1

The Ancient Near East

The Ancient Near East

White Temple and ziggurat, Uruk (modern Warka), Iraq, ca. 3200–3000 BCE.

Reconstruction drawing of the White Temple and ziggurat, Uruk (modern

Warka), Iraq, ca. 3200–3000 BCE.

7

Female head (Inanna?), from Uruk

(modern Warka), Iraq, ca. 3200–3000 BCE.

Marble, 8” high.

8

Presentation of offerings to

Inanna (Warka Vase), from

Uruk (modern Warka), Iraq, ca. 3200–3000 BCE. Alabaster, 3’ 1/

4” high.

Votive Figures from the Square Temple at Eshnunna (modern Tell

Asmar), Iraq, ca. 2700 BCE. Gypsum inlaid with shell and black limestone, male figure 2’ 6” high.

Bull-headed lyre (restored) from Tomb 789 (“King’s Grave”), Royal Cemetery, Ur

(modern Tell Muqayyar), Iraq,

ca. 2600 BCE. Lyre: Gold leaf and lapis lazuli over a

wooden core, 5’ 5” high.

Sound box: Wood with inlaid gold, lapis lazuli, and shell,

1’ 7” high.

Fragment of the victory stele of

Eannatum (Stele of the Vultures),

from Girsu (modern Telloh), Iraq,

ca. 2600–2500 BCE. Limestone,

fragment 2’ 6” high, full stele 5’ 11” high.

War side of the Standard of Ur, from Tomb 779, Royal Cemetery, Ur (modern Tell Muqayyar),

Iraq, ca. 2600 BCE. Wood inlaid with shell, lapis lazuli, and red limestone, 8” x 1’ 7”.

Peace side of the Standard of Ur

Banquet scene, cylinder seal (left) and its modern impression (right),

from the tomb of Pu-abi (tomb 800), Royal Cemetery, Ur, Iraq, ca. 2600 BCE.

Lapis lazuli, 2” high. [Note: a similar cylinder seal is found in Stokstad, p 35.]

Head of an Akkadian ruler, from Nineveh

(modern Kuyunjik), Iraq, ca. 2250–2200

BCE. Copper, 1’ 2 3/8” high.

Victory stele of Naram-Sin,

from Susa, Iran, 2254–2218 BCE. Pink sandstone,

6’ 7” high.

Votive disk of Enheduanna, from Ur, Iraq, ca. 2300 – 2275 BCE.

Alabaster, diameter 10”.

Ziggurat (northeastern facade with restored stairs), Ur, Iraq, ca. 2100 BCE.

Seated statue of Gudea holding temple plan,

from Girsu, Iraq, ca. 2100 BCE.

Diorite, 2’ 5” high.

Votive statue of Gudea, from Girsu, Iraq,

ca. 2100 BCE. Diorite, 2’ 5” high.

Stele with law code of Hammurabi,

from Susa, Iran, ca. 1780 BCE.

Basalt, 7’ 4” high.

HITTITES OF ANATOLIA: Lion Gate, Hattusa (modern Boghazköy),

Turkey, ca. 1400 BCE.

ELAMITES: Statue of Queen Napir-Asu, from Susa, Iran,

ca. 1350–1300 BCE. Bronze and copper,

4’ 2 3/4” high.

Lamassu (winged, human-headed bull)

R: from the citadel of Sargon II, Dur Sharrukin (modern

Khorsabad), Iraq, ca. 720–705 BCE. Limestone, 13’ 10” high.

L: from the palace of

Assurnasirpal II, modern Nimrud, Iraq,

883–859 BCE. Alabaster,

10’ 3 ½" high.

Assyrian archers pursuing enemies, relief from the Northwest Palace of Ashurnasirpal II, Kalhu

(modern Nimrud), Iraq, ca. 875–860 BCE. Gypsum, 2’ 10 5/8” high.

Assurbanipal and His Queen in the Garden, The Palace of Assurbanipal, Nineveh (modern Kuyunjik), Iraq, ca. 647 BCE.

Gypsum, 21” high.

Ashurbanipal hunting lions, relief from the North Palace of Ashurbanipal, Nineveh

(modern Kuyunjik), Iraq, ca. 645–640 BCE. Gypsum, 5’ 4” high.

38

Reconstruction drawing of the citadel of Sargon II, Dur Sharrukin (modern Khorsabad), Iraq, ca. 720–705 BCE.

Ishtar Gate and throne room, Babylon, Iraq, ca. 575 BCE.

Reconstruction drawing of Babylon in the 6th century BCE.

41

Ishtar Gate

(restored), Babylon,

Iraq, ca. 575 BCE.

Persepolis (apadana in the background), Iran, ca. 521–465 BCE.

Processional frieze (detail) on the terrace of the apadana, Persepolis, Iran, ca. 521–465 BCE. Limestone, 8’ 4” high.

Darius and Xerxes Receiving Tribute, relief on the

stairway, Persepolis, Iran, ca. 521–465 BCE. Limestone, 8’

4” high.

Palace of Shapur I, Ctesiphon, Iraq, ca. 250 CE.

Triumph of Shapur I over Valerian, rock-cut relief, Bishapur, Iran, ca. 260 CE.