Cave Paintings, Lascaux, Dordogne, France, c. 15,000-10,000 B.C.

• form of hunting magic
• may symbolize early form of religion
• represented the animals around them

"Venus" of Willendorf, from Austria, c. 25,000-20,000 B.C.

• made of limestone
• represents the old conception of a woman

Palette of Narmer, from Hierakonpolis, c. 3000 B.C.

• oldest work of art
• victory of upper Egypt over lower
• falcon represents upper Egypt
• Narmer is now king of both

Great Pyramids, Giza, c 2490-2528

• built over 3 generations
• shape may be due to religious belief
• arranged to the stars

Great Sphinx at Giza, 2570-2544 B.C.

• body of lion, head of pharoah
• guardian of the pyramids

Khafre, c. 2500 B.C.

• Hieroglyphs on chair tell that this is Khafre
• made of permanent stone
• stone carved as little as possible
• Horace the falcon represents relationship between king and God

Queen Nefertiti, c. 1348-1335

• represents facial proportions
• portrays great elegance

Pylon Temple of Amun, c. 1290-1224

• made to protect the shrine for Amun's sacred boat
• built on principle of exclusion, walling off everything outside

Ziggurat at Ur, Iraq, c. 3500-3000 B.C.

• main room, cella, held ritual sacrifices
• stairs build suspense as it is climbed

Figures from Tell Asmar, c. 2700-2500 B.C.

• geometric and expressive
• found in White Temple
• large eyes represent sense of awe, cusped hands respresent worship
• highly simplified

Standard of Ur, c. 2600 B.C.

• shows victory banquest
• seated figures are higher in society because they can sit
• the lower in society, the smaller the figure
• shwos 3d movement on 2d surface
• combination of frontal profile

Stele of Naram-Sin, c. 2300-2200 B.C.

• celebration after battle
• abstract idea of conquest
• king is largest
• background of mountain and 2 stars
• king is closest to mountain top

Stele of Hammurabi, c. 1760 B.C.

• first written code or law in history
• shows that king is not above the law
• God's beard larger than king's

Ishtar Gate from Babylon, C. 575

• animals, dragons and creatures that protect
• Mesopotamian portrayal of animals

Persepolis, Iran, c. 500 B.C.

• Audience hall of Darius and Xerxes
• influenced by Ionian Greeks and Egyptians
• expressed universality, power, and tranquillity of Achaemenid kings rule

Knossos aka Palace of Minos, c. 1700-1300 B.C.

• palace with all the functions of a city
• could be the origin of the labyrinth stories
• complex organic architecture
• storage areas with large vases
• characterized by natural "S" curves in art work
• bull is significant

Snake Goddess, c. 1650 B.C.

• could also be a priest holding two snakes
• unfying of male/female figures
• pose of worship

Toreador Fresco, Knossos, c. 1550-1450

• action pose
• represents type of ceremony
• unity of man and nature
• gender represented by color
• a lot of S curves we find in Crete art

Treasury of Atreus aka Tholos Tomb, c. 1300-1250 B.C.

• first thought of as a treasury, but is actually a tomb
• multigenerational
• symmetry keeps inside from collapsing
• relieving arch in entrance

Lion Gate, Mycenae, Greece, c. 1250 B.C.

• post and lintel system of architecture
• horizontal and vertical support
• slightly rounded arch as relieving arch
• lions symbolize protection