The document provides an overview of art from ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt, focusing on key developments, styles, and works. In Mesopotamia, the Sumerians developed one of the earliest writing systems, cuneiform, as well as advances in architecture like ziggurats and temples. Important works mentioned include the Standard of Ur, depicting war and peace scenes, and the Bull Lyre with narrative carvings. Rulers like Naram-Sin and Gudea had their achievements commemorated in steles and sculptures following conventions of the time. Both regions featured polytheistic religions integrated with government where kings embodied gods.

1. The Art of Mesopotamia and Egypt Becoming civilized, becoming gods, and the construction of the cradle of civilization.

5. Mesopotamia Greek: mesos=middle, potamos=river

7. Water was the essence of life to those inhabiting the Mesopotamian region. Waterways made agriculture and settled life possible.

10. Soon, a need for a means other than oral communication to document and record important information arose and a system of written record was created. It is as this point in development that the paths of Mesopotamia and Egypt diverge.

12. The Mesopotamian city of Sumer was a place of many firsts for mankind. The first known system of writing is from the Sumerians. It is known as cuneiform. Figures were drawn in wet clay tablets with a wedge shaped stylus. The first written words were in the form of pictographs , simple representations of the object mentioned (bull = bull). Later, pictographs evolved into more of what we currently think of as “written language” where symbols represent the sounds of the Sumerian language, these were called phonograms . Cuneiform means “wedge shaped” and refers to the shapes the stylus made in clay.

13. Uruk Period (c. 4,500 – 3,100 BC) Uruk was the first independent Sumerian city-state and was located in what is now modern day Iraq.

15. Inanna accepting an offering from a naked priest.

17. Female Head, Uruk, 3500-3000 BC Sculpture was found in Cella- used as cult statue. Eyes and eyebrows were originally inlaid with colored materials and the hair was covered with gold/copper wig- the rest of the figure was probably made up of wood- (because of expense). It seems odd that the other features of the face are “off’ just enough to make historians believe that this was a true attempt at portraiture and not just a generic face from an artist’s memory image.

18. Each Sumerian city believed in a specific patron god. Near East monumental architecture was made for their temples. Religions and governments were the earliest patrons of the art and that is mainly reflected in the architect of those religions and government. One thing to keep in mind is that religion and government were often one and the same. So a temple was not only a symbol for the gods but also was meant to symbolize the power of the government. Early ancient religions were often polytheistic; they believed in more than one deity. In early Mesopotamia cultures each city-state had a protective deity and temples were built as houses for these deities. Anu Ziggurat and “White Temple”, Uruk (c. 3,500-3,000 BC)

20. Ziggurat of King Urnammu, Ur, 2500 BC Mub bricks Bent-axis approach- the entrance faces away from the stairs- the worshipper must work to be able to worship- an angular spiral path Buildings called ziggurats served as a transitional space between people and their gods. We know nothing of the rituals performed in these temples. Ziggurats are stepped pyramids with shrines located on top. This is a good example of a load bearing construction that was developed in the Neolithic period. As the structure goes up the load becomes lighter, the base wider that bears the weight of the structure. As we can see in this reconstruction drawing for the White temple in the city of Uruk, its corners are oriented toward the 4 cardinal points. Statues of the deities were kept in the temple. Interior of the temples were divided into several rooms off the cella (open room) which contains the altar. The ziggurat would remain the main structure for temples and would only become more elaborate.

30. The Royal Standard of Ur, also called the Battle Standard of Ur measures 8.5 by 19.5 inches. It is made of wood and is inlaid with lapis lazuli, shell, and red limestone. The box has been restored due to deterioration over the years of the glue used to set the mosaic, and so may not be 100% accurate. The Sumerian army is shown in battle with four-wheeled chariots trampling their enemies, spearmen and other infantry. The panels also show prisoners taken before the king. These scenes are from what is usually called the "war" panel. The "peace" panel shows the other side of Sumerian life - a banquet with a musician playing the a lyre type instrument.

34. Victory Stele of Naram-Sin c.2300-2200 BC Akkadians - after the decay of the Sumerian society (due to ambitious Commissioned by Sargon’s grandson Naramsin. A stele is an upright stone that was used to commemorate a person. This is a fine example how art is used to promote and solidify a ruler’s legacy. The artist employs hieratic scale, so Naramsin should be easy to spot. The king wears a horned cap, again in profile on top of a hill. The sun and stars above a meant to give the impression that he is under divine protection and guidance. His enemies fall in his presence and his soldiers follow him without reservation. This stele needs no words to convey the message that not only is Naramsin a powerful military leader, but also that his kingship is divinely sanctioned. rulers trying to conquer each other)- nomadic people moved in from the Near East

36. Victory Stele of Naram-Sin (detail) 8

37. Head of Gudea, c.2150 BC By 2180 BCE, Akkad would lose their territories to a mountain people called the Guti. The only city state that would remain independent of the Guti would be Lagash. Gudea was the leader of the city of Lagash, and during his reign he would initiate building projects that would restore the temples. Gudea’s image would be immortalized in statues. However his image would convey a different sort of kingship as oppose to Naramsin.

38. This a depiction of more humbled image of a leader. The figure is stiff but that may be more about the stone that was used to make the statue. Diorite is a hard dark stone, not easily to carve from so the closed form maybe more about the materials (something to keep in mind is that the materials will often dictate the style of the object). Also notice that the representation of Gudea is more youthful and naturalistic. His clasp hands give him the sense that this was a pious man, who was in service to the gods. Gudea was not elevated to god like status unlike the Akkadian rulers, but was considered an intermediary for the gods. He is seen either standing or sitting, hands clasps, with a slight smile. His wide open eyes gives the impression that he is aware and in awe of his position. Even though Gudea is not seen as a god, he still needs to let his people know that he is divinely chosen to be leader. On the lap of the seated Gudea is the plan for the temple.

40. The Amorites were from Arabia who spoke a Semitic language. They would call the capital city Babylon and this would be the beginning of the Old Babylon period. The most famous of the Amorite kings was Hammurabi. Mostly known as the one to actually write down a on a black basalt stele. The law is written in Akkadian in 51 cuneiform columns. The stele shows the Amorite king Hammurabi receiving the laws (that are meant to show that the law was divinely inspired) from the Akkadian god Shamash who is the god of sun and justice.

45. The Assyrians definitely used art to promote and establish their military power. They would decorate their palaces and citadels with relief of military conquest. They would also show the king at leisure. Lion hunting was a favorite past time. Many of the walls of the palace were decorated with relief of hunting with bow and arrows. The Assyrians often showed their enemies (whether an opposing army or an animal) as muscular and strong. The Assyrians, from the art left behind, more than likely saw themselves as a formable power that was emphasize by making their enemies and prey as just as ferocious. Ashurbanipal Hunting Lions (Lion Hunt) relief from the North Palace of Ashurbanipal, Nineveh (modern Kuyunjik), Iraq Culture: Assyrian ca. 645-640 BCE British Museum, London

46. Dying Lioness, from Nineveh, c. 650 BCE

51. Bull Capital From Darius I Palace Capital of a column of the Audience Chamber (Apadana) in the palace of Darius I. Susa Archaeologists estimate that it could accommodate 10,000 people. Massive stone columns supported the Apadana’s roof. 36 were interior columns and another 36 supported verandas on three sides of the building. Thirteen of these 72 columns remain standing today. Each column rose nearly 20 m (66 ft) high and had vertical channels called fluting carved into it to emphasize this height. At the top of the columns were capitals elaborately decorated with plant forms, scrolls, and double-headed animals. The animals supported wooden roof beams on their backs. Traces of paint found on column bases and other remains suggest that the room was originally brightly colored.