Ancient Near Eastern Art

Part 2

Babylonian Art

Stele of Hammurabi, c. 1780 B.C.E., Susa (modern Shush, Iran), basalt.

• Earliest legal code• King Hammurabi is figure on

the left, Shamash (Sun god) on right

• Shamash hands king a rope, ring and rod of friendship

• 300 laws written below the figures, symbolically given from Shamash to Hammurabi

• Shamash – frontal/profile simultaneously

Ishtar Gate, c. 575 B.C.E. (neo-Babylonian),glazed brickglazed brick covering mud walls; animals guard entrance to city, Lions – sacred to goddess Ishtar; crenellations give warlike appearance

Hittite Art

Anatolia (Modern Turkey)

Lion Gate, c. 1400 B.C.E., TurkeyCity gate guarded by lions; massive stone lions; stone construction (Hittites used stone, including huge boulders, instead of mud-brick)

Assyrian Art

Lion Hunt, c. 640 B.C.E., limestone, Irananimals show emotions, but not humans; narrative with bold contours; domination of king over the lion (most fearsome beast)

Lamassu, c. 700 B.C.E., limestone, Iraqhuman-headed guardian figure; winged; 5 legs; wards off enemies; guarded Palace of Assurnasirpal II ; over 10’ in height

Palace of Sargon II, 720 B.C.E., Iraqplatform city – 50’ high; mud-brick; ziggurat inside; 25 acres, 200 rooms, 30 courtyards

Persian Art

Persia was an Empire!

Persepolis, c. 500 B.C.E., Iran

• Constructed by Darius I and Xerxes I for huge receptions and festivals

• Destroyed by Alexander the Great• Built artificial terraces• Mud-brick with stone facing• Huge lamassu gates• Apadama (audience hall) held thousands for kings’s receptions;

36 columns supported wooden roof; stairwell had relief depicting New Year’s festival and representatives of 23 subject nations

• Columns had bell-shaped bases (lotus blossoms inverted) with capitals of bulls or lions