Chapter 2 – Near East

Neolithic Revolution

• Human, no longer a hunter gatherer

• Now a farmer and herder

• Mesopotamia – core of a region called

• Turkey, Syria & Iraq

• Humans learned how to use the plow and wheel

• Three BIG faiths emerged Judaism, Christianity & Islam

Sumerian Gov’t Layout

• City States

• Each state is under the protection of a different Mesopotamian Deity.

• City planning and Religion- Sumerian City Plan reflected role of local god in the daily life of the occupants

Uruk – White Temple • Sumerians built towering stepped

platforms of mud bricks called Ziggurats w/ a temple on a 50 foot man made mound with a city around it

• Could not hold many worshippers• Central hall was set for deity• The Sumerian idea that gods reside

above the world of humans is central to most of the worlds religions

•

White Temple and Ziggurat – Uruk – Iraq 3200-3000BCE

Inanna? Uruk Iraq 3200-3000 BC

Goddess of Love & War• Hard stone• Possibly attached to

wood• Probably had more

items attached to her head- a wig, jewels and fabrics

Warka Vase – Alabaster – Hard stone 3200-3000BCE

• Depicts a religious festival to honor a goddess

• Blessing from deity• Crops, water, male,

female• Frieze ( 3 sections)• Communicates a point,

showing Conceptual Representation

Statuettes of Two Worshippers from the Square Temple @ Eshnunna – Iraq – 2700 BCE

• Found under the floors• Praying• Man and woman• Waiting for a deity to

appear• Child like• Simple forms, cylinders,

inlaid eyes with shells • Approx 3 feet high• Eyes larger than hands

Standard of UR- War & Peace 2600BCE

• Spoils of War and success in farming, brought considerable wealth to some of the city – states in ancient Sumer

• Historical Narrative• 3 Horizontal bands reads from left to

right

• War side – Donkeys • Stripped soldiers, prisoners• King figure centralized

• Carrying booty – victory and celebration

Cylinder Seals

Akkadian/ Neo Sumerian/ Babylonian & Hittite Art

• Saragon of Akkad• Copper Head – 2250-

2200BCE• Deliberate mutilation• Gouged eyes• Slashed ears• Naturalism and

abstract patterns

Naram- Sin – 2254- 2218

• Godlike sovereignty of Akkaid – Victory stele

• Grandson of Sargon – • Grandson leads his

victorious army up the slopes of a wooded mountain

• Routed enemies fall, die and beg for mercy

• King is alone and larger• Naram -sin scaling ladder

to heavens

Ziggurat – 2100BCELargest Ziggurat of UR-

• Mud brick solid mass• Lad in bitumen –

sticky substance binds together

• Temple stairs • Resurgence of Sumer

Seated – Gudea 2100BCE

• Seated or standing• Dressed in a long

garment• Diorite

Law Code of Hammurabi- 1780BCE

• Sumer Resurgence – short lived

• Centralized gov’t formed – Mesopotamia, Babylon.

• Hammurabi, famous for his conquests and his Law code

• Penalties for everything• Black Basalt stele• Hammurabi is with

Shamash the sun god• Fore shortening- god at a

angle

Babylon Empire sacked by Hittite

• Babylonians leave Hitties then leave behind strong city walls behind

• Very different from the brick arch that was common in Babylonian art

• Lions = guardians (7 ft)

• Trend of protecting area with a magical beast or monster( like in Egypt, Greece)

Middle Elamite and Assyrian Art

• This city is state in the bible (Elam)

• Elamites take the Hammurabi and Naram – sins steles, re-erect them in city of Susa – King Ashurbanipal destroys Elamin 641Bce

• Elamin would rise again as Persian empire

Statue of Queen Napir- Asu – 1350Bce

• Queen wife of powerful Elamite kings

• Cost• Bronze• Curse written on statue• Characteristics• -cylindrical• Strict frontality• Firm crossed hand • Feminine softness

Assyrian Fortress Palaces-Citadel of Sargon II 720-705BCE

• City walls – fears of outsiders

• 25 acres- 200 courtyards• Giant figures of the king• Guard rooms, service

quarters, 7 stories?, ramp spiraled around building

• Built -2000 yrs after Temple of Uruk

Lamassu – 720Bce

• Winged man -headed bulls ward off kings enemies

• Monster has 5 legs• A quarter view • Conceptual not

optical• High relief, partially in

the round

Assyrian archers pursuing enemies – relief from the NW palace of Ashurnaisrpal II – 875 -

860bce

• Archers and hunting were depicted in art to display an important part of power and piety

• Battlefield victories and slaying of wild animals

Ashurbanipal Hunting lions – Iraq –@ Ashurnasirpal II Palace

645-640BCE

• Clear story telling

• King, hunting – Why?

• http://www.ancientreplicas.com/ashurbanipal-hunting.html

Ishtar Gate

• Glazed bricks, molded reliefs of animals

• Real and imaginary

• Nebuchadnezzar II – restored Babylon to its rank of a great city

• Hanging gardens and enormous Ziggurat ( Tower of Babel) were created

Conclusion

• Birth of civilization/urban life

• Temples

• Monumental art, portraits of rules, etc