Art History Test 1 Unit 2

Head of an Akkadian Ruler (Sargon 1)

Ninevah, Iraq

2300 BCE

Bronze, 12” h , made by the lost wax method with naturalism and realism. also used incised lines. The eyes are gouged out as an act of violence.

symbolizes the power of King Sargon 1 and the political and military power

this is a sculpture in the round

Victory Stele of Naram-Sin

Susa

2254-2218 BCE

Raised Relief, Stele made of Pink sandstone and is 6’6” h

large size with central, elevated position; right side most visible to viewer

Symbolism is the image of king’s power over military, political, religious authority, king is wearing a horned cap, suns shine to show god/s blessing

Gudea with a temple plan

Lagesh, Iraq

2100 BCE Neo sumerian era

made of Diorite 29” h

Gudea embodied transition between gods and humans

wears a robe with right shoulder bare

gudea received a vision from god of the temple plan

eyes are big and bug like, incised spirals go around

hands folded in prayerful mode, holy figure - his feet are bare

Nanna Ziggurat, Ur

2100-2050 BCE earliest surviving ziggurat

bridge connecting heaven with earth

vertical gate is the only point of entry to upper level

mud-brick - faced with baked brick embedded with mortar

built in 3 stages, around mud brick core, with shrine accessible via stairway.

Stele of Hammurabi

Susa capital of elam (now iran)

1791-1750 BCE , stele is 7’ high and height of relief is 28”

Law code of hammurabi that is inscribed on black basalt stele

meant to protect weak and strong and to maintain traditional class distinctions hierarchical scale

Lion Gate (royal gate)

1400 BCE stone, lions approx 7’ high

guardian lions

cyclopean architecture made of limestone

symbolizes lions that proetective, idea of political power and strength

Ishtar Gate

Babylon 575 BCE 48’8” tall

Glazed brick with blue and gold

One of 8 gateways with round arches

bulls and dragons are sacred to marduk, ishtar is babylons patron goddess of fertility, love and war

Royal Guards

Relief on the stairway to the audience hall of darius

persepolis, 500 BCE

Lion bites the back of the bull

Bull Capitol

Persepolis c. 500 BCE

Paired bulls facing opposite directions set on top of capitals at persepolis

Functions to hold wooden ceiling beams

Bulls symbolize power and virility of the King; metaphor of kings position as head of state.

Modern day Ancient Near East

Iraq, Mesopotamia, Iran, Turkey, Israel, Lebanon, and Syria

Time Period

Mesolithic, Neolithic, and Bronze Age

What was the lifestyle during this time?

Farming and agriculture of the “fertile crescent”.

During the Neolithic period cities and trading emerged.

Kingdoms and empires emerge, kings and priests ruled

temples and palaces were constructed with governments

trades people developed crafts

What was the type of religion during this time?

Polytheism

each city has its own patron gods and goddesses.

success of city depends on gods and goddesses overpowering the next city

Anu-supreme

god of the heavens

Nanna-god

god of the moon

Ianna-goddess

goddess of fertility, love and war

Cultures that share the same goddess of fertility, love and war

Ianna-Sumerian

Ishtar- Babylon

Egypt-Isis

Greek-Aphrodite, athena

Roman-Venus

Themes during this time?

Art is used to show political power

religion and political power are closely linked

ziggurat is bridge between heaven and earth

Stele

An upright stone slab or pillar, usually carved or inscribed for commemorative purposes

Hierarchical scale

The representation of more important figures as larger than less important ones

Registers

A range or row, especially when one of a series. registers are read like stories from top to bottom

Cuneiform

A form of writing consisting of wedge-shaped characters, used in ancient Mesopotamia

Lost wax casting

Technique for casting bronze and other metals.

Object is made from clay and coated with a thin layer of wax, metal shims or pins are inserted to enable mold to be removed later,

object is covered with plaster,

clay is removed and wax is melted out to form a hollow mold. metal is heated to liquid and poured into hollow mold.

metal cools and plaster is chiseled off, shims are removed

Cyclopean

Massive in size and scale

Impost block

An architectural support for a beam

General cultural and technological developments of these cultures as a whole

Cuneiform writing for keeping records in temples and writing events.

Developed techniques like wagon wheel, plow, metalworking, and casting

Political power with big rulers like Nebuchadnezzar, Darius, and Sargon

Ziggurats thought of as the bridge between earth and heaven