Ancient Near East
Ancient Near East
Sumerian Accomplishments
3500 BCE – Invention of the Wheel
3400 BCE – Invention of pottery wheel
3300 BCE – Invention of writing
(cuneiform)
3000 BCE – Epic of Gilgamesh written –
1st literary work
Ancient Near East
Other developments in Ancient Near East
2300 – 2150 BCE - Akkadian Dynasty and
Empire – conquest of Sumeria
2150 – 1760 BCE - Neo-Sumerian Dynasty
1760 – 1600 BCE – Babylonian Empire:
develops advanced mathematics
1600 – 1000 BCE – Splintering of Empire into 3
areas: Hittites in north (develop iron weapons);
Kassites in center and Elamites in south.
Ancient Near East
1350 – 612 BCE – Assyrian Empire : most brutal
and feared warriors of A.N.E.
669 – 627 BCE – Ashurbanipal rules Assyria
612 – 538 BCE – Neo-Babylonian (Chaldaean)
Empire : conquer Egypt in 605 BCE and
Jerusalem in 586 BCE under Nebuchadnezzar II
(Babylonian Captivity – Destruction of Temple of
Solomon)
538 – 330 BCE – Persian Empire : largest
empire then known stretching from modern day
Iran to Egypt
Ancient Near East
Ancient Near Eastern Civilizations were nearly
all polytheistic. Polytheism – belief in more than
one god. (Only exception was the Jews who
later developed monotheism – a belief in one
god).
All Ancient Near Eastern Civilizations were
theocratic. Theocracy – government which is led
by religious rulers that were in charge of both
the political and religious aspects of their
cultures
Ancient Near East
Sumerian Pantheon
Anu- sky god/king of
gods
Ishtar – fertility
goddess/ queen of
gods
Abu – god of plants
Enlil – god of earth
/wind
Enki – god of wisdom
Persian Gods
Ahura Mazda – god of
light
Ahriman – god of
darkness
Dualistic religion
where both gods were
equal and opposite
Ancient Near East
Characteristics of Sumerian Art
Prominent Eyes
Arched eyebrows
Cylindrical body shape
Conceptual approach to human figures
Offers homage to the gods
Highly stylized/even abstract at times
Focus on the spiritual world
Ancient Near East
Akkadian and Assyrian Art Characteristics
Art to commemorate warriors and rulers
More naturalistic than Sumerian
Portrayal of violence
Illustrates and glorifies the military power
of the people and their king and his
accomplishments
Sumerians
White Temple and ziggurat
ca. 3,200-3,000 B.C.E.
Uruk (modern Warka) Iraq
Architecture
mud brick
Oldest temple structure in Mesopotamia
RECOVERED
Female head (possibly Inanna)
ca. 3,200-3,000 B.C.E.
Uruk (modern Warka) Iraq
Sculpture
marble
approximately 8 in. high
Warka Vase
ca. 3,200-3,000 B.C.E.
Uruk (modern Warka) Iraq
Pottery
alabaster
approximately 3 ft. high
Considered masterpiece of Mesopotamian
pottery
RECOVERED
Sumerian- Art
Votive Statues from
Abu Temple
2600 BCE
Tell Asmar, Sumeria
Sculpture
Votive statues had
prayers inscribed
upon them and were
offered to the gods
Votive means offering
Sumerian- Art
Standard of Ur
2700 - 2600 BCE
Ur, Sumeria
Relief sculpture,craftwork
Wood with inlaid shells,
limestone and lapis lazuli
Considered masterpiece
of Sumerian art
Two sided one side is war
one is peace
King is largest figure on
both sides
Sumerian- Art
Bull’s Head Lyre
2600 BCE
Ur, Sumeria
Sculpture
Found in Queen Paubi’s
tomb
Never used so signifies
possible use in afterlife
Wood with inlaid shell,
gold and lapis lazuli
Ram in a thicket
from Tomb 789, Royal Cemetery
ca. 2,600 B.C.E.
Ur
(modern Tell Muqayyar) Iraq
Sculpture
gold, silver, lapis lazuli, copper, shell, red limestone, bitumen
42.6 cm. high
Sumerian mythology included many magical animals
Akkadians
MISSING
Head of an Akkadian ruler
ca. 2,250-2,200 B.C.E.
Ninevah (modern Kuyunjik) Iraq
Sculpture
14 3/8 in. high
Possibly Sargon or Naram-Sin
2 signs of power - beard and crown
Akkadian- Art
Victory Stele of NaramSim
2300 – 2200 BCE
Akkad
Relief Sculpture
Shows king on top of
mountain triumphing over
his enemies
Size of king dramatically
larger than those around
him
It was a public monument
showing king’s power
Neo-Sumerians
Neo-Sumerian- Art
Ziggurat of Ur-Nammu
2500 – 2050 BCE
Ur, Sumeria (Iraq)
Architecture
Priest was only one
allowed to visit the home
of the god at the top of
the temple
Ur-Nammu writes first
code of laws (incomplete)
Neo-Sumerians not
original Sumerians
Neo-Sumerian- Art
Gudea of Lagash
2144 – 2124 BCE
Lagash, Sumeria
Sculpture
Priest-king – first statue
of non-hero
Made of Diorite –
because stone was
strong and long lasting
No attempt at reality – but
regal
Babylonians
Babylonian- Art
Law Code of Hammurabi
1760 BCE
Babylon
Relief Sculpture
Made of Diorite
First complete written
code of laws
Sun god Shamash hands
laws directly to
Hammurabi making it
clear that all must follow
them
Hittites
Hittite Art
Lion Gate
1343-1200 BCE
Hattusha, Turkey
Architecture/Relief
Sculpture
Capital of Hittite
Empire
Hittites are first to
use iron weapons
Assyrians
Assyrian- Art
Lamassu from Citadel
of Sargon
883 – 859 BCE
Nimrud, Assyria
Relief Sculpture
Lamassu were
protector gods
assumed by the
Assyrians to come to
life to protect them
Note 5 legs
Assyrian archers pursuing enemies from the Northwest Palace of Ashurnasirpal
II
ca. 875-860 B.C.E.
Kalhu (modern Nimrud), Iraq
Relief Sculpture
2 ft. 10 3/8 in. high
Perspective is not even considered – larger figures are the important ones
Assyrian- Art
Ashurnasirpal II Killing
Lions
850 BCE
Nimrud, Assyria
Relief Sculpture
Limestone
Part of the Hunting
Reliefs
The Hunting Reliefs are
considered the
masterpiece of Ancient
Near Eastern Art
Hunting Reliefs – Releasing Lion and Dying
Lioness
Ancient Near East
Sack of Hamanu by
Ashurbanipal
650 BCE
Nineveh, Assyria
Relief Sculpture
Scale is all out of
proportion
Narrative is what is
important
Power of king and his
army’s technique are the
focus
Neo-Babylonian
Neo-Babylonian- Art
Ishtar Gate
575 BCE
Babylon
Architecture
From Neo-Babylonian period
made of glazed brick
One of over 30 entrances to
city – used for defensive
purposes and to impress
visitors
Animals used for
ornamentation
Crenellations on top for
defense
Ishtar Gate (restored)
details of dragon (Marduk) and
bull (Adad)
Ishtar Gate (restored)
details of lion (Ishtar)
Persian Art
Persian- Art
Achaemenid Palace /
palace of Darius I and
Xerxes I
518 – 460 BCE
Persepolis, Persia
Architecture
Palace was destroyed
by Alexander the
Great in revenge for
the destruction of the
Acropolis in Athens
Laid out in grid
pattern
Palace of Darius I and Xerxes I
.
Ancient Near East - Art
Winged Ibex
4th century BCE
Persia
Relief Sculpture
This object was used
as a jar handle
Gilded in gold over
stone
Animal motif prevailed
in Ancient Near East
Sasanian Art
Palace of Shapur I
ca. 250 C.E.
Ctesiphon, Iraq
Architecture
Roman artisans aided in the
construction – hence the arch
Triumph of Shapur I over Valerian
ca. 260 C.E.
Bishapur, Iraq
rock-cut relief sculpture
The Roman Emperor kneels in defeat before
the Sasanian King
Head of Sasanian King (Shapur II?)
ca. 350 C.E.
Bishapur, Iraq
Sculpture
silver with mercury gilding
15 3/4 in. high
Ancient Near East - Art
The End
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