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Chapter 2The Rise of Civilization:

The Art of the Ancient Near East

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The Ancient Near East

Ancient Civilizations

MESOPOTAMIAthe cradle of civilization

Objectives:

You will learn about the

•ART/MUSICART/MUSIC

•LIFESTYLELIFESTYLE

•RELIGIONRELIGION

•LITERATURELITERATURE

•ARCHITECTUREARCHITECTURE

of one of the earliest civilizations.

•This lesson is important . . .This lesson is important . . .

•it serves as a basis for it serves as a basis for understanding understanding

•all other civilizations that all other civilizations that followed.followed.

•It is a look at how people It is a look at how people

•of long ago made art & of long ago made art & architecturearchitecture

•which reflects their which reflects their

•thoughts and lives.thoughts and lives.

Two important revolutions occurred in Mesopotamia:

•1.1. Agricultural revolution People Agricultural revolution People

began farming for the first time.began farming for the first time.

•2.2. Birth of Cities Government, Culture, and Birth of Cities Government, Culture, and

Building Evolved from simple Villages.Building Evolved from simple Villages.

•LAND OF MESOPOTAMIALAND OF MESOPOTAMIA•THE WORD MESOPOTAMIA IS A GREEK WORD COMPOSED OF TWO WORDS “MESOP” MEANING THE WORD MESOPOTAMIA IS A GREEK WORD COMPOSED OF TWO WORDS “MESOP” MEANING

MIDDLEMIDDLE AND “POTAMIA “ MAENING AND “POTAMIA “ MAENING RIVER.RIVER.

MESOPOTAMIA IS THE TIGRIS EUPHRATES RIVER VALLEY …. THIS REGION ONCE COVERED MUCH OF MESOPOTAMIA IS THE TIGRIS EUPHRATES RIVER VALLEY …. THIS REGION ONCE COVERED MUCH OF MODERN IRAN, IRAQ AND SYRIA.MODERN IRAN, IRAQ AND SYRIA.

TIGRIS & EUPHRATES ARE PRESENTLY THE WORLDS LARGEST FRESH WATER RIVERS AND TWO OF TIGRIS & EUPHRATES ARE PRESENTLY THE WORLDS LARGEST FRESH WATER RIVERS AND TWO OF THE MOST ANCIENT RIVERS.THE MOST ANCIENT RIVERS.

TIGRIS ORIGINATES FROM IRAQ WHERE AS EUPHRATES ORIGINATES FROM SYRIA.TIGRIS ORIGINATES FROM IRAQ WHERE AS EUPHRATES ORIGINATES FROM SYRIA.

BOTH THESE RIVERS FLOW ROUGHLY PARALLEL TO EACHOTHER AND FALL INTO THE PERSIAN BOTH THESE RIVERS FLOW ROUGHLY PARALLEL TO EACHOTHER AND FALL INTO THE PERSIAN GULF.GULF.

• MESOPOTAMIAN CIVILIZATION EMERGED AS SMALL AGRICULTURAL MESOPOTAMIAN CIVILIZATION EMERGED AS SMALL AGRICULTURAL VILLAGES.VILLAGES.

• MESOPOTAMIAN CULTURE DEVELOPED DUE TO THE LARGE SCALE MESOPOTAMIAN CULTURE DEVELOPED DUE TO THE LARGE SCALE IRRIGATION BY MEANS OF CANALS.IRRIGATION BY MEANS OF CANALS.

• THEIR UNIQUE GEOGRAPHY PERMITTED A SPECTACULAR INCREASE IN THEIR UNIQUE GEOGRAPHY PERMITTED A SPECTACULAR INCREASE IN POPULATION AS A RESULT OF WHICH MOST ANCIENT CITIES OF ERIDU, UR, POPULATION AS A RESULT OF WHICH MOST ANCIENT CITIES OF ERIDU, UR, LAGHAS, NIPUR AND KISH AROSE.LAGHAS, NIPUR AND KISH AROSE.

• MESOPOTAMIA IS SURROUNDED IN THE EAST BY THE MOUNTAINS OF MESOPOTAMIA IS SURROUNDED IN THE EAST BY THE MOUNTAINS OF ZAGROS, IT INCLUDED THE LAND LOCATED AT THE WEST OF THE EUPHRATES.ZAGROS, IT INCLUDED THE LAND LOCATED AT THE WEST OF THE EUPHRATES.

• AKKADIAN EMPIRE OF MESOPTAMIA INCLUDED A GREAT PART OF AKKADIAN EMPIRE OF MESOPTAMIA INCLUDED A GREAT PART OF MIDDLE EAST.MIDDLE EAST.

• THE MESOPOTAMIAN CIVILIZATION WAS GREATLY INFLUENCED BY THE THE MESOPOTAMIAN CIVILIZATION WAS GREATLY INFLUENCED BY THE ANNUAL FLOODS AND THERE WAS A LARGE SCALE DEPENDENCE ON ANNUAL FLOODS AND THERE WAS A LARGE SCALE DEPENDENCE ON THESE TWO RIVERS FOR FISH, CRUSTACEA, MOLLUSCS AND TURTLE.THESE TWO RIVERS FOR FISH, CRUSTACEA, MOLLUSCS AND TURTLE.

• THE SUMERIAN WERE THE FIRST CIVILIZATION OF MESOPOTAMIA (5000 BC).

• ASSARIANS CAME TO POWER IN 700 BC• BABYLONIANS CIVILIZATION GAINED PROMINANCE IN 600BC .BABYLONIANS CIVILIZATION GAINED PROMINANCE IN 600BC .

• THE PERIOD ARROUND 539 BC IS MARKED BY THE RISE OF THE PERIOD ARROUND 539 BC IS MARKED BY THE RISE OF PERSIANS.PERSIANS.

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•THE FERTILE CRESCENTTHE FERTILE CRESCENT

•Among the earliest cultural expressions in Sumer, was

pottery. Around 3000 BCE the Sumerians started carving in

stones and shells, and creating statues. Jewellery was also

created from gold and silver.

•CULTURE and CULTURE and SCIENCESCIENCE•The Sumerians were the first

to start using the alloy bronze, which allowed them the

development of much better instruments than what had been possible before. The discovery of how to mould bronze soon spread all over the rest of the

Middle East.

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Sumerian Religion, Society, and Art• The earliest writing dates to 3400-3200 BCE

– THEY WERE THE FIRST TO INVENT WRITING AND USED A TOOL NAMED STYLUS ONCLAY TABLETS.

– Developed into cuneiform – By 2600 BCE complex grammar

had been developed.– Cuneiform is one of the earliest known forms

of written expression. Emerging in Sumer around the 30th century BC, with predecessors reaching into the late 4th millennium (the Uruk IV period), cuneiform writing began as a system of pictographs.

•PICTOGRAPHYPICTOGRAPHY•Soon after the invention of their Soon after the invention of their writing system, the Sumerians began writing system, the Sumerians began to compile smaller lists of cuneiform to compile smaller lists of cuneiform signs. With a system of word signs, signs. With a system of word signs, sign lists are simultaneously word sign lists are simultaneously word lists, having even a certain somewhat lists, having even a certain somewhat topical material arrangement. topical material arrangement.

•These contained primarily compound These contained primarily compound words: in addition to objects words: in addition to objects designated by determinatives, designated by determinatives, including those objects made from including those objects made from wood, reed, leather, metals, stone, wood, reed, leather, metals, stone, wool and so forth, the lists wool and so forth, the lists enumerated plants with particular enumerated plants with particular subgroups, such as trees and grains, subgroups, such as trees and grains, as well as domesticated and wild as well as domesticated and wild animals, and certain classifications of animals, and certain classifications of people with designations for body people with designations for body parts, geographic names, stars and parts, geographic names, stars and divine names.divine names.

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fish

picture writingcuneiform

• Counting using pictographs scratched into soft clay arises in Sumer

•The Sumerians also developed the studies of Mathematics, Astronomy, along with other Sciences.

•The Sumerians developed many ways of understanding Time. They even had an accurate Calendar, that was vital to Planning Agriculture.They made the first Calander and the first clock based on 60 degree phenomenon called SUNDIAL

•The Sumerians also developed Pseudo-Science like Astrology, within the context of Religion.

•The believed that the Stars on the Sky were GODS that controlled the events in the world, and that the position between these Gods could be used to predict Events In The World, as well as the Fortune For Individuals

•The Architecture of Sumer was limited, in the respect that there were no solid building materials available in the region. Stone, Metal and Wood had to be imported. Therefore, they had to use Mud and Reed for most houses, but this gradually developed into using Mud Brick.

•Of Technical Developments, Sumerians developed the Potter's Wheel, the Sailboat and the Seed Plow.

•CIVILIZATION’S DISCOVERIESCIVILIZATION’S DISCOVERIES

THE FIRST EVER WHEEL WAS INVENTED AND USED SOME THE FIRST EVER WHEEL WAS INVENTED AND USED SOME 55OOO YEARS AGO.55OOO YEARS AGO.

..

•IMAGE OF THE CITYIMAGE OF THE CITY

•The streets were unpaved and untrained. The streets were unpaved and untrained. The average house was a small, one-story, The average house was a small, one-story, mud-brick structure, consisting of several mud-brick structure, consisting of several

rooms grouped around a court. The ground rooms grouped around a court. The ground floor consisted of a reception room, kitchen, floor consisted of a reception room, kitchen, lavatory, servants' quarters, and, sometimes, lavatory, servants' quarters, and, sometimes, even a private chapel. Furniture consisted of even a private chapel. Furniture consisted of

low tables, high-backed chairs, and beds low tables, high-backed chairs, and beds with wooden frames. Household vessels were with wooden frames. Household vessels were made of clay, stone, copper, and bronze, and made of clay, stone, copper, and bronze, and baskets and chests of reed and wood. Floors baskets and chests of reed and wood. Floors and walls were adorned with reed mats, skin and walls were adorned with reed mats, skin

rugs, and woolen hangings.rugs, and woolen hangings.

•ZIGGUARAT ZIGGUARAT THENTHEN

•ZIGGUARATZIGGUARAT•NOWNOW

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Sumerian Religion, Society, and ArtThe Wark Vase ca 3200-3000

BCE• Sumerians may have been the

first to tell stories using pictures.

• The vase depicts a religious festival in honor of the goddess.– Divided into 3 “bands” – Lowest band shows

animals in strict profile. Images reflected economics, but also fertility.

– 2nd band: Naked men carrying jars of offerings; nature’s bounty – men composite– frontal & profile. Con-ceptual vs optical representation.

– Top band:Female figure with tall horned headdress. Men bringing offerings are smaller – “hierarchy of scale”

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Sumerian Religion, Society, and Art The Wark Vase [Wark is modern name for

Uruk]

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Sumerian Religion, Society, and Art

The Inanna 3200-3000 BCE

was the Sumerian goddess of love, fertility, and warfare, and goddess of the E-Anna temple at the city of Uruk, her main centre.

• Maybe just a priestess• Imported stone, colored

shells & stones.

• Missing body of wood clothed& decorated elegantly.

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The Gods & Goddesses of Mesopotamia

• Anu: Chief deity of sky and the city-state of Uruk.

• Enil: Anu’s son; winds & earth. [took over as chief god]

• Inanna: Goddess of love & war. Later named Ishtar.

• Nanna: The moon god, also Sin; Ur.• Babylon:

– Utu/Shamash: God of the Sun.– Marduk: chief god of theBabylonians.

•Others: Nabu [writing/wisdom]; Ada [storms] [Both on Ishtar Gate]; Ningirsu [Lagash/Girsu – appears on the Stele of the Vultures]

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Sumerian Religion, Society, and Art• Votive Statues: Eshnunna

• Where: Esnunna; The Square Temple• When: c. 2900-2600 BCE• Who: The Sumerians• What: Stone (limestone, alabaster and gypsum)

figurines of people.• Why: These were left in temples to represent

Sumerian men and women who left prayers at the temple.

• How: Artists would make these at the temple complexes for a price, most likely depending on the size, and possibly which type of stone was used.

• Fun Facts:

• Accurate to how the people really looked at the time; styles and dress.Writing on the back or bottom state who the statue represents and what they are praying for, although a common phrase found on them states "One who offers prayers".

• Wide open eyes represent better contact with the god.• Large head and shoulders are an elaboration of where

they believed the soul resides.• There would be thousands of these left in ziggurats.

– 1-3 ft in height; Made of simple shapes – cones, cylinders, but specific in dress and type.

Statue of worshippersat Eshunna ca. 2700 BCE

Votive Statue from the Square Temple ,

Eshnunna 26

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Victory & Vultures• Stele: Carved stone slab to

commemorate an event. Relief – This stele presents a

labeled narrative. ca. 26005-2500 BCE

– Victory of Eannatum of Lagash over Umma.

– Takes its name from scene of vultures carrying off the severed heads of the vanquished.•Provides info about

warfare techniques & the special status of the Sumerian ruler

•The God Ningirsu watched over Eannatum

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“War & Peace”/Standard of Ur

• The Sumerians buried their elite in vaulted chambers, under the earth, with servants and possessions. ca. 2600 BCE

• Standard of Ur: sloping sides inlaid with shells and lapis.– Called War/Peace, but may have been two

parts of a single narrative. – Why is it called a “standard”?

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War

Peace

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Lyre from Ur [restored]• From the “King’s Grave”

in Ur.• Bull’s head decoratation• On the soundbox

are animals with human faces serving a banquet, playing music & dancing.

• ca. 2600 BCE

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The First Near-Eastern KingsThe head of the Akkadian

ruler combines both naturalism and formal abstract patterning. 2250-2200 BCE

Naturalism• The shape of the nose• Different textures of hair

and flesh• Contrasting textures of

beard, mustache, and hair.

Abstract patterning• Patterns in hair • Stylistic symmetry• Formal patterns of

lozenges and triangles.

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The Piety of Gudea

• These statues showed his piety as well as his wealth and pride

• They were designed to always be in the temple to give the gods their due.

• Diorite: Hard, costly stone: imported and difficult to carve.– Image is of Gudea

presenting his plan to Ningirsu for the new temple. ca. 2100

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The Code of HammurabiCa. 1780 BCE [18th cen. BCE]

• King Hammurabi wrote a comprehensive law code for his subjects.– If any man puts out the eye of

another man, his eye shall be put out

– If he kills a man’s slave he shall pay one-third of a mina.

– If someone steals property from a temple, he will be put to death, as will the recipient of the stolen goods.

– …. If a man’s wife is caught in bed with another man, both will be tied up and thrown in the water.

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King Hammurabi• The stele with the code

written on it was carried off to Susa as booty in 1157 BCE

• It shows Hammurabi in the presence of the sun god, Shamash.– Symbol of Shamash?– Artist used convention of

combined front and side views, with exception of headdress.

– May have experimented with foreshortening.

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The Hittites’ Fortified Capital• The Lion Gate: ca. 1400 BCE -- Lions are 7 ft

high– Early example of protecting cities through

sculptures of wild beasts at the gate.

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ASSYRIAN: Citadel of Sargon II• Unfinished [ca. 721-705

BCE]– Exhibited both

confidence & fear. Covered 25 acres

– Had over 200 courtyards & rooms

• Represented Sargon’s grandeur:– Merciless &– Forgiving

• Included a ziggurat and sanctuaries for 6 deities.

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Citadel of Sargon IIThe Guardian Gates of the Citadel. [made of

limestone] [ca. 721-705 BCE]

• Lamassu: winged , human-headed bull• Partly in the round,

but conceived as high reliefs.

• Presents aconceptual viewof the creature,in order to showall aspects.

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Neo-Babylonian & Achaemenid ArtIshtar Gate:

• King Nebuchadnezzar

[r. 604-562 BCE] – mentioned in Daniel.

• Babylon was built of mud bricks, but the important buildings were faced with glazed bricks

• Images on bricks are of Marduk’s dragon & Adad’s bull in profile.

• Babylon conquered by Cyrus of Persia in the 6th cen. BCE.

•In its glory, Babylon was surrounded by thick masonry walls. In its glory, Babylon was surrounded by thick masonry walls. The tall Ishtar Gate was an important portal into the City. The tall Ishtar Gate was an important portal into the City.

Originally, the Gate was covered with brilliant blue enameled Originally, the Gate was covered with brilliant blue enameled tiles and glazed brick bas relief images of dragons and young tiles and glazed brick bas relief images of dragons and young

bulls.bulls.

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BabylonHanging Gardens & Marduk ziggurat.

[“Tower of Babel”]

•THE HANGING GARDENTHE HANGING GARDEN

•In antiquity, gardens at Babylon, In antiquity, gardens at Babylon, the capital of Mesopotamia, the capital of Mesopotamia, considered one of the Seven considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World. According Wonders of the World. According to legend, King Nebuchadnezzar to legend, King Nebuchadnezzar constructed the gardens in the constructed the gardens in the 6th century BC for one of his 6th century BC for one of his wives, who was homesick for her wives, who was homesick for her birthplace in the Iranian birthplace in the Iranian mountains. Archaeological mountains. Archaeological excavations at the site of excavations at the site of Babylon, 88 km/55 mi south of Babylon, 88 km/55 mi south of Baghdad in modern Iraq, have Baghdad in modern Iraq, have uncovered a huge substructure uncovered a huge substructure that may have supported irrigated that may have supported irrigated gardens on terraces. It is said that gardens on terraces. It is said that the Gardens were built by the Gardens were built by Nebuchadnezzar to please his Nebuchadnezzar to please his wife or concubine who had been wife or concubine who had been "brought up in Media and had a "brought up in Media and had a passion for mountain passion for mountain surroundings".surroundings".