Transcript The Ancient Near East

The Rise of Civilization:
The Art of the Ancient Near East
1
Things to Notice
• Cultural changes in the Neolithic Revolution as
they relate to the art and architecture.
• The concept of civilization and the
importance of Sumer in the ancient Near
East.
• The artistic materials, techniques, subject
matter, styles and conventions developed in
the ancient Near East.
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The Ancient Near East
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Chatal Huyuk
•Why no entrances on the sides?
Sumerian Religion, Society, and Art
• Stylistic and formal visual aspects of Mesopotamian
art and its iconography
• Identify cultures that ruled the Mesopotamian
regions throughout early history
• Different media and materials used in Mesopotamian
art
• Critically evaluate the role of art and power in
different near eastern civilizations from this period
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The Neolithic Revolution
• The birth of writing in ancient Sumer.
• The first city states, city planning, and
organized religion are attributed to
Sumer. Explore how art – and
architecture – are effected.
9
Cuneiform
Banquet scene, cylinder seal (left) and its modern
impression (right), from the tomb of Pu-abi (tomb 800), Royal Cemetery, Ur
(modern Tell Muqayyar), Iraq, ca. 2600 BCE. Lapis lazuli, approx. 2” high. British
Museum, London.
11
Ziggurat = mound
.eventually incorporated with temple
Reconstruction drawing of the White
Temple and ziggurat, Uruk (modern
Warka), Iraq, ca. 3200–3000 BCE (after S.
E. Piggott).
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Sumerian Religion, Society, and Art(cont.)
• Stylistic and formal visual aspects of Mesopotamian
art and its iconography
• Identify cultures that ruled the Mesopotamian
regions throughout early history
• Different media and materials used in Mesopotamian
art
• Critically evaluate the role of art and power in
different near eastern civilizations from this period
13
Mesopotamian Religion, Mythology,
Gods and Goddesses
• How are ancient Near Eastern ideas about
religion different from Paleolithic and earlier
Neolithic ideas?
• Explore how these ideas are depicted in
Sumerian sculpture, seals, and funerary
objects.
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Akkadian, Neo-Sumerian, Babylonian
Cultures
• Evaluate the stylistic and formal visual aspects of later
Akkadian art and its iconography
• Critically evaluate the role of art and power in
Akkadian civilizations from this period
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Hieratic Scale
Detail
Naram-Sin defeating the Lullubi
© 2005 Saskia Cultural Documentation, Ltd.
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What has changed about the Ziggurat form?
Divine Royalty
Seated statue of
Gudea holding
temple plan, from
Girsu (modern Telloh),
Iraq, ca. 2100 BCE.
Diorite, approx. 2’ 5”
high. Louvre, Paris.
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The Code of Hammurabi
• Explore the Code of Hammurabi, how it is
expressed in art and why it contributes to
cultural understanding in the ancient Near
East.
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Assyrian, and Neo-Babylonian Art
• Evaluate the stylistic and formal visual
aspects of later Assyrian art and its
iconography.
• Explore the ideas of power expressed in
the art of the Assyrians.
• Examine the materials and techniques of
Assyrian and Neo-Babylonian painting
and low relief sculpture.
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Mesopotamian Architecture
• Compare the architecture of the NeoSumerian ziggurat with the city of
Babylon and the fabled “Tower of
Babel.” Explore the different materials
used.
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Persian Power and Opulence
• Persian Empire had an impact on
the art and culture of the ancient
Near East.
• Hallmarks of Persian culture and
style in art and architecture.
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Persian Splendor
• Examine ruins of the great imperial
palace at Persepolis.
• Explore how the Persian art is
different from other art of
Mesopotamia.
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