Chapter 2: The Ancient Near East Study Questions
December 31, 2012
Mesopatamia
Study Guide Questions
1.
Define the following terms:
stele
a carved stone slab
"spirit trap"
intaglio
c
incised
megaron
(MEH-ga-ron)
A rectangular hall fronted by an open two columned porch,
traditional in Greece since Mycenaean times.
city-state
i
apandana d
conventionalism simplification, schematism, stylization, contventionalization,
generalization, formalization
formalization
i
cylinder seal
i
ziggurat
stepped pyramid
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Chapter 2: The Ancient Near East Study Questions
December 31, 2012
2.
Archeological findings indicate that civilization did not originate in the Nile River
valley of Egypt, as was earlier believed, but developed in grassy uplands in
settlements like Jericho, located in Jordan
and dating from the
9th
millennium BC, and Catal Huyuk, located in
Anatolia (Turkey)
.
3.
The first known stone fortifications were built at the site
of
Jericho
around
7500
.
4.
What possible purpose might the head illustrated in G2-2 have served?
perhaps serve as "spirit traps" and show that there was belief in life after death of
the body.
5.
The extensive remains found at Catal Huyuk, which flourished between 7000
and
5000
BC. demonstrate the evolution of the economy from
food gathering
to
agrarian .
6.
Two advantages of the absence of streets in Catal Huyuk were
a.
b.
7.
8.
buildings more stable than freestanding houses
Provides good defense - edge of town= perimeter wall
entry only to one room not whole town
What subjects were portrayed in the wall paintings of Catal Huyuk?
a.
Hunt scenes
b.
Landscapes
List three changes in artisitc production that paralleled the shift from a
food-gathering to a food-producing economy.
a.
deemphasis of realism in favor of abstract symbolism
b.
disappearance of hunting scenes
c.
decline in production of statuettes portraying male deities increase in
representation of mother goddess.
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Chapter 2: The Ancient Near East Study Questions
December 31, 2012
9.
Using the quotation from Henri Frankfort that appears on page 46 of the
text, complete the following table showing the different characteristics of
Mesopotamian and Egyptian civilization.
Name of his book (study) The Art and Architecture of the Ancient Orient
Mesopotamian
Type of
Written
Documents
Egyptian
Facilitated administration of the temple
communities (large economic units)
Legends on royal monuments
Seal engravings identifying king's officials
Religious
Celebrate royal achievements
Historical subjects
Temples
royal tombs
separate, distinct, automonous cities
single, unified, but rural domain of
absolute monarch
Subjects of
Early Art
Predominant
Type of
Monumental
Architecture
Political
Structure
10.
clear-cut, self-assertive polities with
surrounding lands to sustain each
one.
List three charaacteristics of Sumerian religion
a.
prayer
b.
sacrifice
c.
ritual
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Chapter 2: The Ancient Near East Study Questions
December 31, 2012
11.
12..
13.
List three conventions found in Sumerian pictorial art.
a.
disprportionately large eyes
b.
simultaneous profile and front view
c.
s]
What do scholars think the bull symbolized for the Sumerians?
a.
fertility and strength
b.
natural and supernatural
What do scholrars think the struggle between animals and monsters
symbolizes in Mesopotamian art?
natural and supernatural
14.
Who was Sargon and why is he important for the history of art?
King of Akkad, "took over" Sumer
Introduced new concept of royal power- unswering loyalty to the king
Gudea?
c
15.
Who was Naram-Sin? How is he represented on the Victory Stele of
Naram-Sin (G2-24) Note the positon of the varios parts of his body and his
size in relation to the other figures.
Naram-Sin was the war-like son of Sargon (Akkadaian)
3 stylistic characteristics
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Chapter 2: The Ancient Near East Study Questions
December 31, 2012
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Chapter 2: The Ancient Near East Study Questions
December 31, 2012
16.
What is the significance of the Stele of Hammurabi?
The Code of Hammurabi was the codification of confused, conflicting often unwritten
laws of Mesopotamia.laws
17.
18.
The Assyrian empire was located in
area from approximately
to
and dominated this
BC.
The royal citadel of Sargon II was located in the city of
Khorsabad
. It is thought that many of the rooms of this gigantic palace were
covered by barrel
vaults.
What evidence is there for this hypothesis??
long, narrow rooms with massive side walls
19.
The doorway of the royal citadel of Sargon II was guarded by figures of
lamassu
.
winged human-headed bull
List four stylistic features of these figures.
a.
c
xx.
b.
c
c.
n
d.
n
The ancient capital of the Hittites
modern Turkish village of Boghazköy.
was located in Anatolia near the
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Chapter 2: The Ancient Near East Study Questions
December 31, 2012
20.
What subjects were commonly portrayed in Assyrian reliefs?
1.
conquests in battle
2.
successes in hunting
List three characteristics of Assyrian relief sculpture that create an
impression of violence and brutality..
a.
human body portrayed as thickset and weighty and the limbs are portrayed
bulging with muscles
b.
calf and forearm muscles are exaggerated, and veins are like cables
c.
21.
profile view of arms, combined with front view torso = kind of 3/4 view. Blood
streaming from wounds of lioness.
One of the seven wonders of the world was created by Nebuchadnezzar.
What was it and where was it located?
Hanging Gardens -> Babylon
22.
The Ishtar Gate (G2-36), which was built in the city of Babylon
, was
decorated with representations of the dragon
of Marduk and the
bull
of Adad. All its surfaces were covered with glazed
tile
23.
The Elamite kingdom flourished around
now known as
Iran
.
24.
List the Mesopotamian stylistic conventions found in the Elamite Statue of
Queen Niparasu,
1300
BC in the country
Statue of Queen Niparasu, from Susa, Elam (ancient Iran),
c. 1300 BC, Bronze solid cast. Louvre
a.
b:
c.
25.
tight silhouette,
strict frontality,
firmly clasped hands held close to body
The Persian dynasty founded by Cyrus in the sixth century B.C. was known as the
Achaemenid
dynasty. It came to an end with the death of Darius
II after his defeat at Issus by
Alexander the Great
.
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Chapter 2: The Ancient Near East Study Questions
December 31, 2012
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Chapter 2: The Ancient Near East Study Questions
December 31, 2012
26.
At is height in the fifthe century BC, the Persian empire extended from the
Danube River in the west to the
Indus
River in the east.
27.
The great palace at Persepolis was erected in the 5th
and Xerxes I to symbolize Persian imperial power.
century under Darius I
The architects created a powerful synthesis of architectural and sculptural elements
drawn from the cultures of
Egypt
,
Medes
, and
Iran
.
28.
List four architectural features of the Palace of Persepolis.
a.
buildings loosely grouped and separated by streets and courtyards
b.
huge royal audience hall (apadana)
c.
large fluted columns with animal capitals
d.
29.
What subjects were depicted in the reliefs on the walls of the terrace and staircases
of the palace at Persepolis?
processions of royal gurds, Persian and Median nobles and dignitaries, and
representatives from the subjected nations bringing tribute and gifts to the king
The following stylistic features can be found on thes reliefs:
a.
b.
c.
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Chapter 2: The Ancient Near East Study Questions
December 31, 2012
old
25.
From the peoples that they conquered, the Persians assimilated different lements of
architectural design and construction as well as certain stylistic features that appear
in their sculpture. In the space provided, indicates the elements that are thought to
have derived from each group:
Egypt:
Stone for door and window jambs derived from Egyptian architecture but
weresculptural ornaments
Assyria:
Ionian Greeks:
forms more rounded
project more from background
organically more unified
torsos shown natural side view
Garments reflect infl of Greek archaic
Luristan -
source of inspiration for Winged ibex is the Luristan bronzes.
repres of animals to pure decorative devices
Luristan
animal forms
Characterized by high degree of abstraction that converts the repres of animals to pure
decorative devices
Luristan artist boldly copied Assyrian winged bulls and sacred emblems in the
Assyrian style and technique
The two architectural features that seem to been uniquely Persian were the
composed of forfronts of bulls or lions
and
the
square, many columned hall
.
capitals
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Chapter 2: The Ancient Near East Study Questions
December 31, 2012
Discussion questions:
1.
Discuss the social and economic changes that took place in the ancient Near East that made
possible the beginning of what we call civilization
2.
How did the religion practiced by the Sumerians differ from that practiced by Paleolithic
hunters?
What was the relationship between religion and the state in ancient Sumer.
3.
Compare the Seated Goddess (Fig. 2-5) with the Venus of Willendorf (Fig. 1-13). In what ways
are they similar and in what ways do they differ?
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Chapter 2: The Ancient Near East Study Questions
December 31, 2012
4.
Compare the statuettes from Abu Temple (Fig,.2-16) with the representations of Gudea
(Fig. 2-25) and Queen Niparasu (Fig. 2-37). How might the media used have affected the
style?
Statuettes from Abu Temple
Gudea
Statue of Queen Niparasu, from Susa, Elam (ancient Iran),
c. 1300 BC, Bronze solid cast. Louvre
Held to conventions of Meso art: tight silhouette, strict frontality, firmly clasped hands held
close to body
Added refinements of close observation, long fingers, bend of wrist, ring and bracelets,
brocaded gown, flowing hem
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Chapter 2: The Ancient Near East Study Questions
December 31, 2012
5.
Compare the conventions used in depicting the figures in the relief from Persepolis (Fig. 2-42)
with those used in earlier representations like the Standard of Ur (Fig 2-18), the Victory Stele
of Naram- Sin (Fig. 2-24), and the relief of Ashurnasirpal II (Fig. 2-32). Consider changes in
the proportions of the figures, the depiction of details, and the positiong of the head and
shoulders in relation to the body.
Sumer
Standard of Ur
Sumerian relief sculpture shares Egyptian convention of showing figures in profile with
shoulders full front, and the poses are regularlized and repeated
Eyes are large, and hands are often clasped
A few telling traits to repres the human figure and human action
Eyes are large, and hands are often clasped
Simplification of narrative, explain action, convey impression of motion
figures arranged in superimposed strips to acheive continuous narrative effect
each individual figure carefully spacerd with little overlapping (regularlized, formal)
Pose are repeated to suggest large numbers, legs of horses repeated to suggest team
Figure essentially in profile, large eyes are in front view, avoid positions that obsure
characterizing parts
Akkad
Victory Stle of Naram- Sin, from Susa, c. 2300- 2200 BC, Pink sandstone, apx. 6'6" high.
Louvre
(First landscape in Near East since Çatal Hüyük)
symmetry, stylized motifs, formalized simplicity with carefully observed detail
Features of particular person disciplined by convention that imposes a certain immobility of
expression
Babylon
Assyria
Reliefs of Ashurnasirpal II from Nimrud
Reliefs of Assyrian kings wanted greatness documented: conquests in battle &success in hunt
Vocab of forms although conventional, was sharply descriptive
Flat, continuous surfaces, Block as field divided as narrative convience
Lively individual poses
Sophisticated spatial devices:, overlapping figures suggest greater or lessor distance
Formality
Convention:=
Body= Thickset and Weighty and limbs bulgig with muscle
Profile view of arms with front view torso makes a sort of 3/4 view
Ashurbanipal
more realistic elements introduced, Wounded animals, streaming blood, straining muscles
Persia
Persepolis
Purpose and function of Persian art= glorify the king decoratively and monumentally
Subjects Bring Gifts to the King (detail), from the stairway to the royal audience hall,
Persepolis, Persia, c. 500 BC. Limestone
Walls decorated with reliefs- at least some were colored
Highly refined sculptural style: subtly modeled surfaces, crisply chiseled details
compred to Assyrian:
forms more rounded, project more from background
less emphasis on strining bulging muscles
organically more unified
torsos shown natural side view
Garments reflect infl of Greek archaic
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Chapter 2: The Ancient Near East Study Questions
December 31, 2012
6.
Compare the layout and organization of the town at Catal Huyuk (fig. 2-3) with that of the
citadel of Sargon II at Khorsabad (figs. 2-28 and 2-29) and the palace complex at Persepolis
(fig. 2-38 and 2-39). What seemed to have been the major concerns of the creators of each
complex? Wht materials and building techniques were used by each?
Royal citadel of Sargon II of Assyria at Khorsabad, c. 720 BC
AssyrianCitadel- Palace in center of city and elevated above city
Prob Barrel vaulted rooms
Visitors entered through courtyard w/ huge guardian demons
Walls of court lined with giant figures of king and courtiers
Included the essential temple and ziggurat
Palace doorway guarded by colossal winged bulls called lamassu
Carved partly in the round partly in high relief, combine front view at rest and side view in
motion
Palace at Persepolis, c 520 - 460 BC built by Darius I and Xerxes I, sucessors to Cyrus
Destroyed by Alexander the Great
Bull capitals from the royal audience hall of the palace of Artaxerxes II, from Susa, Persia,
c. 375 BC Gray marble. 7'7" high, 12'3"
Persepolisbuildings axially aligned, loosely grouped, and separated by streets and irregular courtyards
genesis of Square many columned hall is unknown (maybe derived from Median
architecture)
Royal audience hall (apadana)
Columns with fluted shafts
capitals with foreparts of bulls or lions, have no ancestors and descendants
hold cradle for roof timbers
Designed primarily for visual effect
Stone for door and window jambs derived from Egyptian architecture but weresculptural
ornaments
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