From the beginning, one of the first societies to emerge was Sumer in Iraq, has provided us with evidence of this in the form of ceramics, figures and Ancient architecture. In Uruk, where the first written language was reportedly used, lies evidence that with Near Eastern Art, a greater philosophical meaning was embedded into the art, despite still being created with a purpose. An example is White Temple and Ziggurat which was an architectural structure made of mud-brick around 3000 BC which emphasises the connection between art and the Gods, in reference to this site, the Sky God Anu, standing above the city walls.
 |
| White Temple & Ziggurat, Uruk, Iraq, made from mud-brick, 3,000 BCE |
Built within city walls, the focus of the Near East cities is the Ziggurat, an early stylized and geometric development of the pyramid. Typically constructed with mud-bricks, a Ziggurat is a 4-sloped-sided monumental building raised upon a platform, symbolically, the height represented both a higher connection to the gods as well as a sign of 'political authority'.
The Ishtar Gate is also an important part of Near Eastern Art, as it was constructed as the eighth gate to the Ancient city of Babylon in 575 BCE. Archaeology has since excavated the gate which is now exhibited in Berlin. This serves as an important example of not only the cities structures in the Middle East at this time, but also exhibits the various colours introduced during this time period as a means of expression in their forms of design such as the blues of lapis lazuli and black and yellow glazed bricks to achieve a jewel like texture.
 |
| Ishtar Gate, Constructed in Babylon, 575 BCE, now exhibited in Berlin, made of cedar structure, lapis lazuli, yellow and black glazed brick. |
Sculpture & Definition
By around 3,500 BCE, the Near Eastern civilization had begun to develop their skills in sculpting and definition in the figure, losing the childlike quality which plagued the cave paintings from previous millennia. This can be seen in the Ishtar Gate's definition of the lion patterning, or the improving proportions of statues and figurines.
Sculpture itself was typically crafted from rock cut-relief or from cast metal, which showed a developed skill in manufacturing and metalwork. Furthermore, there was a diverse spread of the art of sculpting, from figures carved into the sides of architecture, to life-scale sculptures, to small figurines which could be transported during migration. Despite the varying nature of different styles, this added to the idea that this era was not creating 'art for art's sake' but instead meaning it as a form of decoration and ornamentation with a meaning that can relate to worship or class related wealth and power, this can be exhibited in sculptures; Ram in a Thicket, a work from 2,600 BCE found in a tomb in Tell Muqayyar as a sign of wealth crafted from lapis lazuli, copper, red limestone and bitumen, highlighting vibrant tones, as well as the Statuettes of Worshippers, which have been partially lost from Eshnunna, reaching only 30 inches in height.
 |
| Ram in a Thicket, Muqayyar, Iraq, 2,600 BCE. |
 |
| Statuettes of Worshippers, Eshnunna, Iraq, made from Gypsum, Shell and Black Limestone, 2,700 BCE. |
However, many of the artefacts of the Ancient Middle Eastern world have been lost to degradation, war and terrorism, for example the Iraq war in 2003, or ISIS most recently destroying the City of Nimrud has led to the damage or destruction of an ever increasing number of these Ancient cities and have now become ruins.
Ultimately, Near Eastern Art bridged the gap between Prehistoric Art and the beginnings of Ancient Art, developing in parallel to other civilizations such as the Egyptian and later Greek and Roman empires, it is clear that Middle Eastern art has had a profound impact on our perspective of art today and it's impact in terms of architecture and sculpture making.
0 comments:
Post a Comment