Egypt and Mesopotamia

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Egypt and Mesopotamia

• CONVENTIONS inherited, invented, and prescribed
  formulas that the people who formed its culture
  accepted and understood.
• STYLIZED (-ation) - simplification or
  generalization of forms. Of
• forms as found in nature
• Epic long narrative (story) about a hero who
  embodies (represents) the values of a culture
• Myth a story that explains a belief, a custom,
  or a natural phenomenon
• Gilgamesh epic Sumerian hero who quests for
  eternal life

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Gilgamesh the 1st super hero
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Epic of Gilgamesh

• 1. 1st hero written about
• 2. When his friend Enkidu dies, Gilgamesh
  searches for eternal life
• 3. Utnapishtim tells him that life is short,
  enjoy it and dont worry about death

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Mesopotamia (modern Iraq)

• 1. Located between Tigris/Euphrates rivers
• 2. Settled by Sumerians (3500 bce)
• 3. Cuneiform (wedge shaped) writing using a
  stylus (stick) on clay or wax tablets

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Cuneiform-Mesopotamian writing on clay tablets
with a Stylus
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Contributions of Mesopotamia

• Ziggurats-temples built on platforms from mud
  bricks, like a pyramid but with receding
  terraces.
• Arch-curved structure over an opening, one of the
  strongest forms in building
• Lapis lazuli-blue stone used for decoration
• Divided circle into 12 parts we still measure
  time that way (60 seconds to a minute, 60 minutes
  to an hour)
• Invented the wheel, writing, and perhaps the1st
  boats

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• Sumerian philosophy/religion
• 1. Frequent unpredictable floods
• 2. Easily invaded, many wars
• 3. Led to pessimistic attitude - life is
  suffering and death is worse
• 4. Gods despise mankind - the dead become
  shadows and eat dirt

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Ishtar Gate
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Gate of Ishtar - lapis lazuliGate
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Lion from Ishtar gate
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Code of Hammurabi

• 1. Code - a list of laws
• 2. Importance - written laws CANNOT be changed
  based upon the judges whim - major step forward
  in human rights

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Hammurabis stele
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Mesopotamian conventions

• 1. Wide, staring eyes
• 2. Clasped hands
• 3. Usually wears a skirt type of garment
• 4. Prayerful attitude

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Ziggurats - temples

• Temples built on platforms from mud bricks
  looking like a pyramid with steps
• made from mud bricks
• Tower of Babel is most famous

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Ziggurat of Ur-a temple
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Hanging Gardens of Babylon
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Standard of Ur
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Dragon of Marduk
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Stele

• slab of engraved stone or metal, usually to honor
  someone or post important information (ex. Code
  of Hammurabi)

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Bas-Relief-raised carvings on a slab of stone or
metal, NOT 3-dimensional
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Bas relief - Mesopotamian
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King hunting rams
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Goat in a Bush-Mesopotamian
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Bull-symbol of power to Mes.
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Conventions?
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Egypt - Old Kingdom - 3100 B.C.E.

• 1. Philosophy/religion -
• 2.surrounded by desert/seas/Nile cataracts-no
  invasions
• 3. Predictable and gentle floods
• 4. Developed optimistic outlook - do no evil
  have a good after life

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Man fears Time, yet Time fears the pyramidsThe
Great Pyramid, one of the 7 wonders of the
ancient world and the only one still standing
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Descriptive Perspective

• The size of the figure indicates its importance.
  The smallest figures are servants, enemies, etc.

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Engaged to the stone

• Arms and legs are attached to the stone from
  which they are carved.

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Ankh-symbol of long life
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Heiroglyphics-Egyptian writing
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Registers figures are placed in layers
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Frontality-torso eye faces front, head, legs,
arms in profile
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Rosetta Stone- found in 1799 decoded
hieroglyphics
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Houses for the dead pyramids

• Purpose to give Pharaoh eternal life in
  comfort.
• Largest Pyramid of Cheops at Giza-base took up
  13 football fields and used over 2 million
  blocks some blocks weighed over 40 tons!
• Canoptic jars kept the body organs

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Egyptian Pyramids - tombs
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King Tuts death mask
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Notice their stance left foot forward, arms at
sides (stylized conventions)
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Earliest mummies were buried/dried in sand
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Canoptic jars (held organs)
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Whats this?
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Amarna Revolution

• Akhenaten began a new religion with only one god,
  (the Sun God). Under his reign, there was a
  brief period of natural and realistic looking
  art. The Amarna revolution ended with
  Akhenatens death and a return to the old style.

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Reincarnated????
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Queen Nefertiti- wife of Akhenaten
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Book of the Dead-papyrus
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Sarcophagus
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Egyptian columns

• Capitals the tops of columns.
• Two types bud and flowering
• Some columns were so large a 100 people could
  stand on top of them.

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Conventions vs. realism
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bud capitals-tops of columns
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Flower type of capital
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Sphinx-body of a lion, pharoahs face
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Obelisk- 4 sided shaft of stone with pyramid
shape on top, sometimes called Cleopatras needles
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The Great Temple