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Mesopotamian Art - An Overview
by Jose-Pierre Estrada and Melanie Magdalena
A Companion Guide to Gardner’s Art Through the Ages: A Global History (13th edition)
Humans gave up the hunter-gatherer lifestyle first in
Mesopotamia (“the land between the [Tigris and Euphrates] rivers”), beginning
the practice of farming and herding. In the 19th century,
excavations revealed extraordinary art from stone reliefs depicting warfare to colossal
statues of monstrous human-headed bulls.
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| Map of Ancient Mesopotamia |
SUMER
The female head is made of lustrous white marble. For this material to be available, the summarians must have had imported the marble. There are holes drilled in the head so it can be attached to other pieces such as a torso.
Female head (Inanna?), from Uruk (modern Warka), Iraq, ca. 3200–3000 BCE. Marble, approx. 8” high. Iraq Museum, Baghdad.
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The Warka Vase is considered to be the first great work of narrative relief. The Vase depicts a religious festival in honor of the goddess Inanna. The vase was divided into three segments (also called registers or friezes), resembling a modern comic book. Each register or band tells a different story, the bottom band shows Uruk’s crops and herds, the middle one shows a procession on naked men in line carrying baskets and jars overflowing with votive offerings (a gift of gratitude to a deity), and the uppermost band contains a female figure a tall horned headdress next to two poles that are the sign of the goddess Inanna.
Presentation of offerings to Innana (Warka vase), from Uruk, Iraq, ca. 3200-3000 BCE. Alabaster, 3' 1/4" high. Iraq Museum, Baghdad.
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The statuettes of two worshipers are carved out of soft gypsum and are inlaid with shell and black limestone. The figures represent mortals rather than deities, with folded hands that gesture prayer, or holding small beakers that were used in Sumerian ritual rites. Their oversized eyes symbolize the wakefulness of the worshipers as they offer their prayers to the deity.
Statuettes of two worshipers, from the Square Temple at Eshnunna (modern Tell Asmar), Iraq, ca. 2700 BCE. Gypsum inlaid with shell and black limestone, tallest figure approx. 2’ 6” high. Iraq Museum, Baghdad.
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Inscriptions in the fragment of the Victory Stele of Eannatum (stele of the vultures) describe the victory of Eannatum of Lagash over the city of Umma. The fragment depicts the king larger than the soldiers he is leading into battle.
Fragment of the victory stele of Eannatum (Stele of the Vultures), from Girsu (modern Telloh), Syria, ca. 2600–2500 BCE. Limestone, full stele approx. 5’ 11” high. Louvre, Paris.
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The Standard of Ur is a rectangular box of unknown function. The excavator, Leonard Wooley, belived the box was to be mounted on a pole with military standard. The two long sides of the box are refered to as the “war side” and the “peace side.” Each Side has three registers or bands depicting a scene.
The war side shows a battle field victory. The top register shows soldiers presenting captives to a kinglike figure who is larger than everyone else.
War side of the Standard of Ur, from Tomb 779, Royal Cemetery, Ur (modern Tell Muqayyar), Iraq, ca. 2600 BCE. Wood inlaid with shell, lapis lazuli, and red limestone, approx. 8” x 1’ 7”. British Museum, London.
The peace side shows a victory celebration, Following the same standard that the larger the figure, the higher of importance in society.
Peace side of the Standard of Ur, from Tomb 779, Royal Cemetery, Ur (modern Tell Muqayyar), Iraq, ca. 2600 BCE. Wood inlaid with shell, lapis lazuli, and red limestone, approx. 8” x 1’ 7”. British Museum, London.
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The royal bull-headed lyer is adorned with a gold bull’ head with inlaid figures of a Gilgamesh-like hero and animals acting out scenes of unknown significance also placed in registers.
Bull-headed lyre (restored) from Tomb 789 (“King’s Grave”), Royal Cemetery, Ur (modern Tell Muqayyar), Iraq, ca. 2600 BCE. Gold leaf and lapis lazuli over a wooden core, approx. 5’ 5” high. University Museum, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.
Soundbox of the lyre from Tomb 789 ("King's Grave"), Royal Cemetery, Ur (modern Tell Muqayyar), Iraq, ca. 2600 BCE. Wood with inlaid gold, lapis lazuli, and shell, approx. 1’ 7” high. University Museum, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.
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Designs are incised into small stone cylinders and then rolled over clay to produce artwork such as a banquet. Seals were used to identify goods.
Banquet scene, cylinder seal (left) and its modern impression (right), from the tomb of Pu-abi (tomb 800), Royal Cemetery, Ur (modern Tell Muqayyar), Iraq, ca. 2600 BCE. Lapis lazuli, approx. 2” high. British Museum, London.
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AKKAD AND THE THIRD DYNASTY OF UR
The head of an Akkadian Ruler is a copper, hollow-cast sculpture that was once attached to a full body statue. The Artist carefully portrays the rulers distinctive facial features.
Head of an Akkadian ruler, from Nineveh (modern Kuyunjik), Iraq, ca. 2250–2200 BCE. Copper, 1’ 2 3/8” high. Iraq Museum, Baghdad.
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The Victory stele of Naram-Sin commemorates his conquest of Lullubi, the people of the Iranian mountains of the east. Naram-Sin is shown leading his army up a mountain.
Victory stele of Naram-Sin, from Susa, Iran, 2254–2218 BCE. Pink sandstone, approx. 6’ 7” high. Louvre, Paris.
Victory Stele of Naram Sin, 2254-2218 B.C.E. from Smarthistory Videos on Vimeo.
Victory Stele of Naram Sin, 2254-2218 B.C.E. from Smarthistory Videos on Vimeo.
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The alabaster votive disk of Enheduanna is the most important object associated with Enhuadanna, the oldest recorded name of a poet. The Disk bears a cuneiform inscription saying she was “wife of Nanna” and “daughter of Sargon, king of the world.”
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Gudea built and rebuilt many temples and placed statues of himself within all of them. The seated statue of Gudea is made of diorite. Gudea is seated with his hands gestured of prayer; on his lap is a tablet with a plan for a new temple.
Seated statue of Gudea holding temple plan, from Girsu (modern Telloh), Iraq, ca. 2100 BCE. Diorite, approx. 2’ 5” high. Louvre, Paris.
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THE SECOND MILLENNIUM BCE
The stele of Hammurabi’s law code is one of the first examples of foreshortening – depicting depth by representing a figure or object at an angle, instead of frontally or in profile. A sample of the Laws and penalties described in the code of law include:
If any one steal the minor son of another, he shall be put to death.
If any one take a male or female slave of the court, or a male or female slave of a freed man, outside the city gates, he shall be put to death.
If any one receive into his house a runaway male or female slave of the court, or of a freedman, and does not bring it out at the public proclamation of the major domus, the master of the house shall be put to death.
If any one find runaway male or female slaves in the open country and bring them to their masters, the master of the slaves shall pay him two shekels of silver.
If the slave will not give the name of the master, the finder shall bring him to the palace; a further investigation must follow, and the slave shall be returned to his master.
If he hold the slaves in his house, and they are caught there, he shall be put to death.
Stele with law code of Hammurabi, from Susa, Iran, ca. 1780 BCE. Basalt, approx. 7’ 4” high. Louvre, Paris.
This life size copper and bronze statue of Queen Napir-Asu weighs almost 4000 pounds! In the inscription it says the queen wanted her statue to be an immovable offering in a temple.
Statue of Queen Napir-Asu, from Susa, Iran, ca. 1350–1300 BCE. Bronze and copper, 4’ 2 3/4” high. Louvre, Paris.
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ASSYRIA
Lamassu were colossal limestone monsters that guarded the gates of King Sargon's palace. Lamassu was a winged, man-headed bull that had five legs – two seen from the front, and four seen from the side. The artist wanted to present a optical view of the Lamassu as it would stand in space in both angles.
Lamassu (winged, human-headed bull), from the citadel of Sargon II, Dur Sharrukin (modern Khorsabad), Iraq, ca. 720–705 BCE. Limestone, approx. 13’ 10” high. Louvre, Paris.
About the Author
I'm Jose Pierre and I like learning about all aspects of culture, both ancient and modern. I enjoy learning how they communicated, expressed themselves, and their technology.
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