thenotesguru
10-22-2008, 08:29 PM
I.Ziggurats, Stele and Gates: Art of the Ancient near East
a.Writing was invented and people were able to record history.
i.Epics, poetry, stories based in history as well as religious texts were all written down.
b.Society evolved from a nomadic society to an agricultural society
i.Large systems of irrigation were created due to a dry area.
ii.Many agricultural ceremonies took place that encompassed themes such as life, death and fertility.
iii.Houses were made of mud brick similar to adobe houses in the Southwestern part of the USA.
c.Jericho was a city located in the West Bank.
i.Jericho existed in the Neolithic time period of 9000 - 4500 BCE
ii.The city was surrounded by ditches and walls that were 5 to 12 ft thick.
iii.A 35 ft lookout tower was built within the town walls.
iv.During this time period there was a lot of turmoil between the warring city states and there was a central dynastic ruling (similar to kings and queens)
v.Rectangle houses were built on stone foundations; this was an attempt to set control to nature.
II.Plastered Skulls of Jericho
a.Created after a person is deceased in order to keep the memories of the family member alive.
b.After death, the person is decapitated and plaster is formed around the skull to create the image in resemblance of the deceased.
c.The eye sockets are adorned with shells and the skull is given hair.
d.Deceased family members are then buried under the floorboards in the houses.
III.Reconstruction of Catal Huyuk, Turkey
a.This was a pre-literature culture; we do not have a lot of evidence as to their religious standings.
b.Catal Huyuk was the largest Neolithic society; they practiced trade, agriculture, and created stone wear and ceramics.
c.No streets within the town; houses were connected and people traveled by the roof tops.
i.This was a defense mechanism; no need to build a wall.
ii.Small windows for security as well to regulate temperatures.
iii.A ventilation system existed within the houses.
d.Interior Reconstruction
i.Furniture was built into the houses.
ii.Murals, animal skins and skulls adorned the walls inside for decoration.
iii.To create the murals pigments were mixed with fat to make an oil paint.
IV.Anatolian goddess giving birth from Catal Huyuk, 6500-5700 BCE
a.Figure is sitting in a chair and is made of clay.
b.A sign of fertility possibly; original context/function is unknown.
V.Carved Vase from Uruk, 3500-3000 BCE, 36 inches high, Iraq Museum,
Baghdad
a.Religion in Mesopotamia at the time was polytheistic (multiple gods).
b.A rising of city states - Independent cities with their own rulers or ruling family
i.Example; Florence and Athens
c.Ceremonies were performed in temples.
i.Belief that Gods were in the objects (vases).
ii.The vases were fed, clothes and housed together within the temple.
iii.This vase is "in the round".
d.4 Registers: horizontal band/area in relief sculptures
i.Goddess receiving basket of fruit
ii.Nude men giving offerings
iii.Rams
iv.Barley stocks and date plums (which suggest vegetation)
e.Conventions (manner or form) in Relief Sculpture (high or low reliefs)
i.Stocky figures (men)
ii.Occupy flat space (low relief)
iii.No indication of space behind the figures on the vase.
f.Today: many things were destroyed during the takeover of Bagdad a few years ago; example of a vase that was smashed into 14 different pieces.
VI.Female Head from Uruk, white marble, 8 inches high
a.Conventions:
i.Almond shaped eyes (typically adorned with jewels)
ii.Brow (standard in all sculptures)
VII.The White Temple on its Ziggurat
a.A step pyramid
b.Load-bearing structure
i.Wide base; the higher the top of the pyramid the wider the base must be to support the step pyramid.
c.The temple were seen as platforms to the gods; an intermediary between earth and heaven.
d.Built from solid clay, bricks and asphalt
e.Ziggurat is the base and the temple is on top.
i.The temple is accessibly by stairways.
ii.It is oriented towards the 4 cardinal points (North, South, East and West).
iii.The "Cella" is where the altar is located inside the temple.
VIII.Statues from the Abu Temple at tell Asmar, limestone, alabaster and gypsum
a.Time period of the city states.
b.People are more developed with their careers; specialization
i.Artisans, administrators, priestly class, builders, etc
c.Statues are cult figures
i.The women had shawls covering the upper body and the men had clothing covering their lower half.
ii.Some figures held cups and flowers.
iii.Features on the figures are emphasized with black pitch.
iv.The pupils were made of black limestone and the eyes were made of shell.
d.Hierarchical size; the size of the figure spoke to the status of the person within the culture
i.Example: The kings were larger than the soldiers.
e.Stylized elements:
i.Beard
ii.Clothing
iii.Eyes
iv.Hand in prayer position
IX.Lyre Sound Box from the tomb of Queen Puabi, Ur 2685 BCE, 13 inches high, wood, gold, shell
a.Chariots, harps, sculptures, dead bodies, and jewelry were excavated from the tombs of the royal.
b.Many of the rituals surround the idea of music within the Sumerian culture.
c.The bulls head on the front of the box represents a male god.
i.The pigment of the beard is lapis lazuli (blue).
X.Head of an Akkadian Ruler from Nineveh Iraq, bronze, 12 inches high
a.The body is no longer attached.
b.During this time period Sargon I reigned; his illegitimate birth story is similar to the biblical Moses story.
c.Stylized elements:
i.Beard
ii.Sharp nose
iii.Eye brow "v form"
d.Naturalistic:
i.Cheeks
ii.Lips
XI.Victory Stele of Naram-Sin, Paris, pink sandstone, 6 feet 6 inches high
a.Naram-Sin is the grandson of Sargon I
i.This is displaying his victory over the mountain people.
ii.The horns on his head suggest divinity.
b.This is a hierarchical image because he is larger than the soldiers; he is almost as big as the mountain itself.
XII.Head of Gudea, 9 inches high
a.Made of prestigious black stone; expensive; showed prestige of culture
b.Figure appears to be bald or wearing a cap.
c.The figure is controlled and dignified; compacted
d.Architectural tablets sit on his lap.
e.There is a connection between dreams and the temple; dreams were thought to be divinely inspired.
a.Writing was invented and people were able to record history.
i.Epics, poetry, stories based in history as well as religious texts were all written down.
b.Society evolved from a nomadic society to an agricultural society
i.Large systems of irrigation were created due to a dry area.
ii.Many agricultural ceremonies took place that encompassed themes such as life, death and fertility.
iii.Houses were made of mud brick similar to adobe houses in the Southwestern part of the USA.
c.Jericho was a city located in the West Bank.
i.Jericho existed in the Neolithic time period of 9000 - 4500 BCE
ii.The city was surrounded by ditches and walls that were 5 to 12 ft thick.
iii.A 35 ft lookout tower was built within the town walls.
iv.During this time period there was a lot of turmoil between the warring city states and there was a central dynastic ruling (similar to kings and queens)
v.Rectangle houses were built on stone foundations; this was an attempt to set control to nature.
II.Plastered Skulls of Jericho
a.Created after a person is deceased in order to keep the memories of the family member alive.
b.After death, the person is decapitated and plaster is formed around the skull to create the image in resemblance of the deceased.
c.The eye sockets are adorned with shells and the skull is given hair.
d.Deceased family members are then buried under the floorboards in the houses.
III.Reconstruction of Catal Huyuk, Turkey
a.This was a pre-literature culture; we do not have a lot of evidence as to their religious standings.
b.Catal Huyuk was the largest Neolithic society; they practiced trade, agriculture, and created stone wear and ceramics.
c.No streets within the town; houses were connected and people traveled by the roof tops.
i.This was a defense mechanism; no need to build a wall.
ii.Small windows for security as well to regulate temperatures.
iii.A ventilation system existed within the houses.
d.Interior Reconstruction
i.Furniture was built into the houses.
ii.Murals, animal skins and skulls adorned the walls inside for decoration.
iii.To create the murals pigments were mixed with fat to make an oil paint.
IV.Anatolian goddess giving birth from Catal Huyuk, 6500-5700 BCE
a.Figure is sitting in a chair and is made of clay.
b.A sign of fertility possibly; original context/function is unknown.
V.Carved Vase from Uruk, 3500-3000 BCE, 36 inches high, Iraq Museum,
Baghdad
a.Religion in Mesopotamia at the time was polytheistic (multiple gods).
b.A rising of city states - Independent cities with their own rulers or ruling family
i.Example; Florence and Athens
c.Ceremonies were performed in temples.
i.Belief that Gods were in the objects (vases).
ii.The vases were fed, clothes and housed together within the temple.
iii.This vase is "in the round".
d.4 Registers: horizontal band/area in relief sculptures
i.Goddess receiving basket of fruit
ii.Nude men giving offerings
iii.Rams
iv.Barley stocks and date plums (which suggest vegetation)
e.Conventions (manner or form) in Relief Sculpture (high or low reliefs)
i.Stocky figures (men)
ii.Occupy flat space (low relief)
iii.No indication of space behind the figures on the vase.
f.Today: many things were destroyed during the takeover of Bagdad a few years ago; example of a vase that was smashed into 14 different pieces.
VI.Female Head from Uruk, white marble, 8 inches high
a.Conventions:
i.Almond shaped eyes (typically adorned with jewels)
ii.Brow (standard in all sculptures)
VII.The White Temple on its Ziggurat
a.A step pyramid
b.Load-bearing structure
i.Wide base; the higher the top of the pyramid the wider the base must be to support the step pyramid.
c.The temple were seen as platforms to the gods; an intermediary between earth and heaven.
d.Built from solid clay, bricks and asphalt
e.Ziggurat is the base and the temple is on top.
i.The temple is accessibly by stairways.
ii.It is oriented towards the 4 cardinal points (North, South, East and West).
iii.The "Cella" is where the altar is located inside the temple.
VIII.Statues from the Abu Temple at tell Asmar, limestone, alabaster and gypsum
a.Time period of the city states.
b.People are more developed with their careers; specialization
i.Artisans, administrators, priestly class, builders, etc
c.Statues are cult figures
i.The women had shawls covering the upper body and the men had clothing covering their lower half.
ii.Some figures held cups and flowers.
iii.Features on the figures are emphasized with black pitch.
iv.The pupils were made of black limestone and the eyes were made of shell.
d.Hierarchical size; the size of the figure spoke to the status of the person within the culture
i.Example: The kings were larger than the soldiers.
e.Stylized elements:
i.Beard
ii.Clothing
iii.Eyes
iv.Hand in prayer position
IX.Lyre Sound Box from the tomb of Queen Puabi, Ur 2685 BCE, 13 inches high, wood, gold, shell
a.Chariots, harps, sculptures, dead bodies, and jewelry were excavated from the tombs of the royal.
b.Many of the rituals surround the idea of music within the Sumerian culture.
c.The bulls head on the front of the box represents a male god.
i.The pigment of the beard is lapis lazuli (blue).
X.Head of an Akkadian Ruler from Nineveh Iraq, bronze, 12 inches high
a.The body is no longer attached.
b.During this time period Sargon I reigned; his illegitimate birth story is similar to the biblical Moses story.
c.Stylized elements:
i.Beard
ii.Sharp nose
iii.Eye brow "v form"
d.Naturalistic:
i.Cheeks
ii.Lips
XI.Victory Stele of Naram-Sin, Paris, pink sandstone, 6 feet 6 inches high
a.Naram-Sin is the grandson of Sargon I
i.This is displaying his victory over the mountain people.
ii.The horns on his head suggest divinity.
b.This is a hierarchical image because he is larger than the soldiers; he is almost as big as the mountain itself.
XII.Head of Gudea, 9 inches high
a.Made of prestigious black stone; expensive; showed prestige of culture
b.Figure appears to be bald or wearing a cap.
c.The figure is controlled and dignified; compacted
d.Architectural tablets sit on his lap.
e.There is a connection between dreams and the temple; dreams were thought to be divinely inspired.