Woman of Willendorf

Paleolithic

Austria

Limestone and traces of paint

24,000 BCE

4"

Female 3D sculpture. Doesn't have face, naked, looking down, not body type of paleos. Fertility worship? Emphasis on reproduction. Limestone not primitive to area found in. 

Woman from Brassempouy

Paleolithic

France

ivory

30,000 BCE

1"

First portrait? First face found. Authenticity questioned bc workers were paid based on what they found. Carbon dating verifies age.

Lion-Human

Paleolithic

Germany

mammoth ivory

30,000-26,000 BCE

1'

Probably male. Found in fragments. Ritual lion mask? Idea that humans were not separate from animals? First evidence of human abstract thought.

Hall of Bulls

Paleolithic

Lscaux Caves, France

paint on limestone

15,000 BCE

Bird Headed Man with Bison

Paleolithic

Lascaux Caves, France

15,000-30,000 BCE

Could be a hunter. Male. Either head of bird or bird mask. Has staff and spear thrower. Man might be shaman. First human figure in Paleolithic painting

Two Bison

Paleolithic

Le Tuc d'Audoubert, France

unbaked clay

13,000 BCE

25" and 24"

Technique was modeling/shaping. Found in very back of cave. Not aligned, random. Detailed hair and protruding horns.

Bison

Paleolithic

Ceiling of Alta Mira Cave, Altamira, Spain

Paint on limestone

12,500 BCE

8'3"

Spotted Horses and Human Handprints

Paleolithic

France

Paint on limestone

24,000 BCE

Tomb Interior with Corbeling and Engraved Stones

Neolithic

New Grange, Ireland

3,000-2,500 BCE

44' tall 280' diameter

Sod and River Pebbles

Some stones engraved with linear designs, rings, spirals, and diamond shapes.

Stonehenge

Neolithic

Salisbury Plain, England

rough-cut Sarsen and standstones and smaller bluestone/volcanic rock

3,000-2,500 BCE

Surrounded by ditch. At first cemetery of cremation burials marked by bluestones imported from 150 miles away. Then bluestones rearranged in an arc. From exact center of circle on summer solstice sun rises directly over heelstone. Theories: Merlin did it, rituals of druids, some kind of sacred site, observatory, agricultural calendar to track seasons, place for dead. Implies complex stratified society, a person in power.

Human Figure

Neolithic

'Ain Ghazal, Jordan

Fired lime plaster with cowrie shell, bitumen, and paint

7,000-6,000 BCE

35"

Found in pit. Has defined eyes. 

Impression is of living, breathing individuals who are not able or willing to speak. Buried under houses similar to how humans were buried. 

White Temple and Anu Ziggurat

Sumerian 

Uruk

3,300-3,000 BCE

Carved Vessel

Sumerian

Uruk

Alabaster

3,300-3000 BCE

Shows 3 horizontal bands with plants and animals at bottom, slaves carrying stuff in middle, and royalty at top. Shows hieratic scale. 

Votive Figures from Square Temple Eshnunna

Sumerian

2,900-2,600 BCE

gypsum, shell, black limestone

30"

Praying males and females. Functioned as perpetual worshippers. Commissioned by elite to pay homage. 

Bull Lyre

Sumerians

Royal Tomb, Ur

Muqaiyir, Iraq

2,600-2,500 BCE

wood with gold, silver, lapis lazuli, bitumen and shell

head 14"

Lyres were associated with funerals. 

Soundbox has images of man controlling 2 bulls, bull/human hybrids. Animals shown are traditional guardians of gateway through which the deceased travel through.

Head of Man

Akkadian

Ninevah

2,300-2,200 BCE

Copper Alloy 

14 3/8"

Akkadian Ruler's eyes and ears mutilated. Expression of power. 

Stele of Naramsim

Akkadian

limestone

2,220-2218 BCE

Depicts Akkadian ruler Naramsim. Megalith. Carved to commemorate victory. Hieratic scale shows N's importance. Two suns. Soldiers looking up at him. 

Seated Statue of Gudea

Neo-Sumerian

2090 BCE

diorite

Inscription on base of skirt- God commands him to build house. Gudea is holding plans. Gudea depicted as strong, peaceful ruler. Vessel flowing with life-giving water w/ fish. Text on garment dedicates himself,  the statue, and its temple to the goddess Geshtinanna.

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Stele of Hammurabi

Babylonian

Susa

7'

1790-1750 BCE

Laws for all of Mesopotamia. Top depicts ruler talking to god. Diety is sitting w/ horned crown. Hammurabi standing. God has rays of light coming from shoulders and handing Hammurabi a rode of justice. Intro lists temples Hamm. restored. Epilogue glorifies Hamm. as peacemaker. Written in cuneiform. Idea that secular power given right to enforce by god. 

Reconstruction of Citadel and Palace Complex of Sargon II

Assyrian 

Khorsabad, Iraq

721-706 BCE

Citadel is fortified walled city state. Military state. Leader lived in highest place. Guarded by lamassus.

Guardian Figures (Lamassus) of Citadel of Sargon II

Assyrian

Khorsabad, Iraq

721-706 BCE

Limestone

18'

Huge, meant to intimidate. Lamassus had bearded head of man, body of lion or bull, wings of eagle, and horned headdress of god. 

Assurnasirpal II Killing Lions

Assyrian

Kuyunjik, Iraq (Ninevah)

647 BCE

Alabaster

21"

In palace complex. To show power and intimidate. Show achievements. Dying lion shows Assyrian value of never giving up. King of Assyrians > King of Jungle.

Reconstruction of Drawing at Babylon

Neo-Babylonian

500-600 BCE

Palace of Nebuchadnezzar II with famous hanging gardens in view. Ishtar Gate has four crenellated (notched for military defense) towers. Faced with dark blue glazed bricks made of film of colored glass. Molded turquoise, blue, and gold colored bricks show lions, symbols of the goddess Ishtar, as well as dragons associated with patron god Marduk.

Ishtar Gate and Throne Room Wall

Neo-Babylonian

Glazed Brick

575 BCE

Entrance to city of Babylon. Symbol of Babylonian power. 

Ceremonial Complex 

Achaemenid Persian Empire

Percepolis

518-460 BCE

Raised platform 40 high. Rectangular grid. Only one public entrance. Shallow steps for horses. Included treasury, audience hall (Apadana), hypostyle hall- structure supported by many columns

Apadana (audience hall) of Darius and Xerxes

Achaemenid Persian Empire

Percepolis, Iran

518-460 BCE

Set 60' above rest of complex on second terrace. Arch 1' form hypostyle hall. Central staircase "Gate of all Lands" for horses, shallow. 

Darius and Xerxes Receiving Tribute 

Achaemenid Persian Empire

Percepolis, Iran

491- 486 BCE

Limestone

Relief found on stairway leading to Padana. Hieratic scale. Geometric beards. 

Palette of Narmer

Pre-Dynastic Egypt

Hierakonpolis

2950 BCE

Green schist

25"

Found in temple of Horus. Hieratic scale shows Narmer's importance. Wears crown of upper Egypt while striking enemy w/ mace. God Horus is falcon with human hand holds rope tied around neck of man whose head is attached to stylized papyrus. Papyrus symbolized lower Egypt. Shows dominance. Sandal bearer on left. Defeated enemies on bottom. Bulls at top symbolize might of king. 

Stepped Pyramid and Funeral Complex of Djoser

Pre-Dynastic Egypt

Saqqara

Limestone

2630-2575 BCE

Architect was Imhotep. Burial chamber buried below. Has false chambers, false doors, and confusing passageways.

Great Pyramids of Giza

Old Kingdom

Giza

2575-2450 BCE

Limestone and Granite

450'

Built by kings Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure. Oldest and largest is Khufu, covers 13 acres at base. Originally finished with thick veneer of polished limestone. Site planned to follow sun's path east/west. Next to each pyramid was funerary temple connected by causeway to valley temple on bank of Nile. 

Great Sphinx of Complex of Khafre

Old Kingdom

Giza

2520-2494 BCE

Sandstone

65'

Portrait of the king. Human intelligence with animal strength. Body of lion. 

Khafre

Old Kingdom

Giza

2520-2494 BCE

Diorite-gabbro gneiss

5'6 1/8"

Menkaure and a Queen

Old Kingdom

Giza

2490-2472 BCE

Graywacke with traces of red and black paint

54 1/2"

Khafe's heir King Menkaure and a queen. Discovered in Menkaure's valley temple. Queen embracing him. Walking. 

Seated Scribe

Old Kingdom

Near tomb of Kai, Saqqara

2450-2325 BCE

Painted limestone w/ inlaid eyes of rock crystal, calcite, and magnesite mounted in copper

21"

Could be Kai. Not as formal as other sculptures. Holding papyrus scroll partially unrolled in lap. Advertising life free of physical labor. 

Ti Watching a Hippotamus Hunt

Old Kingdom

Tomb of Ti, Saqqara

2450-2325 BCE

Painted limestone relief

Ti is a government official. Seth, god of chaos, disguised himself as hippo. Hippos were dangerous and ruined crops. Hippo hunt symbolized triumph of good versus evil. 

Reconstruction Drawings of the Great Temple of Amun and Hypostyle Hall

New Kingdom

Karnak

1579-1075 BCE

Had courtyard, hypostyle hall, statue of Amun, smaller halls and courts. Different leaders did renovations on it. 

Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut

New Kingdom

Deir el-Bahri

1473

Much larger and more prominent than tomb itself. Carved into the mountain. Hatshepsut found as sphynx. There was a Valley of the Queens but Hepshepsut was buried in Valley of the Kings. 

Hatshepsut Kneeling

New Kingdom

Deir el-Bahri

Red granite

1473-1458 BCE

Her father is Thutmoses I. Her half brother/husband is Thutmoses II. Thutmoses' concubine gives him heir Thutmoses III. Hatsheptsut usurpes thrown and rules as female ruler in masculine dress. 

Akhenaten, Colossal Figure

New Kingdom

Karnak

1353 BCE

Sandstone

13'

Changes Egyptian beliefs from polytheistic to monotheistic. Made Aten god represented with circle for the sun. Declares himself spiritual ruler. "Akhen" means servant. Androgynous body figure. Distorted facial features. Unique styling. Holding symbols of pharoh. 

Akhenaten and his Family

New Kingdom

Tell el-Amarna, Egypt

1353-1336 BCE

Painted limestone relief

12 1/4" x 15 1/4"

Sun (Aten) represented  giving rays of eternal life to family. Informal scene, very unusual in those times. Unusual styling as well. Children. Elongated necks. 

Innermost Coffin of King Tutankhamen

New Kingdom

Valley of the Kings

1332 BCE

Gold inlaid with glass and semiprecious stones. 

243 lbs.

Richest of 3 coffins. King holds crook and flail. Headcloth had cobra and viper. Vulture and cobra gods of upper and lower Egypt protecting him. 

Funerary Mask of Tutankhamen

New Kingdom

Valley of the Kings

1332 BCE

24 lbs. 

Judgement of Hunefer Before Osiris

New Kingdom

Thebes

1285 BCE

Painted papyrus

1'6"

Found in Book of the Dead. Helped dead pass tests. Anubis weighs heart. Shows 3 stages to introduction of afterlife. 

Temple of Ramses II

New Kingdom

Abu Simbel

1279 BCE

Sandstone

65' 

Fathered nearly 100 children. Site was the source of Ramses' gold, ivory, and exotic animal skins. Carved into rock.