AP Art History

Art of the Ancient Near East

 

It is in the Ancient Near east, that writing first began. With the invention of writing came written records that replaced the reliance upon images and oral traditions as a means of keeping records. Just as important, the development of agriculture allowed civilizations to start taking shape!
  Geographically, the Ancient Near East refers to area that includes present day Turkey, Iran and Iraq.
  • Populations first settled in the grassy areas surrounding the river valleys.The area was ideal for agriculture, with good soil, adequate rainfall and domesticated animals.
  • As the population increased, the people began to move into the river valleys and delta regions.
    •   CHRONOLOGY: divided into four general phases

  • Early Neolithic Communities 8000-5500 BCE
  • Ancient Mesopotamian Cultures 3200-330 BCE
  • Sumerian Period 3200-2225 BCE (includes the Akkadian Period)
  • Assyrian Period 1000-612 BCE

    • Click here for good link    		 Early Neolithic Communities

    Jericho-located on a plateau on the Jordan River.

  • represents the world's oldest fortified community
  • fortifications make the beginning of monumental architecture
    • SCULPTURE-examples from Jericho mark the beginning of monumental sculpture and individualized portraiture.

  • Human Skull, c7000-6000 BCE

    Catal Huyuk-located in Anatolia, flourished 6500-5500 BCE. This area was the first to experiment in city planning.

    SCULPTURE-most examples are small female figures

  • Seated Goddess, Catal Huyuk, c5900 BCE
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      Sumerian Art

    Between 3500 and 2800 BCE city-states began to emerge along the rivers of Southern Mesopotamia. The city-states of Sumer are considered to be one of the first great civilizations of man and are credited with inventing the first written language, cuneiform.

    ARCHITECTURE - ziggurat:a stepped pyramid structure, with a temple or shrine located on top. Ziggurats were religious shrines, that symbolized a bridge between man on earth, and the gods in heaven.

  • Nanna Ziggurat, Ur (modern Iraq) (fig.2-5), c2100-2050 BCE
    •   SCULPTURE - Sumerian sculpture was religious in nature, representing Sumerian dieties.

  • Face of Woman,from Urak (fig.2-6), c3500-3000 BCE
  • Statuettes, from Temple of Abu, Tell Asmar (fig.2-9), c2900-2600 BCE
  • Bull Lyre, from tomb of Queen Puabi of Ur (fig.2-11), c2685
  • Standard of Ur, c2700 BCE
    • CYLINDER SEALS - Used as a means of stamping and identifying documents... Simply roll the seal out on clay and get the image!  These seals are just a couple of inches long.
    Akkadian Art - The first Empire

    Approximately 2300 BCE, the city-states of Sumer came under the domination of a powerful ruler, Sargon I of Akkad. The Akkadians adopted Sumerian culture with one exception. It was under the leadership of Sargon, that devotion to the leader rather than the city-state became the political norm. The Akkadians ruled until 2180 BCE, when they were attacked and conquered by the Guti (only Lagash remained independent).

    		 

    SCULPTURE-first examples of political works of art

  • Head of Akkadian Ruler from Nineveh (fig.2-15), c2200 BCE
  • Stela of Naramsin (fig. 2-16), c2254-2218 BCE

     

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    (Neo-Sumerian)

    The Akkadian Empire was overthrown by the Gutians, known for their leader Gudea of Lagash. This brief period (ca. 2100-2000 BCE) was called, "Neo-Sumerian" for resurrecting the Sumerian language in their writings. Also, the statue here of Gudea has a "Sumerian Votive Figure" style to it.
    Babylonian Art

    Sumer was once again fully united under the Babylonian ruler, Hammurabi in 1792 BCE. Hammurabi was most famous for his code of laws.

  • Stela of Hammurabi, from Susa, c1792-1750 BCE
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    Assyrian Art
  • Guardian Figure, from throne room of Sargon II, c720 BCE
  • Citadel and Palace Complex of Sargon II, c721-706 BCE

    • (Neo-Babylonian Art)

    The term Neo-Babylonian or Chaldean refers to Babylonia after the death of Ashurbanipal, from the revolt of Nabopolassar in 626 BC until the invasion of Cyrus the Great in 539 BC, notably including the reign of Nebuchadnezzar.

  • Ishtar Gate c575 BCE - Gate to Babylon ordered built by King Nebuchadnezzar in honor of the Assyrian Goddess Ishtar.
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    Persian Art

    Persia, now Iran, created the Persepolis, show here. It was begun by Darius I (the Great) and finished by his son Xerxes.
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