnasirpal 11 Assyria=formidable
military force . He made boastful
claims detailing his
cruelty. He intended to
conquer the world.
ASSYRIAN Assurnasirpal’s cruelty- “…
he dyed the mountains red like wool cloth, with the blood of his slaughtered enemies”, “from the heads of his decapitated enemies he erected a pillar, and he covered the city walls with their skins”.
ASSYRIAN Art
Lions popular- king’s dominance over lions= metaphor for the subjugation of his enemies
Architecture was designed to intimidate visitors
ASSYRIAN Art Extreme detail and musculature
ASSYRIAN Lamassu =bull or lion with
wings and a human head
a guardian designed to intimidate.
720 B.C.E.
ASSYRIAN Art
He has 5 legs to give the illusion of movement
ASSYRIAN
Lion Hunt C. 640 B.C.E.
One of the oldest surviving narrativesEmotions in animals, not in humans.
ASSYRIAN Palace of Sargon C. 710 B.C.E.
City 50 feet high
Mud brick
Contains ziggurat
Huge complex, 200 rooms
Assyrian
WARLIKE
PERSIAN 560-530 B.C.E.
PERSIAN Cyrus the Great founded
the Persian Achaemenid dynasty.
mostly influenced by Assyrians
PERSIAN Art There were no Persian
temples since religious ceremonies were held outside.
motif of lion attacking
bull =characteristic of Persian art
PERSIAN Persia was the largest empire so far.
first great empire in history.
PERSIAN Art Monumental architecture-
audience halls, huge buildings for grand ceremonies that glorified the empire and the rulers.
PERSIAN Columns
topped with 2 bull shaped capitals holding up a wooden roof
PERSIAN ArtPalace at
Persepolis Built for spectacular receptions and festivals.Mud brick with stone facingGiant Lamassu gates
PERSIA Palace at
Persepolisc. 500 B.C.E.
IranBuilt by Darius I & Xerxes I
destroyed by Alexander the Great.
PERSIAN ArtPalace at
Persepolis
Audience Hall=
Apadana had 36 columns covered by a wooden roof. It held thousands of people. It was used for the king’s receptions.
PERSIAPalace at
Persepolis
Reliefs lining the walls and staircases were originally painted.
PERSIAPalace at
Persepolis
In contrast to the aggressive military scenes of Assyrian reliefs, Persian reliefs are more solemn.Politically Persia was less cruel and more tolerant.
PERSIAN Art
Figures were shown in full profile and not twisted like previous cultures
Provenience Is a work of art’s place of
origin.Pieces are plundered from archeological
sites and appear on the market without any record of where they came from. This creates a problem for art historians. They want to know if it was found in a home, a palace, or a temple and what its purpose was…
Ancient Near East Summary
birth of world civilizations.
Art serves religion and state
Ruler’s image could be permanently emblazoned on a stele to celebrated their achievements for posterity.
Writing combined with image =historical and artistic record of human achievement.
Summary
Common characteristics of Near East art:Union of human and animal elements Hierarchical scaleDeification of rulers (ruler is divine)Mud Brick faced with stone or tile or
painted.Entrance ways to cities or palaces were
important-Guardian figures to protect or ward off evil