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HW 3

By egarcia600
  • Period: 3500 BCE to 2334 BCE

    Sumer

    One of the earliest known civilizations in Mesopotamia, known for its big innovations and improvements of written language and writing.
  • The Narmer Palette, Egypt, c. 3100 BCE. Egyptian Museum, Cairo.
    3100 BCE

    The Narmer Palette, Egypt, c. 3100 BCE. Egyptian Museum, Cairo.

    A double-sided siltstone slab depicting King Narmer defeating his enemies. One significant detail about this artwork is its being carved on both sides. which means it was meant for ceremonial uses rather than everyday ones like single-sided slabs.
  • Period: 2334 BCE to 2100 BCE

    Akkad

    Many depictions of rulers and a lot of its art show some kind of relationship between humans and the divine.
  • Victory stele of Naram-Sin, 2254-2218 B.C.E. Akkadian (Musée du Louvre, Paris)
    2254 BCE

    Victory stele of Naram-Sin, 2254-2218 B.C.E. Akkadian (Musée du Louvre, Paris)

    A large pink limestone carved with the victory of King Narām-Sîn over the Lullubi Mountain people. The carving itself shows him walking over the backs of people as if they’re stairs, showing that humans have always taken their victories very seriously and may even be arrogant in some aspects.
  • Cylinder seal and modern impression: hunting scene, ca. 2250–2150 BCE, Mesopotamia,
    2250 BCE

    Cylinder seal and modern impression: hunting scene, ca. 2250–2150 BCE, Mesopotamia,

    Cylinder seals were rolled into clay to make an impression and were almost used as the equivalent of a signature today. This specific seal belonged to a court official, Balu-ili. It can be an example of how similar modern civilization was to these eras; they had specific systems in place to have different symbols or imagery to represent different people or roles, much like we do today with advanced titles or ranks.
  • Period: 2100 BCE to 2000 BCE

    Neo-Sumer

    focuses a lot on buildings and architecture, on things like large temples like the Ziggurat of Ur.
  • Weight in shape of a frog, Mesopotamia, ca. 2000–1600 BCE, Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum
    2000 BCE

    Weight in shape of a frog, Mesopotamia, ca. 2000–1600 BCE, Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum

    A small frog-shaped weight, used as a unit of measurement based off the inscriptions or markings under its throat. Weights in the shapes of frogs were rare in the Near East, so this piece is significant because of its origins being from Egypt.
  • Period: 1792 BCE to 1595 BCE

    Babylon

    emphasized again by the relationship of humans and the divine, mainly focusing on piety and the types of relationships kings would have with the gods or higher powers.
  • Cuneiform tablet: private letter, ca. 1632 BCE, Mesopotamia
    1632 BCE

    Cuneiform tablet: private letter, ca. 1632 BCE, Mesopotamia

    a small carved tablet that's portable and durable enough to be carried to different places. This specific tablet has been translated and determined to be a letter from a man writing to his superior about orders from a king. This shows that we as humans have always had the need to deliver important messages or correspondence, even long before we had modern communication channels like mail or even writing on paper.
  • Period: 900 BCE to 612 BCE

    Assyria

    focuses mostly on military and battles, with many of the artworks depicting victories.
  • Relief fragment: siege of a city by Assyrian troops, ca. 704–681 BCE, Mesopotamia
    704 BCE

    Relief fragment: siege of a city by Assyrian troops, ca. 704–681 BCE, Mesopotamia

    a fragment of a bigger carving, depicting two men with spears and helmets, and parts of other weapons like bows peeking from the corners. It looks to be specifically depicting the Assyrian army, which can be connected to the power that militaries have always had, where weapons and battle have only evolved since then.
  • The Cyrus Cylinder, ca 539–538 BCE. Iraq, Trustees of the British Museum
    550 BCE

    The Cyrus Cylinder, ca 539–538 BCE. Iraq, Trustees of the British Museum

    one of the most famous surviving pieces of ancient art. It's engraved all around it with Babylonian cuneiform script and can even be referred to as the first 'bill of human rights' by some sources.
  • Period: 550 BCE to 330 BCE

    Persia

    focuses mainly on big architecture like palaces and the unique styles, like their glazed bricks drawn from the rest of Mesopotamia, Egypt, and other regions.