-
Began in the Uruk period
Peak during the Early Dynastic period
Declined with the conquest of Akkadian -
The Warka Vase, or Uruk Vase, is a carved alabaster vessel found in the temple of Inanna, goddess of love and fertility. It shows a religious ceremony honoring Inanna, highlighting the ruler’s role in serving the gods. The bottom band shows water, plants, and animals, the middle shows people carrying offerings, and the top shows Inanna receiving gifts—symbolizing the Sumerian belief in divine order and that human life and nature were ruled by the gods.
-
Sculptures like these were common in temples, and art historians and archaeologists believe they represented the worshippers who dedicated them to the gods. The figures are shown in a posture of eternal prayer, with large, exaggerated eyes that likely symbolized eternal wakefulness and devotion to the divine.
-
-Began with Sargon of Akkad's conquest
-Declined due to invasion by hostile groups
-the first empire in history
-art was focused on kingship, power, and gods
-more naturalistic
-kings were viewed as divine -
The stele’s style uses diagonal lines instead of horizontal registers, and it employs hierarchical scale. Themes include military conquest and kingship. It depicts King Naram-Sin leading his army to victory over the Lullubi, showing him larger than other figures. He also wears a horned helmet, symbolizing divinity. The stele reflects the Akkadian idea of divine kingship, portraying Naram-Sin as both king and god.
-
The style of this sculpture is naturalistic, with all the details on the beard and hair that emphasize the ruler’s authority. A theme included is kingship and divine power, showing the Akkadian ruler as both a political and godlike figure. The damage to the eyes was probably intentional, symbolizing how the ruler’s enemies wanted to erase his memory after his downfall. This reflects the Akkadian belief in divine kingship and the growing political power of rulers during Mesopotamia’s first empire
-
began: after Akkads' fall
peaked: under King Ur-Nammu
declined: with Amorite invasion -
This figure depicts Gudea, ruler of Lagash, holding a temple plan, highlighting his role as a pious builder and mediator between the gods and the people. The smooth, idealized figure radiates calmness. It reflects the belief that political authority and religious duty were intertwined, portraying Gudea as both a capable leader and devout servant of the divine.
-
Massive stepped temple dedicated to Nanna, the moon god, where priests conducted rituals and offerings. The ziggurat symbolized the link between earth and heaven and demonstrates the Sumerian focus on religion and divine kingship.
-
Begin- under Hammurabi
Peaked- 1792-1750 BCE Declined- after the Hittite invasion -
The stele reflects the Babylonian belief that kings ruled by divine sanction. It emphasizes law and justice as central to society, showing that Hammurabi’s authority came from the gods. Themes include law, justice, and kingship. The bottom part lists 282 laws governing daily life, reinforcing that Hammurabi’s power to enforce them was divinely sanctioned by Shamash. It is written in Akkadian cuneiform.