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Chapter 2

The Ancient Near East

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The Ancient Near East

The Gods of Mesopotamia:

Henotheism:Many Gods but one above others

Over 2,000 deities and demons

The Two Triads:

Anu: The father of the gods (creator); god of heaven

Ea: God of Water

Enlil: God of earth, wind, and air

Shamash: God of the sun, judge, and law giver; god of wisdom

Nanna: God of the moon

Ishtar (Innana): Goddess of love, fertility, and war

Marduk and TiamatBabylonian Creation Story

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Pazuzu

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The Epic of Gilgamesh Ca. 2,100 BCE

Gilgamesh: God-like king of Uruk

Part human, part god, blessed with beauty and courage

Spurns the love of Ishtar (the Queen of Heaven) and kills the Bull of Heaven.

He is punished with the loss of his dearest (male) companion, Enkidu, forced to contemplate mortality.

Emotional bonds between men more common in Ancient World

Epic of Gilgamesh

Gilgamesh then goes on a quest for everlasting life.

When he finds a plant that promises everlasting life, a serpent snatches it away.

He is left with a vision of death, a “house of dust,” and a place of inescapable sadness.

Epic of Gilgamesh

Biblical Parallels ( Pan Babylonism)

Adam(Enkidu) and Eve (Shamhat)

Great Flood and Noah (Utnapishtim)

Serpent and Eternal Life

SUMERCreation of a writing system (Cuneiform)

Literary Works

Gilgamesh

Development of the Wheel

Developed Arithmetic

Primary City States: Uruk, Ur

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CuneiformLatin:

“wedge”-”shape”

CYCLINDER SEALS

Seals verifiy legal documents and ownership

Incised designs

Banquet scene, cylinder seal (left) and its modern impression (right), from the tomb of Pu-abi (tomb 800), Royal Cemetery, Ur (modern Tell Muqayyar), Iraq, ca. 2600 BCE. Lapis lazuli, 2” high. British Museum, London.

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ZigguratMassive structures having the form of a terraced step pyramid of successively receding stories or levels. The Mesopotamian ziggurats were not places for public worship or ceremonies as they were believed to be dwelling places for the gods. Only priests were permitted on the ziggurat or in the rooms at its base, and it was their responsibility to care for the gods and attend to their needs.

AXIS MUNDI

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

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The White Temple and Anu Ziggurat

Named after the principal god Anu (sky God).

The White Temple was constructed over the Anu Ziggurat

Both temples entailed massive manpower inputs—7500 man-years alone

Structures separated priestly residents from the populace

UrukPopulation 40,000

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Uruk-hai

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reconstruction drawing of the White Temple and Anu Ziggurat

Cella

Center of the temple (“Waiting Room”)

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“bent-axis” plan

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Ziggurat of UrThe “Nanna” Ziggurat

Mud-brick building

Tapers outward for rain to wash off

Four corners oriented to the compass

Guardhouse at top of stairs

Not built in stages

Nanna (Sin) is Moon God

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•Ziggurat at Ur (modern Tell Muqayyar), Iraq, ca. 2100 BCE.

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Female head (Inanna?), from Uruk (modern Warka), Iraq, ca. 3200–3000 BCE. Marble, 8” high. Iraq Museum, Baghdad.

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InnanaGoddess of Love and War

Inanna by Boris Vallejo

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Presentation of offerings to Inanna (Warka Vase), from Uruk (modern Warka), Iraq, ca. 3200–3000 BCE. Alabaster, 3’ 1/4” high. Iraq Museum, Baghdad.

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RegistersHorizontal narrative bands

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Depicts the ritual marriage of the human Priest-King (Ensi) and the Goddess Innana

Sumerian Art Hierarchical Scale

Figures: Men – bare chested with kilts

Women – left shoulder covered

Nudity is a debasement, only slaves and prisoners are nude

Emotionless

“Votive” Figures

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Statuettes of two worshipers, 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. Iraq Museum, Baghdad.

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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. Louvre, Paris.

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Royal Cemetery of UrDiscovered by Sir Leonard Woolley ca. 1922

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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”. British Museum, London.

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Peace 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”. British Museum, London.

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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.

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Sound box (right): Wood with inlaid gold, lapis lazuli, and shell, 1’ 7” high. University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Philadelphia.

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A concern for the “after”-life…

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AKKAD

Akkadian, Neo-Sumerian, Babylonian: Sumer is taken over by the Akkadians.

The style of rule is different – city-state rulers are not as important – one king for all the city-states.

Art deifies the king – who rules with the gods’ approval, not assistance

Appropriates Sumerian iconography in their art – why not?

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AKKAD

Akkadian, Neo-Sumerian, Babylonian: Sumer is taken over by the Akkadians.

The style of rule is different – city-state rulers are not as important – one king for all the city-states.

Art deifies the king – who rules with the gods’ approval, not assistance

Appropriates Sumerian iconography in their art – why not?

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Head of an Akkadian ruler, from Nineveh (modern Kuyunjik), Iraq, ca. 2250–2200 BCE. Copper, 1’ 2 3/8” high. Iraq Museum, Baghdad.

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•Lost-wax casting

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Victory stele of Naram-Sin, from Susa, Iran, 2254–2218 BCE. Pink sandstone, 6’ 7” high. Louvre, Paris.

The Victory Stele of Naram-Sin

Taken to Susa by the Elamites in 1150 BCE as “War Booty”

(second inscription attests to this)

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“The Spoils of War” Georges Rochegrosse

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The Victory Stele of Naram-Sin

Composite View

Frontal chest but the rest of t he body in profile. (Same as Egyptian) This shows his power and the correct side “right side” of the ruler.

Symbols of Authority and Kingship –

Largest Figure (Hierarchical Scale). Larger even than

the Gods.

Wears the horned crown

Large Beard

Directional Symbols –

Upward diagonal motion of King’s soldiers at left, downward motion of enemy.

Lagash and GudeaThe “Guti” people invade from the mountains and wipe out Akkadians.

Only Gudea, and Lagash remain independent.

Gudea’s patron God is Ningirsu

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Seated Statue of Gudea 2100 BCE diorite temple statue

• Ensi of Lagash- 20 statues survive• Holding temple plans- he built /rebuilt many temples• Piety• Abundance symbolized by overflowing vase• Power and authority:

– messages to the gods, temple plans,– diorite (rare), bare shoulder, – muscular physique

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Seated statue of Gudea holding temple plan, from Girsu (modern Telloh), Iraq, ca. 2100 BCE. Diorite, 2’ 5” high. Louvre, Paris.

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Temple planConstruction workers treated very welll…

…as soft as “combed wool” apparently

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Hammurabi (Babylonian)

The Amorites conquer the “Guti” and make their capital in Babylon (the first version but not the most famous)

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Stele with law code of Hammurabi, from Susa, Iran, ca. 1780 BCE. Basalt, 7’ 4” high. Louvre, Paris.

DIORITE

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DOLEMITE

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Copper saw

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Law Code of HammurabiOne of the earliest law codes ever written.

Sun god (Shamash), hands Hamurabi a rope, a ring, and a (measuring) rod of kingship

He is literally given right to rule by god.

Shamash-Large beard, multi- horned helmet, bare shoulder

Engages his God directly.

http://www.general-intelligence.com/library/hr.pdf

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Shamash

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Was found in Susa

More war booty for the Elamites..

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Nearly one-half of the Code deals with matters of contract, establishing for example the wages to be paid to an ox driver or a surgeon. Other provisions set the terms of a transaction, establishing the liability of a builder for a house that collapses, for example, or property that is damaged while left in the care of another.

Approximately a third of the code addresses issues concerning household and family relationships such as inheritance, divorce, paternity and sexual behavior.

Only one provision appears to impose obligations on an official; this provision establishes that a judge who reaches an incorrect decision is to be fined and removed from the bench permanently.

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Statue of Queen Napir-Asu, from Susa, Iran, ca. 1350–1300 BCE. Bronze and copper, 4’ 2 3/4” high. Louvre, Paris.

Aint no-one gonna be movin this thing!

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ASSYRIABabylon falls to the Hittites in 1595 BCE

From 900-600 BCE Assyrians take charge

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…and they aint messin ‘round

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Assyrian ArtPraised the greatness of the King

Figures are stoic

Animals are expressive

Domination over wild beasts shows authority of king over his people

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AshurnasirpalStone panel from the North-West Palace of Ashurnasirpal II at Nimrud, northern Iraq, neo-Assyrian, 883–859BC. This alabaster relief shows the royal sport of kings. Royal lion hunts were an ancient tradition in Mesopotamia, with examples of similar scenes known as early as 3000BC.

Ashurnasirpal, who reigned 883–859BC, seems to have been an especially enthusiastic hunter. Inscriptions claim that he killed a total of 450 lions

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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. British Museum, London.

Sargon IIMakes fortress at Dur Sharukkin

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•The Fortified City

Sargon IIMakes fortress at Dur Sharukkin

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

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•That’s a 7 level ziggurat btw

So you wan’t to see the King do you??

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Lamassu (winged, human-headed bull), from the citadel of Sargon II, Dur Sharrukin (modern Khorsabad), Iraq, ca. 720–705 BCE. Limestone, 13’ 10” high. Louvre, Paris.

LamassuWinged human-headed “guardian” figures meant to ward off enemies, seen and unseen

5 legsFront – at attentionSide – walking

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Ashurbanipal

Also likes killing Lions

Based in Nineveh

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Ashurbanipal hunting lions, relief from the North Palace of Ashurbanipal, Nineveh (modern Kuyunjik), Iraq, ca. 645–640 BCE. Gypsum, 5’ 4” high. British Museum, London.

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•Gratuitous wounded lion

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Neo-Babylonia

King Nebuchadnezzar

“I caused a mighty wall to circumscribe Babylon…so that the enemy who would do evil would not threaten…

King Nubuchadnezzar the biblical Daniel’s “King of Kings”

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•Etemenanki

•temple of the foundation of heaven and earth

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116•Cyrus did it…. (539 BCE)

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Ishtar Gate (restored), Babylon, Iraq, ca. 575 BCE. Staatliche Museen, Berlin.

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Ishtar GateGlazed brick over mud wallsAnimals guard the cityLions sacred to the goddess IshtarMarduk- Patron God of Babylon

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Marduk (patron god)dragon

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Adad (storm god)

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Ishtar (patroness)Lion

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PERSIA

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

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

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•Darius and Xerxes

133Triumph of Shapur I over Valerian, rock-cut relief, Bishapur, Iran, ca. 260 CE.

134•2250 BCE, Akkadian 350 CE, Persian

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•“repousse”