Great Lyre with bull's head

Ur

c. 2550 - 2400 BCE

Sumerian

*Detail of composite creatures

*Detail emphasizes domination of nature

*Detail includes 4 registers

Anu Ziggurat and White Temple

Uruk

c. 3100 BCE

Sumerian

Disk of Enheduanna

Ur

c. 2300 - 2184 BCE

Akkadian

*Enheduanna daughter of Sargon I

*Major public figure

*Princess/priestess/politician/poet/prohet

*Only person to be hight priestess of Anu and Nanna

Stele of Naramsin

c. 2254 - 2218 BCE

Akkadian

*One of the 1st landscape scenes

*Naramsin 1st king to be diefied

*Wavy groundlines

*Conveys authority

Lamassu

c. 883 - 859 BCE

Assyrian

*Protector of palaces/throne rooms

*Detailing conveys wealth, which is power

*5 legs

*2 faces

*Size symbolizes strength of ruler they defended

Nanna Ziggurat

Ur

c. 2100 - 2050 BCE

Sumerian

*Built 1000 years after the Anu Ziggurat

*Rectangular base (190 ft X 130ft)

*3 sets of stairs

*Walls angle outward from top to base

Face of a woman

Uruk

c. 3300 - 3000 BCE

Sumerian

*Associated with religion

*May represent a goddess

*Originally had painted face, wig, brows and eyes inlaid with lapis lauzuli

*face would have been attatched to wooden face and body

Carved Vase

a.k.a The Uruk Vase

Uruk

c. 3300 - 3000 BCE

Sumerian

*New way of composition breaks with old way of haphazard figure placement

*Picture organized into registers, which condenses the narrative

Votive Statues

Eshnunna

c. 2900 - 2600 BCE

Sumerian

*Cylindrical

*Wide Eyes

*Simplified Faces/Bodies/Dress

*Clasped Hands

Votive statue of Gudea

Lagash

c. 2120 BCE

Guti

*Conveys power through youthfulness

*Holding a vessel from which life-giving water flows

*Dedicated to the goddess Geshtinanna

*Emphasizes power centers (eyes, head, smoothly muscled chest/arms)

Stele of Hammurabi

Susa

c. 1792 - 1750 BCE

Babylonian

*Symbols of power include throne, conical horned crown, flames, measuring rod, rope circle

*Headdress of Shamash is true profile

*Tried foreshortening

Assurnasirpal II Killing Lions

Nimrud

c. 850 BCE

Assyrian

*Man holds dominion of nature

*Shift away from timelessness towards visual narrative

Citadel and palace complex of Sargon II

Dur Sharrukin

c. 721 - 706 BCE

Assyrian

*POLITICAL PROPAGANDA

*strong walls reflect militaristic society

*contains 200 rooms and 30 courtyards

Assurbanipal and His Queen in the Garden

Ninevah

c. 647 BCE

Assyria

*Apparently tranquil domestic scene

*Actually a victory celebration (severed heads and weapns)

Ishtar Gate and throne room wall

Babylon

c. 575 BCE

NeoBabylonian

*Crenallated tower

*Sacred blue bulls and Mushushshu

Woman Spinning

Susa

c. 8th - 7th century

Elam

Lion Gate

Hattushash

c. 1400 BCE

Hittite

Plan of ceremonial complex

Persopolis

c. 518 - 460 BCE

Persian

Apadana of Darius and Xerxes

Persopolis

c. 518 - 460 BCE

Persian

*Audience Hall

*Large enough to hold several thousand people

Darius and Xerxes Receiving Trubute

Persopolis

c. 491 - 486 BCE

Persian

*relief from stairway leading to Apadana

Daric

c. 4th century BCE

Persian

*Coin first minted under Darius I