Ancient Near East

Key Periods

Key Ideas
Sumerian Art: 300-2000 BCE
Akkadian Art: 2300-2150 BCE
Neo-Sumerian Art: 2150-2000 BCE
Babylonian Art: 2000-1750 BCE
Assyrian Art: 1200-612 BCE
      Battle of Ninevah, 612 BCE (modern day Iraq) Babylon won thus resurrecting their former glory!
Neo-Babylonian Art: 612- 539 BCE
      Persian King, Cyrus, overthrows Babylon
Persian Art: 539-330 BCE
       Height of Persia ends at the razing of Persepolis by Alexander the Great
  • Mudbricks are the main building block from soil deposits left by the Tigris and the Euphrates Rivers
  • Conventions of hierarchal 
  • Early images often depict royalty and deities
  • Figures and animals are depicted in profile or in twisted perspective
  • New gods or guardian figures (Composite creatures)
  • Assyrian lion reliefs are some of the first narratives in art history
  • Invention of cuneiform- first wedge-shaped writing
  • Nudity is a sign of debasement (lowering the status or quality)
  • Constant political change and ruling groups\
  • The cosmos play a roll in in architecture and rituals

Characteristics of 
Architecture

  • S: Architecture was created for religious purposes
  • B: World Wonder: Hanging Gardens
  • H: Used stone blocks rather than baked mudbricks
  • P: Persepolis

Characteristics of 
Sculpture

  • S: Size of sculpture increases- shows permanence of cities
  • S: Large scale reliefs within palaces
  • S: Stelai commemorating  the achievements of rulers
  • AK:  Deification of rulers
  • B: Stele of Hammurabi- new set of laws
  • AS: Rulers are portrayed as stoic
  • AS: Cuneiform takes a leap

Notecard Images

Vocabulary

1. REGISTERS/FRIEZES
2. LAPIZ LAZULI
3. HIERARCHY OF SCALE
4. VOTIVE OFFERING
5. BENT AXIS
6. CELLA
7. STELE
8. APADANA
9. COLUMN
10. CAPITAL
11. SHAFT
12. BASE
13. VOLUTES
14. HYPOSTYLE HALL

Artwork List

1. WHITE TEMPLE AND ITS ZIGGURAT, URUK
2. SUMERIAN VOTIVE OFFERINGS
3. THE STANDARD OF UR
4. CODE OF HAMMURABI
5. LAMASSU
6. THE AUDIENCE/THRONE HALL (APANDANA) AT THE CITADEL AT PERSEPOLIS
ADDITIONS
7. STELE OF NARAM SIN
8. ISHTAR GATE

Additional Resources
Acknowledgements:  Information contributed by Silvia Wiedman
Links and information provided by Valerie M. Park  © 2013  www.mchsapah.com
Special thanks to the AP Summer Institute in Rome collaboration with Margaret Sharkoffmadrid
Copyright © 2020 A Vallecorsa