Ancient Near East

5000 BCE
AKA: Ancient Mesopotamia Modern Middle East/ Iraq & Iran (see map, pg. 32) Early people settle in Fertile Crescent, 5000 BCE
Tigris and Euphrates Rivers Fertile soil Farming, animal husbandry, Specialization allowed time to discover and advance

Sumer: Earliest Civilization in the world!

1st Urban community 1st Writing- cuneiforms; Historical documentation

People of Mesopotamia
Sumerian- 1st to settle; flourished (3000 BCE) Akkadian- took over Sumer and create Empire Neo Sumerian- Sumerians regained control Babylonian- King Hammurabi (1st written laws) Assyrian- come to power (Ashur, god of war) Neo-Babylonian- King Nebuchadnezzar; (Hanging Gardens of Babylon) Persian Empire- Iranian 333 BCE- Conquered by Alexander the Great (Battle of Issus); becomes part of Roman Empire

Art of Ancient Near East

1. Religious objects (content and/or function)
Gods and goddesses, pg. 35

2. Patronage: rulers and aristocrats commission art

Propaganda (religious and political) Establishment of government; rise of imperial power; god-kings

Canon: accepted rules, standards

What do the works in this chapter have in common?

Warka Vase, Sumerian

3000 BCE
bas relief registers composite (descriptive) hierarchy of scale

Warka Vase, Sumerian

3000 BCE
Describe this object in detail. Use proper vocabulary! Why is this object significant?

Votive statuettes, 3000 BCE

Describe these figures in detail? What do these tell us about Sumerian religious practices?

Standard of Ur, 3000 BCE

Explain this object. Describe the canon. Whos the patron? Why is patronage important in understanding a work of art?

Sumerian Cylinder Seals, 3000 BCE

What do these objects have in common with other Sumerian artifacts? Compare and contrast with Indus seals, pg. 169

Sumerian Temples and ziggurats

White Temple, 3000 BCE, Uruk (mod. Warka, Iraq) Ziggurat, Ur, 2100 BCE (mod. Iraq)

Ziggurat, Ur, 2000 BCE

Summer Essay Assignment

Describe the religion practiced by ancient Sumerians and explain how it influenced their art. FULLY identify 2 works to help support your answer.

Victory Stele of Naram-Sin, 2000 BCE

Akkadian Where was this object found? Explain propaganda as it relates to this object. (god-king) Compare it to a Sumerian object.

Stele of Hammurabi, 2000 BCE

Stele of Hammurabi, 2000 BCE

Babylonian stele cuneiforms Describe the characteristics. Propaganda? Why is it important to have written laws? What does this tell us about Babylonian religion and politics?

Citadel of Sargon II, Iraq, 700 BCE

Assyrian citadel Explain the following inscriptions found here:
I built this city with the labors of people subdued by my hands, [gods] caused them to lay at my feet and bear my yoke. Sargon, king of the world, has build a city.

Lamassu, 700 BCE

Colossal High relief and bas relief Descriptive/ composite What was the purpose of these? (propaganda)

Assyrian archers, 700 BCE

From the palace of Ashurnasirpal II Cycle of narrative bas reliefs celebrating the king and his accomplishments (propaganda) Canon?

Ashurbanipal Hunting Lions

600 BCE

Ashurbanipal Hunting Lions

600 BCE

Journal
How were the Assyrians different from the Sumerians? Fully identify examples as evidence.

Ishtar Gate, 600 BCE

Neo-Babylonian

Summer Essay
How do the Warka Vase, Stele of Naram Sin, Stele of Hammurabi, and Ashurbanipal Hunting Lions reflect changing religious and political ideas of ancient Mesopotamia?