ANCIENT NEAR EAST (Mesopotamia)ANCIENT NEAR EAST (Mesopotamia)

ZIGGURAT: ZIGGURAT: Elevated Elevated temple base temple base

Sumer: White Temple, Uruk (Warka), IraqSumer: White Temple, Uruk (Warka), Iraq

Sumer: Tell Asmar FiguresSumer: Tell Asmar Figures

VOTIVE FIGURES: VOTIVE FIGURES: Figures which pray Figures which pray in perpetuity on in perpetuity on your behalf your behalf

TELL ASMAR: in TELL ASMAR: in modern-day Iraqmodern-day Iraq

Akkadians: Victory Stele of Naram SinAkkadians: Victory Stele of Naram Sin

STELE (pl. “stelae): tombstone-STELE (pl. “stelae): tombstone-shaped marker which had a variety shaped marker which had a variety of uses, including marking of uses, including marking boundaries, commemorating boundaries, commemorating important events, and making important events, and making proclamations (including listing proclamations (including listing bodies of laws) bodies of laws)

CODE OF HUMMURABICODE OF HUMMURABI(Babylonians)(Babylonians)

Hammurabi Hammurabi

Raised hand:Raised hand: gesture ofgesture of respect respect

SHAMASH SHAMASH (Sun god; bestows (Sun god; bestows

upon King Hammurabi upon King Hammurabi the authority of rule, the authority of rule,

right to enforce laws) right to enforce laws)

LAWS LAWS

CODE OF HUMMURABICODE OF HUMMURABI(Babylonians)(Babylonians)

LAWS LAWS

Extends rod andExtends rod and ring: signifiesring: signifies authorityauthority

CODE OF HAMMURABICODE OF HAMMURABI--Earliest-known example of a ruler --Earliest-known example of a ruler proclaiming publicly to his people an proclaiming publicly to his people an entire body of laws.entire body of laws.--Laws arranged in orderly groups, so --Laws arranged in orderly groups, so that all men could easily read and know that all men could easily read and know what was required of them. what was required of them. --Carved upon a black stone monument, --Carved upon a black stone monument, (it is a STELE) eight feet high.(it is a STELE) eight feet high.--Begins and ends with addresses to the --Begins and ends with addresses to the gods: a law code was in those days gods: a law code was in those days regarded as a subject for prayer; the regarded as a subject for prayer; the prayers here include curses towards prayers here include curses towards those who neglect or destroy the law. those who neglect or destroy the law. --Found in 1901, not in Babylon, but in a --Found in 1901, not in Babylon, but in a city in the mountains of Iran, to which a city in the mountains of Iran, to which a later conqueror must have taken it.later conqueror must have taken it.

CODE OF HAMMURABICODE OF HAMMURABILAWS COVER ALL ASPECTS OF BABYLONIAN LIFE LAWS COVER ALL ASPECTS OF BABYLONIAN LIFE (CIVIL, CRIMINAL, SOCIAL, & DOMESTIC MATTERS)(CIVIL, CRIMINAL, SOCIAL, & DOMESTIC MATTERS)

SOME EXAMPLES:SOME EXAMPLES:--If a man puts out the eye of another man, his --If a man puts out the eye of another man, his eye shall in turn be put out (“an eye for an eye”).eye shall in turn be put out (“an eye for an eye”).--If a person steals property from a temple, both --If a person steals property from a temple, both he and the person receiving the stolen goods he and the person receiving the stolen goods will be put to death.will be put to death.--If a man kills another’s slave, he must pay a --If a man kills another’s slave, he must pay a fine of 1/3 of a mina.fine of 1/3 of a mina.--If a man rents a boat and it is in turn wrecked, --If a man rents a boat and it is in turn wrecked, he must replace the boat with another.he must replace the boat with another.--If a married woman dies without bearing male --If a married woman dies without bearing male heirs (sons), her dowry shall be repaid to her heirs (sons), her dowry shall be repaid to her father; if she has male heirs, it will belong to father; if she has male heirs, it will belong to them.them.--If a woman is caught in adultery both she and --If a woman is caught in adultery both she and her partner will be tied up and thrown in the her partner will be tied up and thrown in the water.water.

CODE OF HUMMURABICODE OF HUMMURABI(Babylonians)(Babylonians)

CUNEIFORM CUNEIFORM

CUNEIFORM: Written CUNEIFORM: Written language of the Ancientlanguage of the AncientNear EastNear East

CUNEIFORM:CUNEIFORM:

--Earliest known system of--Earliest known system ofwriting (developed in 3000s BC)writing (developed in 3000s BC)--Initially developed for the --Initially developed for the purpose of accountancy (keepingpurpose of accountancy (keepingagricultural records) agricultural records) --initially pictographic—originally--initially pictographic—originallythe marks were intended as the marks were intended as simple pictures representing simple pictures representing objects (a bull, for example), butobjects (a bull, for example), butover time evolve into an abstractover time evolve into an abstractsystem of markssystem of marks--paper was not yet known; the --paper was not yet known; the marks were incised onto clay marks were incised onto clay tablets using a wedge-shapedtablets using a wedge-shapedstylus (hence the wedge-shapedstylus (hence the wedge-shapedcharacter of the marks)character of the marks)

CITADEL of SARGON II atCITADEL of SARGON II at KHORSABAD (DUR SHARRUKIN)KHORSABAD (DUR SHARRUKIN) Other important citadels:Other important citadels: CITADEL of ASSURNASIRPAL IICITADEL of ASSURNASIRPAL II at KAHLU (NIMRUD, IRAQ)at KAHLU (NIMRUD, IRAQ) CITADEL of ASSURBANIPAL atCITADEL of ASSURBANIPAL at NINEVEH (KUYUNJIK, IRAQ)NINEVEH (KUYUNJIK, IRAQ)

Assyrians: CITADELSAssyrians: CITADELS

(Original LAMASSU from Khorsabad;(Original LAMASSU from Khorsabad;discovered by Botta in 1840s)discovered by Botta in 1840s)

Assyrian citadels: LION HUNTING SCENESAssyrian citadels: LION HUNTING SCENES

SEALSSEALS

Discovered at Tell Asmar, IraqDiscovered at Tell Asmar, IraqWorshipper with three gods (c.2000 BC)Worshipper with three gods (c.2000 BC)

SEALSSEALS

--A “seal” is an object of --A “seal” is an object of hard material (stone, bone, hard material (stone, bone, ivory, metal, wood, or ivory, metal, wood, or hardened clay) which is hardened clay) which is carved with a design whichcarved with a design which leaves an impression whenleaves an impression when pressed into clay or waxpressed into clay or wax--The clay or wax object --The clay or wax object onto which a seal is onto which a seal is impressed is called a impressed is called a “ “sealing”sealing”--“Glyptic” refers to the --“Glyptic” refers to the art of sealsart of seals

SEALSSEALS

--Used for several thousands--Used for several thousands of years in the Middle Eastof years in the Middle East--Uses included marking --Uses included marking property, ratify accounts property, ratify accounts and transactions, protect and transactions, protect goods against theft, securegoods against theft, secure restricted areas, and restricted areas, and indicate that authenticity of indicate that authenticity of documents and objectsdocuments and objects

SEALSSEALS

Button-shaped Button-shaped seal (Iran; seal (Iran; c.5000 BC) c.5000 BC)

Seal in the shape of a fox and modernSeal in the shape of a fox and modernimpression (Iraq?; c.4000 BC)impression (Iraq?; c.4000 BC)

SEALSSEALS

Round sealing showing lion attacking bulls; originally placed Round sealing showing lion attacking bulls; originally placed over two ropes tied into a knot (Uruk: c.3200 BC) over two ropes tied into a knot (Uruk: c.3200 BC)

SEALSSEALS

Sealing of animals, originally placed on a woven basketSealing of animals, originally placed on a woven basket(Iraq; c.4000 BC)(Iraq; c.4000 BC)

SEALSSEALS

Sealed clay ball Sealed clay ball containing tokens containing tokens which indicate the which indicate the contents of a contents of a consignment; in the consignment; in the event of a dispute uponevent of a dispute upon the consignment’s the consignment’s arrival, the ball would arrival, the ball would be broken and the be broken and the tokens checked to tokens checked to reveal the initial reveal the initial contents which had contents which had been shipped.been shipped.

SEALSSEALS

“ “Cylinder seals”Cylinder seals”Goddesses present an adherent to the king Goddesses present an adherent to the king

(Babylon; c.2100 BC)(Babylon; c.2100 BC)

SEALSSEALS

“ “Cylinder seals”Cylinder seals”Worshipper with three gods (Tell Asmar, Iraq; c.2000 BC)Worshipper with three gods (Tell Asmar, Iraq; c.2000 BC)

Assyrian seals: LION HUNTINGAssyrian seals: LION HUNTING

Seal of the palace Seal of the palace administration, Nineveh,administration, Nineveh,600s BC600s BC

--Constructed on a raised --Constructed on a raised platform, 40’ high, 1500’platform, 40’ high, 1500’ long, 900 feet widelong, 900 feet wide --All structures uniformly--All structures uniformly aligned, parallel to the aligned, parallel to the platform along a roughlyplatform along a roughly north-south axisnorth-south axis --Major construction --Major construction phases under 3 kings: phases under 3 kings: Darius (began Darius (began construction in 518 BC; construction in 518 BC; built the platform and built the platform and Triple Portal), Xerxes Triple Portal), Xerxes (completed the Apadana;(completed the Apadana; built the Gateway of All built the Gateway of All Lands), and Artaxerxes I Lands), and Artaxerxes I (finished the Throne Hall)(finished the Throne Hall)

Persians: PERSEPOLISPersians: PERSEPOLIS

Coins from ancient LydiaCoins from ancient Lydia

CROESUS:CROESUS:--Lydian king--Lydian kingfamed for his wealth;famed for his wealth;mints coinsmints coins--Rules at Sardis (Turkey)--Rules at Sardis (Turkey)--Tremendous gold--Tremendous golddeposits in and arounddeposits in and aroundthe River Pactolusthe River Pactolus--Taken by Persian King--Taken by Persian KingCyrus Cyrus

COINSCOINS--begins in Near East--begins in Near East(Lydia) in 7(Lydia) in 7thth century centuryBCBC--standard weights --standard weights of precious metals, of precious metals, stamped with a sealstamped with a sealto designate value to designate value --initially stamped --initially stamped on only one side on only one side

Early coin from the reign ofEarly coin from the reign ofCroesus (Lydian king)Croesus (Lydian king)

Stamped on one side:Stamped on one side:stamped under pressurestamped under pressureon back (reverse) so thaton back (reverse) so thatimage seen correctly onimage seen correctly on

front (obverse)front (obverse)

Bull and Bull and lion lion

Early coin from the reign ofEarly coin from the reign ofCroesus (Lydian king)Croesus (Lydian king)

Stamped on one side:Stamped on one side:stamped under pressurestamped under pressureon back (reverse) so thaton back (reverse) so thatimage seen correctly onimage seen correctly on

front (obverse)front (obverse)

Bull and Bull and lion lion

Stamp sealsStamp seals

DOUBLE-SIDED COINSDOUBLE-SIDED COINS--dies carved with design--dies carved with designplaced on punch and placed on punch and anvilanvil--blank coin placed --blank coin placed betweenbetween--punch struck with a --punch struck with a mallet to transfer designsmallet to transfer designsto metal blank to metal blank