Ancient Near East

Need to know dates:

Sumeria: 3000 BCE

Babylon: 1900 BCE

Persia: 539 BCE (Alexander the Great takes over)

KEY IDEAS

Mudbricks are the main building block from soil deposits left by the Tigris and the Euphrates Rivers
Conventions of hierarchal
Early images often depict royalty and deities
Figures and animals are depicted in profile or in twisted perspective
New gods or guardian figures (Composite creatures)
Assyrian lion reliefs are some of the first narratives in art history
Invention of cuneiform- first wedge-shaped writing
Nudity is a sign of debasement (lowering the status or quality)
Constant political change and ruling groups\
The cosmos play a roll in in architecture and rituals

KEY PERIODS

Sumerian Art: 3000-2000 BCE
Akkadian Art: 2300-2150 BCE
Neo-Sumerian Art: 2150-2000 BCE
Babylonian Art: 2000-1750 BCE
Assyrian Art: 1200-612 BCE
Battle of Ninevah, 612 BCE (modern day Iraq) Babylon won thus resurrecting their former glory!
Neo-Babylonian Art: 612- 539 BCE
Persian King, Cyrus, overthrows Babylon
Persian Art: 539-330 BCE
Height of Persia ends at the razing of Persepolis by Alexander the Great

CHARACTERISTICS OF SCULPTURE

S: Size of sculpture increases- shows permanence of cities
S: Large scale reliefs within palaces
S: Stelai commemorating the achievements of rulers
AK: Deification of rulers
B: Stele of Hammurabi- new set of laws
AS: Rulers are portrayed as stoic
AS: Cuneiform takes a leap

CHARACTERISTICS OF ARCHITECTURE

S: Architecture was created for religious purposes
B: World Wonder: Hanging Gardens
H: Used stone blocks rather than baked mudbricks
P: Persepolis

S.A.N.B.A.N.P.

Sumerian

Akkadian

Neo-Sumerian

Babylonian

Assyrian

Neo-Babylonian

Persian

ARTWORK LIST

12. WHITE TEMPLE AND ITS ZIGGURAT, URUK
14.. STATUES OF VOTIVE FIGURES
16. THE STANDARD OF UR
19. THE CODE OF HAMMURABI

25. Lamassu (from the citadel of Sargon II)

30. Audience Hall of Darius and Xerxes

ADDITIONS
STELE OF NARAM SIN
ISHTAR GATE

VOCABULARY
1. REGISTERS/FRIEZES
2. LAPIZ LAZULI
3. HIERARCHY OF SCALE
4. VOTIVE OFFERING
5. BENT AXIS
6. CELLA
7. STELE
8. APADANA
9. COLUMN
10. CAPITAL
11. SHAFT
12. BASE
13. VOLUTES
14. HYPOSTYLE HALL