ARTH 101 Midterm 2 Flashcards
Ruins of the White Temple and Ziggurat
Uruk, Mesopotamia
ca. 3200–3000 BCE
- Ziggurat: massive structure ancient Mesopotamia, terraced compound with levels
- Dedicated to Anu, chief deity of the Sumerians, god of sky
- Ruler believed to be picked by Anu
- Easy to see, power must be visible, seen from far even over defensive walls
Proto-Cuneiform tablet with seal impressions
from Mesopotamia, probably from Uruk (modern Warka in southern Iraq)
Sumerian
ca. 3100–2900 BCE
- Early form of cuneiform writing, pictographs
- Seal rolling cylinder imprints repeating pattern
- Seal shows priest king = divine ruler leading flock, imagery of shepard
The Flood Tablet
found in Kouyunjik (modern-day Iraq)
Neo-Assyrian
7th century BCE
- The Epic of Gilgamesh, storytelling, 11th tablet of story
- Similar to flood in Christianity, book of genesis, but much earlier
Tablet (The Epic of Gilgamesh)
Neo-Assyrian
7th C BCE
- 6th tablet in the Epic of Gilgamesh
- Cuneiform writing
- Unsure if Gilgamesh real person
- Compiled, shared across time, translated = transfer of knowledge
Statue of Gudea
Mesopotamia, probably from Girsu (modern Tello)
Neo-Sumerian
ca. 2090 BCE
- Gudea, ruler of Gedash city state
- Diorite, noble material, durable
- One of many statues, Gudea liked his image, wrote name on statues
- Dedicated himself to rebuilding temples, display piety towards gods
The Standard of Ur
Excavated from the Royal Tomb at Ur
2500 BCE
- Shell, limestone, lapis sourced from trade, built of broken pieces
- War scene on one side, scene of men bringing booty or tribute on other
- Registers, use of hierarchical scale
Bull-Headed Lyre
excavated from the Royal Tomb at Ur
ca. 2450 BCE
- Gold, lapis musical instrument
- Plaque made of shell and bitumen, used in roads today
- Registers, anthropomorphic animals carrying/preparing food, playing music, zoomorphic
- Scorpian man, ruler of the underworld associated with sun cycle, metaphor for cycle of life
- Man being welcomed into underworld
Step Pyramid of Djoser
Saqqara
2630–ca. 2611 BCE
- First appearance of monumental stone architecture in Egypt
- Imhotep = architect, dietized for work
- Above ground signal of underground tomb
Pashupati Seal
found at Mohenjo-Daro
2500–2400 BCE
- Pressed into soft clay, close documents, mark packages of goods
- Therianthropic creature seated on dias
- Dias: low platform for lectern, seats of honour, throne
- Shear number of seals suggests integral to trade system
Dancing Girl
found at Mohenjo-Daro
ca. 2500 BCE
- Stylized limbs, naturalistic face and gesture
- Indus knew about metal alloy, mixed into bronze, casting
- Complex society: had arts such as dance
Torso of a “priest-king”
found at Mohenjo-Daro
2000–1900 BCE
- Parts naturalistic, parts stylized
- If real person argument for naturalistic, if type of sculpture argument for stylized
- Flat back of head where hair piece would have been placed
- Hole drilled in ear for something hanging, necklace
- Encised eyes would have likely had shells or coloured stone
Trefoil pattern: pattern of 3 like a clover, possibly sacred - Not particular person
Jade Votive Axe
Mesoamerica
Olmec
1200-400 BCE
- Votive: small devotional objects, leave them in sacred place, atlar, temple
- Large head, stocky body that narrows into blade shape
- Flared eyebrows = hawk, cleft in head = jaguar skull, flared lip
Olmec Stone Mask (pendent)
Mesoamerica
Olmec
900–400 BCE
- Worn around neck, may of provided wearer with identity of ancestor, rain god
- Flared lip, child-like roundness
- Around mouth glyphs = writings, perceived as form of beauty
Seated Pottery Figure
Mesoamerica
Olmec
1200–400 BCE
- Baby faced figurine, infants recurring theme Olmec art
- Protruding head = beauty standard, would be wrapped to deform head
- “Were-jaguar”: flared lips, head cleft, almond shape eyes
- Belief of race before humans result human female and jaguar male, Olmec rain deity
- Parts made separate then joined together, polished with finish
- Other colours to highlight features, also used in burials, significant powders
Offering #4 – La Venta
Mesoamerica
Olmec
900–400 BCE
- Found in original position Olmec left them
- Procession in front of opposing figure, witnessing figures
- Show Olmec features: baby-like, elongated head, animal features
- Individual features not made in one workshop, bringing together different sets to make scene
Lanzón Stela
Located in the Old Temple of Chavín de Huantar Peru, South America
Chavín
ca. 500 BCE
- In old temple of Chavin de Huantar
- Shape similar to digging tool, hoe, deity about ensuring harvest success
- Placed intersecting multiple galleries/corridors
- Intended hard to read, inside language, visually complex, contour rivalry
- Members of cult would have privilege of access and able to read
Raimondi Stele
Peru, South America
Chavín
900–200 BCE
- Staff god, god holding 2 staffs
- Contour rivalry of god’s head, upside down mouth on forehead another set of eyes below downturned mouth
- Sideways and upside down heads on staffs, head belt
- Jaguar, hawk, snake features symbols of power, animals in Andes to East
Portrait Head Bottle
Peru, South America
Moche People
5th to 6th century
- May have important figures different times of life, wrinkles worked into pottery
- Number of distinct features
- Painted face
Pair of Ear Ornaments with Winged Runners
Peru, South America
Moche People
400–700 CE
- Tiny pieces of highly valued materials (turquoise, sodalite, shell) inlaid, mosaic
- Heavy, worn on occasion, special
- Andes mountain difficult terrain, materials from elsewhere signal special object, trade from afar, connections
- Running with bag of beans
Victory Stele of Naram-Sin, King of Akkad
found in Susa, Iran
Akkadian
ca. 2250 BCE
- Celebrates triumph of Naram-Sin over a mountain people, the Lullubi
- Hierarchical scale, Naram-Sin biggest, on top
- Leading troops over steep enemy terrain, mercilessly crushing resistance
- Metaphorically ruler getting closer to rank of gods
- Headdress with horns, important across cultures, crowned horn of divinity
The Law Code of Hammurabi, King of Babylon
Babylonian
1792-1750 BCE
- Sippar: city of sun god Shamash, god of justice
- Attributes of Shamash: curled horn crown, holding sceptre and ring insignia royal power
- One of oldest deciphered writings of length
- Devoted to holding laws
- Ceremonial transfer of laws from Shamash to Hamurabi
Ishtar Gate
Babylonian
ca. 575 BCE
- King Nebuchadnezzar rebuild Babylon after Sumerians destroy
- Neo-Babylonians
- Lapis lazuli glazed bricks
- Babylonian belief system place powerful animals with gods
- Lions = Ishtar, goddess of love and war
- Hybrid Dragon = Marduk, patron god Babylon, divine champion good against evil
- Bull/Auroch = Adad, god of storms, fertility, harvest
- Main gateway to city, awe visitors
