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Ancient Near East

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 – 1 st literary work. Ancient Near East .

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Ancient Near East

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  1. Ancient Near East

  2. 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

  3. 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.

  4. 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

  5. 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

  6. 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

  7. 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

  8. 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

  9. Sumerians

  10. White Temple and ziggurat ca. 3,200-3,000 B.C.E. Uruk (modern Warka) Iraq Architecture mud brick Oldest temple structure in Mesopotamia

  11. RECOVERED Female head (possibly Inanna) ca. 3,200-3,000 B.C.E. Uruk (modern Warka) Iraq Sculpture marble approximately 8 in. high

  12. 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

  13. 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

  14. 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

  15. 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

  16. 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

  17. Akkadians

  18. 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

  19. Akkadian- Art • Victory Stele of Naram-Sim • 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

  20. Neo-Sumerians

  21. 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

  22. 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

  23. Babylonians

  24. 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

  25. Hittites

  26. Hittite Art • Lion Gate • 1343-1200 BCE • Hattusha, Turkey • Architecture/Relief Sculpture • Capital of Hittite Empire • Hittites are first to use iron weapons

  27. Assyrians

  28. 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

  29. 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

  30. 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

  31. Hunting Reliefs – Releasing Lion and Dying Lioness

  32. 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

  33. Neo-Babylonian

  34. 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

  35. Ishtar Gate (restored)details of dragon (Marduk) and bull (Adad)

  36. Ishtar Gate (restored)details of lion (Ishtar)

  37. Persian Art

  38. 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

  39. Palace of Darius I and Xerxes I

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