Date post: | 30-May-2015 |
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ANCIENT NEAR EAST
Janin AlfonsoAP Art HistoryPer.5
ZigguratUr, Iraq 2100 BCE
Built using mud bricks Colossal scale Resembles mountain Whitewash applied to disguise muddy
appearance Four corners oriented to the compass Three staircases lead to upper story entrance
from three different directions and a guardhouse can be accessed where the stairs meet.
Top temple was small and removed from populace
Tapers out so that rainwater washed off Dedicated to moon god Nanna
Lamssu Louvre, Paris c. 700 BCE
Ceiling-to-floor limestone animal guardian figures
Winged, human headed The sculpture’s five legs when
seen from the front seem to be standing at attention; when seen from the side appear to be walking past
Purpose is to ward off both visible and invisible enemies
Standard of Ur British Museum, London c. 2600 B.C.E.
Panels inlayed with shell, lapis lazuli, and limestone
PractiComprised of two sides: a war and a peace which could have been two sides of a narrative (early example of historical narrative)
Purpose: Perhaps part of soundbox for a musical instrument
Residents of Jericho buried dead family members under floor boards
Tell Asmar StatueIraq Museum, Baghdad c.2700 B.C.E
Composition: limestone, alabaster, gypsum
Purpose: Representational figures of middle-eastern people found in temples. Meant to pray in the stead of their human counterparts.
Large wide eyes and folded hands give impression of worship
Height denotes hierarchy scale Men: bare chest, long skirt, wavy
beard Women: dress draped over one
shoulder
LyreUniversity of Pennsylvania Museum, Philadelphia
C. 2600 BCE
Lyre with bull’s head Four panels on side:o Top: Sumerian wrestling
two man-headed bullso 2nd level: wolf carries a
table with animal parts, preparing for a ceremony; lion bears wine, jug, cup
o 3rd level: donkey play a bull-harp; bear dances; seated fox plays a rattle
o 4th level: jackal (?) waves rattles; scorpion-man
Animals in profile; people have frontal shoulders
Gudea Louvre, Paris c. 2100 B.C.E.
• Folded hands with long thin fingers
• Right arm uncovered• Broad shoulders,
narrow waist, simple outlines
• Peaceful, pensive• Diorite, the stone it
is carved out of proclaims the wealth of the owner and importance of subject
Victory Stele of Naram-SimLouvre, Paris 2254-2218 BCE
Sandstone Depicts victory over Lullubi Naram-Sin deifies himself as
composition leads him up the mountain to the heavens
Heavens indicated by three stars Sun represents victory blessed by
the gods, however Naram-Sin acts independently
King wears horned crown of divinity, holds a bow in one hand, arrow in the other, battle axe in hollow of arm
Defeated soldiers beg for mercy Hierarchy scale
Stele of HammurabiLouvre, Paris C. 1780 BCE
Basalt Bas relief, 8 ft One of the earliest law codes ever written is
engraved upon it Sun god/patron of justice, Shamash, sitting
on throne atop ziggurat handing Hammurabi a rope, ring and rod of kingship (authority)
Hammurabi greets him Shamash wears horned helmet signifying
divinity Images powerfully convey close link between
the human and divine rulers, Hammurabi had god-given authority to enforce laws on stele
Persepolis Iran c.500 B.C.E.
Built by Darius I and his son Xerxes, destroyed by Alexander the Great
Included enormous audience hall, apadama
Apadama was supported by 36 colossal columns, each surrounded by bull’s heads of gray limestone
Purpose: receptions and festivals Carved onto stairs are the
Immortals, the King’s Guard, who were called this because they always numbered 10,000
Relief sculpture of people form all parts of empire bringing gifts to treasury; selected to protect treasury
Palace of Shapur I Ctesiphon, Iraq
250 C.E.
Built by Sassanian Persian rulers
Brick audience hall Influence of
Roman architecture in the barrel vault and arches