Ancient Near East - Comparative Cultures

Ziggurat

Sumerian City of Ur, current day Southern Iraq

Bent Axis Style

A unique feature not found in Egyptian Temples, entrance ramps were never just a straight line - At least one staircase on a right angle, made a sharp turn at the top.

Sumerian Religion

Created the idea that god lives in the sky, and were either good or bad. Gods controlled nature, and humans could communicate with gods through prayer, ritual and sacrifice at temples. Humans are imperfect therefore they must seek help form the gods.

Monotheism

the belief that there is only one God.

Sumerian Temples

Ziggurats. Consists of a shrine and a cella.

Shrine

A room for the priests (61 by 16)

Cella

Special room where gods met with the high priest

Temple Statuettes

Currently Located in: Iraq Museum, Baghdad and the Oriental Institute of UChicago
2700-2600 BCE
Gypsum w/ Shell and Black Limestone inlay, tallest figure is approx. 30' high. Statues of people with the name of the owner placed in Temple waiting rooms.

White Temple of Uruk

One of the oldest and best bent axis temples
3000 BC
Patterned brick - 22 x 17 meters
Enough exists to figure out construction

White Marble Head of Uruk

Iraq Museum, Baghdad.
3500-3000 BC
Entirely manmade marble female head found at Uruk
Lifelike body was most likely wood
Originally vividly coloured and had a wig

Temple of Ur /Great Ziggurat of Ur

Current day Southern Iraq

The only part that survives

50 ft high, 100 steps up to temple

Royal Cemetery of Ur

Where all the artifacts came from

Standard of Ur

British Museum, London

2700 BC

War side and a peace side, wooden panel inlaid with shell, lapis lazuli and limestone. Slope-sided

Lyre of Puabi

From the Grave of the Lady Puabi

Highly decorated musical instrument with prominent bull head

Covered in gold leaf and lapis lazuli

The first place animals were depicted as humans

Lady of Puabi

an important woman in the Sumerian city of Ur

Part of the royal cemetery

Cylinder Seal of Puabi

British Museum, London

2600 BC

Designed to leave impressions on soft clay

Lapis lazuli

Sumerian Writing

CUNEIFORM - The first known, Origin uncertain, No matches, Pictorial. Used of administrative acts and commercial transactions

Babylon

• City state

• Southern Mesopotamia

• 50 miles south of modern Baghdad

• used art for celebration of great events and glorification of the gods

Tower of Babylon

• highest known ziggurat at 270 feet high

• built to reach the heavens by anciet Hebrews

• god punished babylonians by making them “babble”

Seated Statue of Gudea

• neo sumerian

• about 20 still exist

• ruler of lagash

• “royal commermorative”

Stele of Hammurabi

• first known codification of law

• black basalt

• in the louvre/british museum

• 7 foot 4 inches high

• shows hammurabi receving code from sun god

Head of an Akkadian Ruler

• bronze sculpture

• 2200 BC

• the only surviving part of a life size figure

• eyes were inlaid with semiprecious stones

• eyes gouged out, ears and beard hacked & broken

Stele of Narim Sin

• carved stone slab

• commemorates victory over Lullubi people

• enemy crushed underfoot

Lamassu

• winged, human headed bull

• ancient assyrians

Ishtar Gate

• one of 8 gates

• 575 BC

• Nebuchadnezzar II

• Reconstrucuted in berlin museum

Corbelled Arch

Created open areas by counterweighting stones

Anu

Supreme God of the Sky

Enlil

God of Winds, Storms, Earth

Abu

God of Vegetation

Enki

God of Fresh Waters

Nanna

Moon God

Utu

Sun God

Inana

Goddess of Sex & War

Ereshkigal

Goddess of the Underworld