🎨Art History I – Prehistory to Middle Ages Unit 6 – Ancient Near Eastern Art: Early Civilizations

Key Civilizations and Time Periods

• Ancient Near East encompasses Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq), Egypt, Anatolia (Turkey), and the Levant (Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and Jordan)
• Mesopotamian civilizations include Sumer (4000-2000 BCE), Akkad (2334-2154 BCE), Babylonia (1894-1595 BCE), Assyria (1365-612 BCE)
  • Sumerian city-states (Uruk, Ur, Lagash) laid the foundation for later Mesopotamian cultures
  • Akkadian Empire united Mesopotamia under centralized rule
  • Babylonian Empire known for its legal code (Code of Hammurabi) and architectural achievements
  • Assyrian Empire expanded Mesopotamian influence through military conquests
• Ancient Egyptian civilization (3100-30 BCE) divided into Old Kingdom (2686-2181 BCE), Middle Kingdom (2055-1650 BCE), and New Kingdom (1550-1069 BCE)
  • Old Kingdom associated with the construction of the Great Pyramids (Giza)
  • New Kingdom marked the height of Egyptian power and artistic production (Temple of Karnak, Valley of the Kings)
• Hittite Empire (1600-1178 BCE) in Anatolia known for its distinctive art style and innovations in metalworking
• Phoenician civilization (1500-539 BCE) in the Levant renowned for its seafaring, trade, and spread of the alphabet

Geographic and Environmental Context

• Mesopotamia situated between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, which provided fertile soil and water for agriculture
  • Annual flooding of the rivers required irrigation systems and centralized organization
  • Lack of stone and wood in the region led to the use of mud brick as the primary building material
• Egypt centered around the Nile River, which provided predictable annual flooding and fertile soil for agriculture
  • Nile River served as the main transportation route, facilitating trade and communication
  • Abundance of limestone and sandstone used for monumental architecture and sculpture
• Anatolia and the Levant characterized by diverse landscapes, including mountains, plateaus, and coastal regions
  • Proximity to the Mediterranean Sea facilitated trade and cultural exchange
  • Access to a variety of raw materials (copper, silver, wood) influenced artistic production

Major Artistic Developments

• Development of writing systems (cuneiform in Mesopotamia, hieroglyphs in Egypt) allowed for record-keeping and communication
  • Cuneiform and hieroglyphs often incorporated into artistic designs and monuments
• Monumental architecture (ziggurats in Mesopotamia, pyramids in Egypt) served religious and political purposes
  • Ziggurats, multi-tiered temple towers, symbolized the connection between the earthly and divine realms
  • Pyramids served as tombs for Egyptian pharaohs and represented their divine status and power
• Sculpture evolved from stylized, abstract forms to more naturalistic representations
  • Mesopotamian statues (votive figures, royal portraits) conveyed the importance of the depicted individuals
  • Egyptian statuary adhered to strict proportions and poses, emphasizing the eternal nature of the subject
• Relief carvings and wall paintings used to decorate palaces, temples, and tombs
  • Mesopotamian reliefs often depicted military victories, hunting scenes, and mythological narratives
  • Egyptian wall paintings and reliefs portrayed daily life, religious ceremonies, and the afterlife

Iconic Artworks and Artifacts

• Standard of Ur (Sumerian, c. 2600-2400 BCE): a wooden box with inlaid mosaics depicting scenes of war and peace
• Stele of Naram-Sin (Akkadian, c. 2254-2218 BCE): a victory stele showing the king as a divine figure, standing atop a mountain
• Code of Hammurabi (Babylonian, c. 1754 BCE): a basalt stele inscribed with the king's legal code, topped by a relief of Hammurabi receiving the law from the god Shamash
• Lamassu (Assyrian, c. 721-705 BCE): colossal guardian figures with human heads, bull or lion bodies, and wings, placed at the entrances of palaces and temples
• Great Sphinx of Giza (Egyptian, c. 2558-2532 BCE): a limestone statue of a reclining sphinx, a mythical creature with a lion's body and a human head, associated with the pharaoh Khafre
• Bust of Nefertiti (Egyptian, c. 1345 BCE): a painted limestone bust depicting Queen Nefertiti, renowned for its beauty and craftsmanship
• Tomb of King Tutankhamun (Egyptian, c. 1323 BCE): a nearly intact royal tomb discovered in 1922, containing numerous treasures and artifacts

Materials and Techniques

• Mud brick the primary building material in Mesopotamia, used for palaces, temples, and residential structures
  • Mud bricks made from a mixture of clay, water, and straw, then dried in the sun
  • Baked bricks used for more important structures and foundations
• Stone (limestone, sandstone, granite) widely used in Egyptian architecture and sculpture
  • Limestone and sandstone quarried near the Nile River and transported to construction sites
  • Granite from Aswan used for obelisks, statues, and other prestigious projects
• Metals (copper, bronze, gold, silver) used for decorative elements, jewelry, and small-scale sculpture
  • Lost-wax casting technique employed to create intricate metal objects
  • Hammering and embossing used to create gold and silver leaf for gilding
• Faience, a glazed ceramic material, used for small decorative objects and jewelry
  • Faience made from ground quartz, lime, and alkali, then molded and fired
• Painting techniques included fresco (painting on damp plaster) and tempera (pigments mixed with a binder)
  • Pigments made from natural materials (ochre, malachite, lapis lazuli)
  • Paintings often used for wall decorations in palaces, temples, and tombs

Cultural and Religious Influences

• Mesopotamian religion centered around the worship of numerous gods and goddesses associated with natural forces and human activities
  • Ziggurats served as the earthly dwellings of the gods and the site of religious ceremonies
  • Myths and legends (Epic of Gilgamesh) reflected Mesopotamian beliefs and values
• Egyptian religion focused on the worship of gods and goddesses, the divine nature of the pharaoh, and the afterlife
  • Temples built to house the statues of the gods and serve as the center of religious ceremonies
  • Tombs and funerary practices (mummification) designed to ensure the pharaoh's and nobles' successful journey to the afterlife
• Kingship and the divine right to rule played a central role in both Mesopotamian and Egyptian art
  • Rulers depicted as larger than life, often engaging with the gods or performing religious duties
  • Art used to legitimize the ruler's power and reinforce their connection to the divine
• Trade and cultural exchange led to the spread of artistic styles, motifs, and techniques across the Ancient Near East
  • Influence of Mesopotamian art on the Levant and Anatolia
  • Artistic interactions between Egypt and the Levant, particularly during the New Kingdom

Symbolism and Iconography

• Mesopotamian art often used symbolic representations of gods and goddesses
  • Horned headdresses and animal attributes (lions, bulls, eagles) associated with specific deities
  • Mythological creatures (lamassu, griffins) served as protective symbols
• Egyptian art employed a rich iconography to convey religious and political concepts
  • Hieroglyphs and symbols (ankh, was scepter, djed pillar) held specific meanings and were used in art and writing
  • Colors held symbolic significance (blue for the Nile and fertility, yellow for the sun and eternity)
• Recurring motifs (rosettes, palmettes, spirals) used in architectural decoration and portable objects
  • Motifs often held symbolic or apotropaic (protective) meanings
• Depiction of rulers and elites in idealized forms, emphasizing their power, beauty, and connection to the divine
  • Stylized and idealized representations used to convey the timeless nature of the subject
  • Strict adherence to proportions and poses in Egyptian art, particularly in the depiction of the human figure

Legacy and Impact on Later Art

• Mesopotamian and Egyptian art had a lasting influence on the artistic traditions of the Ancient Near East and beyond
  • Influence on the art of the Persian Empire (Achaemenid and Sassanian periods)
  • Adoption and adaptation of Near Eastern motifs and techniques in the art of the Aegean (Minoan and Mycenaean) and Classical Greece
• Rediscovery and fascination with Ancient Near Eastern art in the modern era
  • Influence on 19th and 20th-century art movements (Orientalism, Art Deco)
  • Incorporation of Near Eastern motifs and styles in modern and contemporary art
• Continuing archaeological discoveries and research contribute to our understanding and appreciation of Ancient Near Eastern art
  • Ongoing excavations in Iraq, Egypt, and the Levant reveal new insights into the art and culture of these civilizations
  • Advancements in conservation and preservation techniques ensure the survival and study of Ancient Near Eastern artworks for future generations