Sumerian Art

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Sumerian Art
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• Characteristics/Conventions
• The enduring architectural monument was the
  temple. Reflects the view of life in which human
  beings were meant to serve the gods, who
  personified the powerful forces of nature.
• Strong fortifications were necessary. The
  city-states of Mesopotamia were so often at war
  with each other.
• Depicting the power and authority of the king.
  Kings sensed that art could help glorify their
  reigns, and tell narratives that would last into
  the ages. Resulted in steles to commemorate
  military victories and laws - palaces to glorify.
• Hybrids of animals and men are common themes. 
  Protective guardians and symbols of power.
• Deification of the king.
• The use of hierarchy of scale, composite figures,
  and registers.
• Use of whitewashed plaster, glazed tile, and
  paint on mud-brick buildings due to lack of good
  stone in region.

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2-4 Ziggurat of Ur, 2100 B.C.
SUMERIANArchitecture Ziggurats are a form of
temple common to the Sumerians, Babylonians and
Assyrians. The ziggurat was a pyramidal
structure, built in receding tiers upon a
rectangular, oval, or square platform, with a
shrine at the summit. The core of the ziggurat
was of sun-baked mud bricks, and the facings were
of fired bricks, often glazed in different
colors, which are thought to have had
cosmological significance. Access to the summit
shrine was provided by a series of ramps on one
side or by a continuous spiral ramp from base to
summit. The temple corners are in the cardinal
points of the compass. The shrine for gods was
only big enough for the select few whom were
allowed in.. Temples were where the priests
waited for the gods to appear from heaven.
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White Temple and Ziggurat at Uruk (biblical
Erech, modern Warka), 3200-3000 B.C.
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Sumerians established 1st city-states -also
developed 1st writing system -cuneiform
"wedge-shaped" writing
2-11 Cylinder seal and impression, 2600
B.C., 2 high Cylinder Seal (2600 BC) Tomb of
Puabi, Ur- made of a cylindrical piece of stone,
had a piercing for a cord, they were worn as
amulets and were treasured. Decorated with a
raised pattern.  Intaglio (incised ) design
carved in stone and used as identification.
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Votive statues, c. 2700-2600 B.C.
Statuettes from temple of Abu (2700-2600 BC) Tell
Asmar- Statuettes were modeled after actual
people in the city and put in the temples to pray
for the god at all times. They were made of cone
shapes. Different sizes (descriptive perspective)
show the persons importance in the city. Huge
eyes to shoe they were in awe of the gods. They
were made of cylindrical shapes.