Ancient Near East 3500 B.C.E B.C.E.

Greater Gods & Goddesses of the ancient near east Anu (chief deity of Sumerians) - god of the sky Enlil (son of Anu) – lord of the winds and the earth Inanna/Ishtar - Sumerian goddess of love / war Utu (later known as Shamash) – Sun god

Key Ideas Birth of art in the service of state/religion Mud-brick buildings faced with tile, stone, or painted Buildings created for religion Ziggurats large stele to commemorate achievements of rulers Guardian figures (hybrids of man/animal) Some of the first narrative works of art Crenellations

Innovations of the Ancient Near East Writing (cuneiform) Cities Organized religion Organized government Laws Agriculture Bronze casting And, of course, THE WHEEL!!!!

Sumerian Art Tell Asmar Statues, c B.C.E., limestone,alabaster, gypsum, Iraq. (slide in class) Votive figures represent mortal humans, statues blessed by priests Different heights – hierarchy of scale Hands folded in prayer with twisted pinky Huge eyes in reverence of deity Males: bare-chested / Females: dress draped over one shoulder

Standard of Ur, c B.C.E., panel with shell, lapis lazuli, limestone. hierarchy of scale: king is tallest figure; bodies in profile while shoulders frontal; two sides (war / peace); use of registers

Lyre, c.2600 B.C.E., wood inlay of gold, shell, lapis lazuli. Use of hybrid creatures

Ziggurat, c B.C.E., Ur, Iraq. Mud-brick; buttresses create light/shadow pattern; whitewashed; tapers outward to drain water, mountain-like; four corners oriented to compass points; dedicated to moon god Nanna; temple on top

Votive Statue of Gudea, c. 2120, Lagash (Iraq), diorite. Gudea was governor of Lagash Votives showed him as embodiment of just rule Folded hands around vessel with life-giving waters Sense of calm, piousness Diorite was expensive – proclaims wealth of owner/importance of subject

Akkadian Art

Victory Stele of Naramsin (Naram-sin), c B.C.E., sandstone, Iraq First deification of ruler Semitic language Solar deities are represented by rays of sun, victory is blessed Horizontal register replaced with wavy groundlines King Naramsin is tallest figure and wears divine crown – spacial hierarchy of scale Defeated soldiers beg for mercy