MESOPOTAMIA
SUMERIA (2800-2300) contemporary with the Old Kingdom of Egypt
Sumer was a loosely associated group of isolated city states in the lower
Mesopotamian valley (The Tigris and the Euphrates).
- near the edge of the sea
- with rich, fertile soil making it an area that led the way in the adoption of
agriculture as a way of life
These were urban cities, that were dependent upon their agriculture.
Because there were few natural features to help create defensible cities, the
cities were easy to attack leading to constant conflict between them.
Important Sumerian developments include:
1. The concept of a city state was developed by the Sumerians
2. Writing was developed by the Sumerians - Cuneiform characters on clay
tablets.
3. One of the most important cultural developments of this period is the concept
of the powerful god communicating their desires to humanity through the medium
of a powerful priest class or autocratic ruler who serves as the intermediary.
- Theocracy govt. of the gods/priest class
- ruler may be divine himself, or chosen by the god/gods
- each city had it's own gods
This system centralizes power in the hands of a small group of people and gives
political decisions a religious authority
Ziggurat of Ur (a ziggurat - a temple raised on a large platform)
c. 2100 B.C.
The Ziggurat of Ur was built by the king Ur-Nammu. It's a very imposing structure.
Imagine the power of a leader speaking from high on the side of this symbolic
mountain of the god.
Reconstruction Drawing
These stepped towers we call ziggurats. By 2000 B.C. mud-brick ziggurats were
being constructed in many Sumerian cities. Later, ziggurats were constructed in
Babylonian and Assyrian cities.
Sumerian Art
Lyre of Queen Puabi, Ur, c. 2685 BC
Bulls Head, Lyre
The bull's beard shows the
Mesopotamian interest in
combined human/animal
forms
Lyre Soundbox (Lyre of Queen Puabi) 18" high
Very formal composition organized in registers.
Anthropomorphic creatures inlaid in shell may
represent mythological beings. The scorpion man
at the bottom may be one of the Guardians of the
Sun from the Epic of Gilgamesh.
They appear to be attending a celebration - some
bring gifts or offerings. Again, these figures like
the bull's head, illustrate the Mesopotamian
interest in combined creatures, and human/animal
combinations.
Statuettes From the Temple of Abu
2700-2500 B.C. Tell Asmar, Alabaster and limestone
These are votive figures. Their function is to constantly worship god, so they
are in a worshipful posture.
BABYLONIA (1830-539 BC)
Babylon was one of the Sumerian cities which controlled the region from the 18th c. to the 16th
Old Babylonian Period (1900-1550 BC contemporary with the Middle Kingdom in Egypt)
Stele of Hammurabi
c. 1780 BC, basalt, 7'4" h
detail of the top of the stele with Hammurabi
and Shamash
Hammurabi was a powerful king of Babylon, known for his civil and criminal law code. This stele
depicts the king receiving the inspiration for his code of law from the sun god Shamash. Note th
flames rising from Shamash's shoulders - a sight intended to show the god's power.
Neo-Babylonia 612-539 BC
The Neo-Babylonian Period was the period when Babylon re
the Assyrians.
One of Babylon's noteworthy claims to fame was the constru
ziggurat, the Tower of Babel dedicated to the god Bel. Baby
Processional Way with the beautifully decorated gate dedica
seen in a reconstruction drawing to the right.
Ishtar Gate
575 BC restored in Berlin
The symmetrical gateway is a very formal passageway decorated with elegant animal figures ra
surface.
Pacing Lion, the Processional
Way
Made of baked and glazed brick with
the figures raised in relief
The lions that line the Processional
Way of Nebuchadnezzar are sacred
to Ishtar.
They have a very vital energy and
sense of life.
ASSYRIA (1000 - 600)
Ashurbanipal and his Queen
The Assyrians were from northern Mesopotamia and very militaristic.Their
capital cities were citadels. As they created their short lived and violent
empire they adopted many aspects of the other Mesopotamian cultures
who they enslaved.
Through a program of regular military campaigns they expanded their
empire to the point where at one time it stretched from Turkey to the
Persian Gulf and from the Tigris to the Nile: including the Egyptian Empire
at one point. It is difficult to maintain an empire in a land which has few
natural boundaries, such as mountains, seas, deserts, etc. and they were
constantly defending it against rebellions and incursions.
Khorsabad - Citadel of Sargon II
c. 720 BC
Residential city and citadel about a mile square.
Very complex layout, very symmetrical and regimented - like a
military camp.
The palace itself was built on 50' platform. The fortress walls were
built of mud brick reinforced with glazed brick - stone was available
but used for sculpture - not building. The ziggurat was built in 7
levels, 18' high each painted a different color.
Lamassu
Another combination creature winged bull with human head
A symbolic creature that protected
the cities and the palace from evil
spirits
- it represented the supernatural
power of the king and wears the
horned crown of the kings and gods
of Akkad
Assyrians believed their king was
endowed with supernatural power.
Many lamassu are built into the
gateways and visible from front and
back.
Lamassu, the citadel
of Sargon II,
Khorsabad
c. 720 BC, limestone,
13' 10" h.
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Note how the lamassu have 5 legs!

Front view is of the creature at rest and the side view shows it in
motion
2 legs front + 4 legs side (includes one of the front view legs = 5
legs
This is a conceptual approach to giving the viewer the idea that he
sees the full compliment of legs as he walks around the creature

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Assyrian Relief Sculpture
Ashurnasirpal II at War
c. 875 BC, limestone, 39" h.
Relief sculpture filled the halls and throne room of the king.
Many are historical records and scenes of the king dominating enemies
and wild beasts
- the panels are arranged in horizontal bands of relief sculpture called
FRIEZES - a contribution of Assyrian sculptors and builders - that would
have ringed the king’s throne room and other rooms in the palace.
Here, in a scene of battle, the Assyrian king Ashurnasirpal is seen
attacking a fortified city defended by archers on the walls. There is a
winged deity above the king in the sky that not only protects the king but
also probably sanctifies the event. The Assyrians appear to be gaining
the advantage.
Ashurbanipal Hunting Lions, the Palace of Ashurbanipal, Nineveh
c. 650 BCE, limestone, 60" h.
Here the king, Ashurbanipal (seen with his lovely wife at the top of the
page), demonstrates his manly prowess by hunting lions.
Ashurnasirpal Hunting Lions
Dying Lioness
the Palace of
Ashurbanipal,
Nineveh
c. 650 BC,
limestone, 16" h.
Here a lioness,
wounded by the
gallant king
drags her paralyzed rear legs across the ground. The king is such a poor
shot he couldn't kill her with 3 arrows!
PERSIA (539-331 BCE)
Darius and Xerxes Receiving Tribute
The Persian Empire under Cyrus displaced the Babylonian Empire of
Nebuchadnezzar.
The Persian people were like many of the peoples of Mesopotamia
descendants of nomadic tribesmen. The Persian Empire became the
largest to that time encompassing Mesopotamia, Egypt, and most of
Asia Minor. In 480 they sacked Athens and tried, unsuccessfully for the
next 30 years under Darius and Xerxes to incorporate Greece into their
empire. In 331 Alexander the Great conquered the Persian Empire.
Sources: Alan Petersen’s Art History 201 & The British Museum