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Ancient near East - Cha Ancient near East - Chapter 2
Carved Vase of Uruk (Warka), Mesopotamia
- 3500 - 3000 BC from city-state of Uruk
- carved relief alabaster (stone)
- depicts procession in festival in honor of Inanna
- natural iconography reinforces relationship between renewal and the goddess Inanna
- conventions of Near Eastern art present: shallow space shown through use of registers and defined by pose of the figures, composite view of the human body ( legs and head in profile, torso slightly turned, eyes frontal)
- carved relief alabaster (stone)
- depicts procession in festival in honor of Inanna
- natural iconography reinforces relationship between renewal and the goddess Inanna
- conventions of Near Eastern art present: shallow space shown through use of registers and defined by pose of the figures, composite view of the human body ( legs and head in profile, torso slightly turned, eyes frontal)
Abu Figures from Tel Asmur
- Sumerian Culture c. 2700 - 2500 BC
- no attributes of divinity, size denotes wealth and importance ie hierarchical proportions
- stand-in figurines for worshipers, pose & eyes denote respect for god
- shows conventional frontal pose to portray the human form: female wears robe off shoulder,
men are bare chested, favors cylindrical forms with clothing and hair showing stylized repetition
- figure are carved in the round- bodies and heads were made separately and were
interchangeable according to the purchasers preference.
- no attributes of divinity, size denotes wealth and importance ie hierarchical proportions
- stand-in figurines for worshipers, pose & eyes denote respect for god
- shows conventional frontal pose to portray the human form: female wears robe off shoulder,
men are bare chested, favors cylindrical forms with clothing and hair showing stylized repetition
- figure are carved in the round- bodies and heads were made separately and were
interchangeable according to the purchasers preference.
Nanna Ziggarat, Ur, Summerian
- 2100 - 2050 BC
- Temple plan consists of limited access to the upper level reached through 3 flights of stairs
- Sacred "mountain" that housed a temple on top; a symbolic bridge between heaven and earth
- part of a sacred complex that houses priests
- load bearing construction of a mud brick core faced with baked brick embedded with bitumen mortar
(to withstand flooding) and then faced with stone
- Temple plan consists of limited access to the upper level reached through 3 flights of stairs
- Sacred "mountain" that housed a temple on top; a symbolic bridge between heaven and earth
- part of a sacred complex that houses priests
- load bearing construction of a mud brick core faced with baked brick embedded with bitumen mortar
(to withstand flooding) and then faced with stone
Lyre Sound box and detail from Tomb of Queen Punabi
- Sumerian from Ur; c. 2600 BC
- detail shows hybrid human/animal forms that may refer to characters in the Epic of Gilgamesh
- gold bearded bulls head inlaid with lapis lazuli
- combination animal and human features is typical of Near Eastern art.
- detail shows hybrid human/animal forms that may refer to characters in the Epic of Gilgamesh
- gold bearded bulls head inlaid with lapis lazuli
- combination animal and human features is typical of Near Eastern art.
Statue of Gudea, Lagash, Iraq
- Neo-Summerian c. 2100 BC
- folded hands show the conventional posture of prayer
- contraction of space gives a sense of monumentality
- diorite (hard stone - difficult to carve with detail) contributes a sense of permanence
- Gudea fullfilled the role of intermediary to the Gods. Known as a temple builder
- shows combination of surface stylization (seen in the hat) and organic form shown in the naturalistic
carving of the face.
- face makes use of the incised eyebrows which meet over the nose - a conventional way to show the
the eyebrows
- folded hands show the conventional posture of prayer
- contraction of space gives a sense of monumentality
- diorite (hard stone - difficult to carve with detail) contributes a sense of permanence
- Gudea fullfilled the role of intermediary to the Gods. Known as a temple builder
- shows combination of surface stylization (seen in the hat) and organic form shown in the naturalistic
carving of the face.
- face makes use of the incised eyebrows which meet over the nose - a conventional way to show the
the eyebrows
Stele of Hammurabi, Susa, Iran
- Babylonian c. 1792-1750 BC
- Hammurabi receiving the law code from the God Shamash
- use of hierarchical proportions to show the dominance of the God, iconography shown in the use of
the horned crown symbolizing divinity
- Ancient law is inscribed in the column of the stele; laws protected the weak from the strong but also maintained class distinctions with lower classes receiving more severe punishment when committing crimes against the upper classes.
- Hammurabi receiving the law code from the God Shamash
- use of hierarchical proportions to show the dominance of the God, iconography shown in the use of
the horned crown symbolizing divinity
- Ancient law is inscribed in the column of the stele; laws protected the weak from the strong but also maintained class distinctions with lower classes receiving more severe punishment when committing crimes against the upper classes.
Victory Stele of Naram-Sin, Susa
- Akkadian c. 2254-2218 BC
- commemorative marker showing Naram-Sin's victory over the Lullubians
- imagery of the king's power: foes stepped on, dominates scene through hierarchical proportions and
central position, upward motion in the composition, defeated enemies are praying for mercy,
Naram-Sin's pose communicated power and physical perfection in showing his well formed right side.
- use of composite figure in all the human figures
-is divine as he wears the horned crown of divinity and receives the blessing of the stars
- commemorative marker showing Naram-Sin's victory over the Lullubians
- imagery of the king's power: foes stepped on, dominates scene through hierarchical proportions and
central position, upward motion in the composition, defeated enemies are praying for mercy,
Naram-Sin's pose communicated power and physical perfection in showing his well formed right side.
- use of composite figure in all the human figures
-is divine as he wears the horned crown of divinity and receives the blessing of the stars
Assurnasirpall II Hunting Lions, Nimrud
- Assyrian, c. 883-859 BC
- Carved in alabaster stone in shallow relief
- lined the walls of palace
- Assyrian reliefs were meant to intimidate and show power of the king: hunting of lions is a metaphor
for the power of the kings and his domination over his enemies
- forms are naturalistic with emphasis on movement which creates dynamic energy, shallow space
which relies on overlapping and open stances in the body posture to delineate space
- emphasis on storytelling (scenes follow sequentially)
- Carved in alabaster stone in shallow relief
- lined the walls of palace
- Assyrian reliefs were meant to intimidate and show power of the king: hunting of lions is a metaphor
for the power of the kings and his domination over his enemies
- forms are naturalistic with emphasis on movement which creates dynamic energy, shallow space
which relies on overlapping and open stances in the body posture to delineate space
- emphasis on storytelling (scenes follow sequentially)
Ishtar Gate
- Neo-Babylonian c. 575 BC
- one of 8 gates in the walls surrounding Babylon
- meant to impress and intimidate visitors
- construction shows use of round arch, glazed brick and crenelations on top
- bulls and dragons are in honor of the god Marduk eventhough the gate is named for Ishtar the
goddess of fertility, war and love
- one of 8 gates in the walls surrounding Babylon
- meant to impress and intimidate visitors
- construction shows use of round arch, glazed brick and crenelations on top
- bulls and dragons are in honor of the god Marduk eventhough the gate is named for Ishtar the
goddess of fertility, war and love
Stairway and Apanada of Darius, Persepolis
- Persian (Achaemenid) c. 500 BC
- from Palace of Darius' Audience hall; shows king's royal guard
- Apanada originally decorated with 100 columns with bull capitals
- Reliefs decorating the walls are less intimidating than the Assyrian ones and more focused on
establishing the kings grandeur and orderly administration of the empire
- the lion attaching the bull is typical to Persian (Achaemenid) art
- from Palace of Darius' Audience hall; shows king's royal guard
- Apanada originally decorated with 100 columns with bull capitals
- Reliefs decorating the walls are less intimidating than the Assyrian ones and more focused on
establishing the kings grandeur and orderly administration of the empire
- the lion attaching the bull is typical to Persian (Achaemenid) art
