The Origin Of Ancient Mesopotamia

A Khan Academy Documentary by Beth Harris shows a headdress worn by Tiye that included horns solar disk, referring to the religion Atenism which is monotheistic and regal promoting the god Aten. Horns and Feathers on headdress also related to the goddess Hathor.

The city of Napata gained its fame from the religious significance of Gebel Barkal. The Egyptians promoted the belief the primary form of their god dwelt inside the pure mountain Gebel Barkal. Egypt’s sun-god Amun was represented as either a man with a ram head or as a crowned ram with a solar disk. It seems as though the Egyptians identified their pre-existing god from the land of Nubia as a local form of their own supreme god Amun who was considered to be the important source of the royal power of Egypt and Kush. The city of Meroe located on the east bank of the Nile, was the second urban center of the binary kingdoms of Kush. This city became the permanent royal residence of the Kushite Kings of Napata in the fifth century BC. Nubian pottery from the earliest periods represented the basic plastic material employed in Nubia and Egypt. Primitive drawings and engravings on Nubian pottery had a form identified of some geometric and symbolic patterns. These forms have been used on the surface of decorated pottery such as circles, squares, or triangles which represented the initial signs of most ancient civilizations. During the Neolithic period, people of this time covered their tools and pottery products with different forms, not particularly of art, but rather for recording their idea of life. Although these forms represent hidden symbols with no clear meaning, its purpose or goal was to help unleash the human mind while imagining its

The Lamassu of the Assyrian kingdom was quite large in size as it guarded the entrances to the throne room of the Assyrian king. The size of the winged bull with a human head was surely an important part in guarding the gates and instilling fear in all that passed it. It is a relief sculpture of mostly high relief elements as the wings are the only parts that appear to be in low relief. The entire body, except the head, is in profile view. I believe that this was done purposely to create a gaze between the Lamassu and whoever passed it in order to instill fear. The head is also not proportioned with the rest of the body as it appears smaller than that of which it should be. The head of the Lamassu is also decorated with possibly a crown of some sort, earrings, and a beard. His beard has a distinct pattern that creates texture amongst as well as within his earrings. This same textured pattern can also be seen in different areas of the bull body as well as the bottom of the tail. The bull body is strong and muscular as veins can even be seen bulging out in the muscles of its legs. All of these details are important as they also

The Syrian Warrior God is on display in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s Hammer Building as a part of the “Art of the Ancient Near East” collection– a collection consisting of over two thousand objects spanning over four thousand years. Artifacts from all over the ancient Near East can be seen in the various, well lit, galleries of LACMA. With simple cream-colored walls, the stone reliefs, pottery, vessels, and sculptures, all clearly stand out behind their protective casings. Though the galleries offer thousands of artifacts to gaze upon, the collection is well organized and not at all overwhelming.

Represented with his shoulders frontal, and head in profile, the king is as close as humanly possible to the deities at the top of the stone slab, personifications of the sun. All individuals depicted gaze towards the Akkadian regal: his army and the vanquished turn towards him, creating a clear focal point of the composition, even the fleeing Lullubi (in the extreme far right) face Naram-Sin as he makes his escape. The horned helmet worn by the Akkadian king is a symbol of divinity, thus he is assuming the importance and status of a god with the adoration of the headdress. The relationship between gods and rulers is not exclusive to the “Stele of Naram-Sin”, in the “Stele of Sargon” examples to the a similar effect can be seen. “The enthroned goddess was complementary to and associated with the transformation of the figure holding the net into a king, since, especially from the Sumerian point of view, the presence of a real deity was then necessary.” Both Naram-Sin and Sargon’s steles are examples of the Akkadian kingship being legitimized because of religious

The artwork that I selected is The Parthian Rhyton. It was created in Iran between the years 150 BC – AD 225, according to “The Parthian Rhyton” at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), its medium is silver with mercury gilding. The Parthian Rhyton’s body structure is half rampant goat and a half drinking horn. In the artwork, there is a separation mark between the goat and the drinking horn. The goat is lying down on its stomach.

Sumerian (3500-2300BC)&Babylonian (1792-1750 BC) both belong to civilizations of Mesopotamia, but they existed different period. The ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia are the source of the earliest surviving art; these civilizations were situated between the Tigris and the Euphrates Rivers. Dating back to 3500 B.C.E., Mesopotamian art was intended to serve as a way to glorify powerful rulers and their connection to divinity. Art was made from natural resources such as stone, shells, alabaster and marble, and was often created as didactic pieces. No artist signatures can be found on most of the work, because the pieces were meant to embody the subject matter, rather than the creator. Popular items that typify this time period include cylindrical seals, steles, narrative relief sculptures, and lavishly decorated tombs.

At the site of Göbekli Tepe, stone columns were cut in alleviation with pictures of creatures, for example, vultures and foxes, while at Çatal Höyük, mortar establishments of creature teeth and horns and divider works of art of creatures, including one of a gigantic bull, were found in household spaces. In opposition to what we may expect of the people groups who initially tamed numerous creatures and plants, it is not the internal controlled and tamed world that they spoke to however the external, wild world. Amid the Uruk period, the lion and bull turned out to be particularly conspicuous in the craft of the old Near East and first started to be utilized as a part of pictures communicating the force of rulers. Pictures of lions were additionally utilized as a part of defensive settings, and were set up in sets to watch paths into illustrious and custom spaces. Strife between two or all the more intense animals is a repeating subject in old Near Eastern craftsmanship. Furious creatures demonstrated secured battle were maybe intended to exemplify solid restricting powers in

A clay cylinder covered in Akkadian cuneiform script, damaged and broken, The Cyrus Cylinder is a powerful symbol of religious tolerance and multiculturalism. In this talk Neil MacGregor, who is the director of the British museum, traces 2600 years of middle eastern history through this cuneiform script. Throughout this talk there are very interesting facets that emerge from Neil’s talk, including the entire text on the cylinder, being symbolic.

Intricate motifs include depictions of fairly normal animals found around the Meddeterainian area. Master metal craftsman Mohammed ibn al-Zain created this brass basin during the Bahri Mamluk reign (1250–1382). The basin’s wide central, outer band depicts a finely crafted procession of Mamluk emirs, or officials, among them a mace-bearer (jumaqdâr), ax-bearer (tabardân), and bow-bearer (bunduqdâr). Four horsemen in roundels punctuating the procession of dignitaries may be personifications of different aspects of furusiyya, or “horsemanship.” Friezes of animals and coats-of-arms frame this exterior band and decorate the basin’s interior as well.

Mesopotamia was the start of all civilization and set the standards for the world. Mesopotamia means between the 2 rivers. It is between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers (Service 6). Mesopotamia being between 2 rivers has a great advantage. It was a fertile region, which was great for farming.

Fig. 40. Aphrodite, and the goat god Pan is a marble, Hellenistic artwork from the late 2nd century B.C., from the site of the Poseidoniasts of Berytos in Delos. The Church Father Clement of Alexandria referenced Pan and naked Aphrodite as perverted and adulterous.

I am sure you have wondered before who created the first empire in history. You are probably thinking it was either the Romans or the Greeks but you are in fact wrong. The first empire ever built was the Akkadian Empire in Mesopotamia and it was created by Sargon the Great. According to our text book, a new era of Mesopotamia began with the victories of an Akkadian speaking king that we know as Sargon, who called himself Sharrum-kin in Old Akkadian, which means “the king is legitimate” (Stiebing pg. 69). I will be writing a biography about Sargon of Akkad, although much is not known about his birth name or his early years of life. Sargon reined the Akkadian Empire in Mesopotamia from c. 2334-2279 B.C.E, which stretched across from the Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. Sargon not only reined Mesopotamia, but also conquered many of the neighboring city states will the help of military control. I will first go into detail about the legend of Sargon, how Sargon had found Akkad and lastly, I will talk about the Akkadian Empire.

The two pieces of art Standard of Ur (c. 2600 B.C.E.) and Sarcophagus of Junius Bassus (c. 359 C.E.), both by unknown artists, were ceremonious pieces in their time, and captivating works of art in ours. While the artists are unknown, their work is indicative of the time period in which they lived. Religious imagery and depiction of stories were subjects many artists pursued, especially in the death of their leaders. The sarcophagus was made for a member of the senatorial family, Junius Bassus, this amazing sculpted sarcophagus depicts multiple religious scenes and imagery. The Standard of Ur is detailed with the inlaid design, it is called a standard due to how it was found lying on the shoulder of a man in the corner

The false beard is broken, but it does not loss its meaning: a symbol of god. Most of the male gods in ancient Egypt wearing beards. The beard is a fascinating element in ancient Egyptian art, most of the pharaonic sculpture has a false beard, to claim the position of royal family, and an embodiment of gods, because the beard was considered to be a divine attribute of the gods. In accordance with this religious formula, the pharaoh would express his status as a living god by wearing a false beard secured by a cord on certain occasions. Also, the false beard can support the head of the sculpture to avoid breaking from the neck. What under his serious-looking face is a muscular body. Egyptian were expert in idealizing their rulers, and this one is no exception. It is difficult to believe that all the pharaohs had such good build as they used to be richest, well looked after men. However most of the pharaohs convince everyone that he is the best man in the world, he is divine, and chosen by the gods, no wonder why they have a perfect body. Besides, a muscular and powerful body is required in a sense of protecting all his people from the enemies. In contrast to the pharaoh, the sculpture of Sheikh el-Balad, who was the chief lector priest, is far more life-like for a fat body with a beer belly. The sculpture of Sheikh el-Balad is displayed just next to the Diorite Statue of King Khafra, the difference between the two statues is obvious.The Diorite Statue of