TheAncient

NearEast

Neolithic 9000 - 4000 BCE

Mesopotamia: land between two rivers

Assyrian Rule 1300 - 612 BCE

Sumerian Rule 3500-2300 BCE

Neo-Babylonian Rule 612 - 539 BCE

Akkadian Rule 2300 - 2100 BCE

Persian (Achaemenid) Rule 539 - 331 BCE

Old Babylonian Rule 1900 - 1600 BCE

Sumerianculture

Cuneiform

Sumerianculture

(SumerianRule:c.35002300BCE)

Pictograph
Tablet
Earlyformof
writing,developed
foraccounting

CuneiformTablet

SumerianSculpture
3Dobjects
Cylinder Seals c. 3500-3000 BCE

SumerianArchitecture
Temple of sky god Anu
(White Temple) on a ziggurat
(ziggurat = temple platform),
Uruk (modern Warka, Iraq),
3500-3000 BCE

SumerianArchitecture

NannaZiggurat
c.21002050BCE

SumerianSculpture/3Dobjects

FaceofaWoman
(Inanna?)
c.35003000BCE
alabaster,heightapprox.8

SumerianSculpture/3Dobjects
FaceofaWoman
Artistreconstruction

SumerianSculpture/3Dobjects

UrukVase
c.33003000BCE
alabaster,36

SumerianSculpture/3Dobjects

VotiveStatuesfrom
AbuTempleat
TellAsmar
c.27002500BCE
Limestone,alabaster
andgypsum
Heightoflargest30

SumerianSculpture/3Dobjects

SumerianSculpture/3Dobjects
Bulls Head Lyre
c. 2685 BCE

SumerianSculpture/3Dobjects

AkkadianSculpture/3Dobjects

Head of Sargon I (?)

Bronze, height 12 c. 2300
BCE

AkkadianSculpture/3Dobjects
Stele of Naramsin
Limestone, 66
c. 2254-2218 BCE

AkkadianSculpture/3Dobjects
Stele of Naramsin - details

Babylon

(Babylonian Rule 1800 - 1400 BCE)

Stele of Hammurabi

Susa (Iran), c 1792-1750 BCE

Basalt, approx. 7
(height of carved relief approx. 28)

Assyria
(Assyrian Rule 1400 - 600 BCE)

Lamassu guardian figures

reign of Assurnasirpal II c. 880 BCE

reign of Sargon II c. 720 BCE

Assyria

Artist conception of lamassu guardian figures

in the throne room of Assurnasirpal II

AssyrianPalacereliefs

1. Assurnasirpal II
Hunting Lions
c. 850 BCE
2. City Attacked
with a Battering
Ram c. 850 BCE
3. Dying Lioness
c. 650 BCE (King
Assurbanipal)

King Assurnasirpal II
c. 883-859 BCE

AssyriaPalacereliefs
c.850BCE

Assurnasirpal II Hunting Lions

AssyriaPalacereliefs
c.850BCE

City Attacked with a Battering Ram

AssyriaPalacereliefs

Dying Lioness

c. 650 BCE

NeoBabylonia

(NeoBabylonianRule612539BCE)

Reconstructiondrawing
ofBabyloninthe
6thcenturyBCE

NeoBabylonia

IshtarGatec.575BCE,glazedbrick
(restoration)

NeoBabylonia

IshtarGatereconstruction

AchaemenidPersia

(PersianRule539331BCE)

CurrentexcavationofPersepolis(Iran)c.500BCE

Ceremonialcomplex,Persepolis
ViewfacingtheApadana(audiencehall)

Persia

Persia

Persia

WallrelieffromApadana:
LionAttackingaBull

Persia

Artistconceptionofpalaceinterior
notestructuralfunctionofbullcapitals
Columncapitalswithbullimagery

Persia

DariusandXerxesreceivingTribute
Apadanastairway,ceremonialcomplex,Persepolis
Limestone,84491486BCE