Artifact Dig Project

Intro: For my archeological dig project, I decided to look for artifacts that are pieces of art. Art
is an important topic to me not only because I have a passion for creating it but because of the
stories it tells of the people. Art is a glimpse into a persons emotions, passions and skills. It is a
representation of the fine resources that were available at the time and it is a display of
something other than how the people survived. Art is a recreational activity, finding artifacts of
art is a display of what the people of that time enjoyed spending their time doing.

Artifacts Found:
This piece is both artwork as well as something used in everyday life as
well. Found in the Lower Zab River Valley and dating back to 2600-2350
BCE this piece has the face of a young girl on the front while on her head
is a place to hold oils, perfume, or other valuable liquids. This shows the
cultural importance of recreation mixed with practicality. Not only do we
learn that people from this time valued women or girls from this piece, we
learn that they valued beauty in everyday objects.

Also found in the Lower Zab River Valley, this piece dates back to 2600-2500 BCE
and is a statue of a woman known as a statuette. This woman is a piece created
to show a woman worshiping. It could have been used as art as well as for a
religious ceremony. This piece of art is an example of how art can be a way to
capture the values of a people group. We know from this piece that people from
this time period valued worship.

This piece was found in the Upper Zab River Valley. It is a Relief which is a
carving into stone that is from 358-338 BCE and it shows servants at work.
This carving is an example of why art is an important glimpse into the
lifestyles of all people groups of a given time period.

This cylinder seal was found in the Upper Zab River Valley and
is from 2600-2350 BCE. This is an scene that was carved into a
cylinder object and then rolled onto clay. It is hard to decipher
what is being shown in the image but these types of seals are a
way to have an image of what life was like in that time.
The Diyala Plains I have found a banquet scene from 2600-2500 BCE. This is a
wonderful example of how art gives a glimpse of what people enjoyed doing.
In this piece we can see that banquets were a part of the lives of these
people.

In the same place as above, I found a relief from 668-627 BCE that shows
soldiers transporting their prisoners. Though this piece of artwork could be
displayed in someones home, it also is recorded history that is important
for people to come.