Stele Essay

The /Egyptian and Mesopotamian civilizations developed many differences. The geography, culture, and religion are all different and play a huge role in history.

The Sumerians were an intelligent people and very religious, who created art for the sole purpose of the Gods. Both the Stele of Hammurabi and the Statue of Gudea honor their deities and convey power and authority but in different ways. The Stele with law code of Hammurabi conveys his relationship to the sacred by showing him with his hand raised in respect to the flame-shouldered sun god, Shamash. King Hammurabi of Babylon created a comprehensive collection of 282 laws and standards, in essence a judicial code. These laws or code were carved into a massive seven-a-half-foot black stone stela or diorite pillar. Hammurabi is depicted in the familiar convention of combined front and side views, with the exception of the headdress which is

Victory Stele of Naram-Sin is a relief sculpture and was created in 2,200 B.C.E it is 6 feet high, so it is huge. The subject only includes men, and they are dressed for battle. This particular artwork was an illustration of Naram-Sin with his army and how his “enemies [would] fall, flee, die, or beg for mercy” (Kleiner 41). Naram-Sin is the largest figure, about twice the size of the other figures. In addition, he has a helmet with horns and weapons. There is a background in this relief, and it includes a mountain with a tree and there are two stars.

When you look back in history to the development and the contributions of both the Mesopotamian and Egyptian civilizations, you see that there was a lot accomplished, as well as a lot created. The earliest forms of writing developed in Mesopotamia, while Egypt was referred to the “Gift of the Nile” by traveler Herodotus (McKay,42). Development of cities was another major marker, especially in the “old world”, of how people eventually determined civilizations and what they represented. According to McKay, civilizations were determined by people who considered themselves more “civilized”, urban people mostly. Made up of cities, written rules of law, and social justice codes, Mesopotamia and Egypt would develop into two of the largest civilizations in history.

Egypt developed around the Nile River, while Mesopotamia developed between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Egypt and Mesopotamia grew into complex civilizations. Politically, both Egypt and Mesopotamia had a government with one main ruler, but Egypt had a centralized government with a pharaoh, while Mesopotamia had a decentralized government with a king. Socially, both civilizations were patriarchal, but Egypt was more lenient towards women while Mesopotamia was stricter. The political and social structures of Egypt and Mesopotamia both similarities and differences.

What similarities and differences did Egypt and Mesopotamia have and why was Egypt more politically unified than its neighbor, Mesopotamia? I think in order to answer these questions it is important to look at how both societies lived. Egypt and Mesopotamia were two civilizations existing during the time period of 2000-1200 BCE.(text, 97) These civilizations were shaped by their environment, involved with trade, and faced changes in government after the 100 year drought; however, they differed in that Egypt was shaped by the Nile, traded goods for goods and changed their outlook on the pharaoh who was ruler of all; whereas, Mesopotamia was shaped by the Tigris and Euphrates, traded money for goods, and had a ruler over rulers. The

The Babylonians and Assyrians used a form of writing called cuneiform, one of the earliest known systems of writing, which was similar to the Egyptian hieroglyphics They used this picture writing system to record stories and historical events. Aside from literature achievements, they also made great leaps in science. They built bridges and irrigation system, recorded astronomical and meteorological observation, created the lunar calendar, and developed one of the first economic system. The lunar calendar was adopted by surrounding countries and their economic system helped keep Mesopotamia affluent.

A stele is a monument that is composed of a single column typically erected to present an important event or person. Here is the Victory Stele of Naram-Sin (2254–2218 B.C.E), who was the last great king of the Akkadian Empire and grandson of Sargon the Great, the founder of the empire. Naram-Sin's title was "King of the Four Quarters" meaning "Ruler of the World." The stele was intended to commemorate the king’s defeat of the Lullubi people in the mountains of present-day Iran. The intention of this work, however, is not only to commemorate an important battle but to show Naram-Sin’s power. Due to the hierarchy of scale it can be seen that Neram-Sin is the most important figure in the piece. He is standing victorious on the top of the mountain

Hammurabi's Code was in many respects like Babylonian society - so how should it best be described?

Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia present a valuable area of historical research. They are of great importance mostly because of their ethnic kinship (Watson, 2017). In such case, comparison and contrast essay is very promising as causal relationships can be formed based on a mutual starting point. This comparison-contrast essay focuses on differences and similarities in these societies’ economic, political and cultural life in order to make further implications regarding the circumstances the peoples of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia faced.

The Stele Naram is a six foot and seven inches tall carving which is pink in color. This carving is made on a rose limestone which depicts a king leading in war followed closely by a number of soldiers. With their swords and who are following each other.  Number of soldiers are also seen falling down the carving which has the shape of a mountain (Perez 52). Naram is in a helmet that has horns and together with his troops he is looking up to the skies. His soldiers also trump on the fallen soldiers. Together the monument also shows Naram and his soldiers looking at the sun too.

The first civilizations and the rise of empires began with small groups or villages existing with the use of hunting, fishing, and foraging. (William J. Duiker and Jackson J. Spielvogel, World History, vol. 1, 1) Within a few thousand years, people learned how to cultivate food crops and this led to an increase in population. Increased food production resulted in larger communities. The cities began to expand their cultural and religious developments leading to the beginnings of civilization. (Duiker, World History, 1) The first civilizations emerged in Mesopotamia and Egypt during the fourth and third millennia B.C.E and had various components in common. Each of these civilizations was established in a river valley so they were able to provide and produce the agricultural resources needed to survive and uphold the population. (Duiker, World History, 1) Mesopotamia developed in the valley between the Tigris and Euphrates River known as “the land between the rivers.” These rivers provided irregular and catastrophic flooding for the city-state. They created an intensive irrigation system to improve their agriculture. The first people to create Mesopotamian civilization were known as the Sumerians. These people were the first city builders and created the major city’s named Eridu, Ur, Uruk, Umma, and Lagash. These cities were built with surrounding walls and defense towers. A six-mile-long wall enclosed the city of Uruk. Mesopotamia lacked

The message was that the art form was no longer for the Gods but for the kings instead. The Apadana, or audience hall, at the Ceremonial Complex was started by King Darius I, but, completed by his son, Xerxes.This feature of Persian architecture was created on artificial terraces, made of mud brick and faced with stone, and had giant lamassu gates within the structure.The kings where the ones now being worshiped and receiving gifts and offerings. Within this huge structure, there are many forms of symbolism being used in order to heighten the king's reputation of being strong, intimidating, and ready for battle. Mesopotamian, Sumerian,Babylonian, and Assyrian along with other different types of art forms all influenced this new art. The wealth

What does it mean to put a text on a public monument? The answer to this question can be pursued by studying inscriptions on stelae from the ancient Near East and the relationship these inscriptions had with their audiences. An inscription communicates with its audience through content and visuality. By examining these two aspects of notable stelae from the Iron Age Levant, the experiences of ancient people reading these stelae and the effect it had on them may be understood.

Discovery of clay tablets inscribed with cuneiform proved that the Mesopotamian civilization were able to communicate through written pictures and stylized signs, this was used for purpose of record keeping and schools to teach cuneiform.