Mesopotamia

Stonehenge, England post-and-lintel construction

excavation of city of Uruk, ca. 4,000 to 2,000 BCE
 cylinder seal found at Uruk

other cylinder seals, Uruk

Nippur, Babylon

city plan on clay,

ca. 1500 B.C.E.
counting tokens—precursor
to cuneiform writing

use began around 8,000 BCE

This clay container was stamped with
the tokens found inside.
progression from token to tablet
cuneiform
writing

stylus on clay

from about
3,000 BCE
Remains of ziggurat near Susa, in Iran
ziggurat near Susa
mud bricks approximately 13”x13”x3”
probably 170 feet tall
artist’s sketch of completed ziggurat
first floor underground
made of mud brick,
little timber

Mesopotamian townhouse
Standard of Ur, ca. 3000 B.C.E.
turquoise inlaid in sandstone
Standard of Ur, “Peace”
Standard of Ur, detail
Standard of Ur, detail
fringed garment
bull’s head lyre beaker
bull lyre

sistrum

wood with lapis lazuli and shell ca. 2680 B.C.E.

 musician with lyre?

x-form stool
wrapped garment with side fringe
silver drinking cup
jewelry from a tomb at Ur

turquoise, gold leaf, carnelian

from the stele of the Code of
Hammurabi, ca. 1750 B.C.E.

Babylon, 1900-1500
Assyria, height of power 900-700 B.C.E.
city of Khorsabad
 Assyrian architectural motifs

Gilgamesh winged bulls, 10’ tall; Khorsabad, 8th century BCE

Assyrian man and woman
 Assyrian Dress

wrapped

fringe

pattern weaving or embroidery

sandals
Assyrian earring
Assyrian king dining with wife
Ishtar Gate into Babylon—
now in German museum

built ca. 600 B.C.E.

Lions of Nebuchadnezzar on Ishtar Gate
Persian empire, 539-331 B.C.E.

patterned textiles
trousers
boots
Egypt: the country 5 miles wide and 500 miles long
stepped pyramid of Zozer, ca. 2800 B.C.E.
pyramids at Giza
ca. 2500 B.C.E.

largest is 450’ high

sketch of entrance gate at the river
passage to burial chamber
burial chamber
likely construction method,
using temporary ramps
stones on sledges, using milk or
water as a lubricant
rock tombs of the New Kingdom, 1570-1085 B.C.E.
Hatshepsut
Female pharaoh
15th century BCE
Temple at Abu Simbel for Ramses I
statues 65’ high
Hypostyle Temple of
Amon at Luxor

260 meters long

statue 15 meters high

hypostyle=many columns
remains of hypostyle hall
with clerestory window
pylon gate
65 meters wide; scenes are of military campaigns
Town plan

grid-like
long, narrow buildings
street in Thebes, ca. 1500 B.C.E.
King Tutankhamen
died ca. 1325 B.C.E.
Tutankhamen’s
ecclesiastic throne

hawk motif

pseudo-folding x-form
struts based on hieroglyphs
Tutankhamen’s golden
throne (civil)

curved back, flat seat

lions

animal feet on cylinders

back of golden throne

beaded collar

pleats held in place by belts

animal legs on cylinders

beaded collar

gold, turquoise, carnelian

bracelet
Tutankhamen’s pectoral ornament

sun disk

eye of Ra

scarab

eagle wings
citizen, seated

hieroglyphs

table with ceremonial bread

animal legs on cylinders

priest seated on x-form stool

leopard skin (sign of priesthood)

scribe: important
government official
animal feet
on cylinders
 concave
turned legs stools

Tutankhamen’s stool
double concave
party scene with stools

scented beeswax cones on head

pharaoh and wife, with attendant

artistic conventions:
• hieratic scale (servant shown
smaller)
• man darker than woman
family feasting, with priest and wife
 throwing stick

family hunting
Tutankhamen hunting lions
horse-drawn chariot
farming
 ebony, cedar, gilt
from Tutankhamen’s tomb
for storing linen

storage in Egypt
painted storage box
game board

ebony and ivory

animal feet on cylinders
“hounds and jackals” board game
 grooming

bronze razor and mirror

combs
Tutankhamen’s cosmetic box