ANE Time Line

By balam_005
  • Period: 3500 BCE to 2300 BCE

    Sumerian Art Period, c. 3500–2300 BCE

    Sumerian art developed in the earliest urban centers of Mesopotamia and was closely tied to religion and civic life. Artists used materials such as clay, limestone, gypsum, and precious inlays, favoring stylized forms and hierarchical scale. Art functioned as a means of devotion, record-keeping, and reinforcing social order rather than individual expression.
  • Warka Vase, Unknown artist (Sumerian culture),c. 3200–3000 BCE, alabaster relief, approx. 3 ft tall, Iraq Museum, Baghdad
    3200 BCE

    Warka Vase, Unknown artist (Sumerian culture),c. 3200–3000 BCE, alabaster relief, approx. 3 ft tall, Iraq Museum, Baghdad

    The Warka Vase is one of the earliest examples of narrative relief sculpture. Its stacked registers organize figures by importance, visually expressing religious hierarchy and ritual practice. The material and carved relief emphasize permanence and communal belief.
  • Bull’s Head Lyre, Unknown artist (Sumerian culture), c. 2600 BCE, wood with gold, lapis lazuli, and shell, approx. 13 in high, British Museum, London
    2600 BCE

    Bull’s Head Lyre, Unknown artist (Sumerian culture), c. 2600 BCE, wood with gold, lapis lazuli, and shell, approx. 13 in high, British Museum, London

    The use of precious materials such as gold and lapis lazuli reflects wealth and religious importance. The animal imagery and narrative panels emphasize myth, ceremony, and the role of art in funerary contexts.
  • Standard of Ur, Unknown artist (Sumerian culture), c. 2600 BCE, wood with shell, lapis lazuli, and red limestone, approx. 8 in tall, British Museum, London
    2600 BCE

    Standard of Ur, Unknown artist (Sumerian culture), c. 2600 BCE, wood with shell, lapis lazuli, and red limestone, approx. 8 in tall, British Museum, London

    The Standard of Ur uses narrative registers to depict war and peace. Hierarchical scale reinforces social structure and authority. The use of precious materials reflects the value placed on leadership and organized society.
  • Period: 2300 BCE to 2150 BCE

    Akkadian Art Period, c. 2300–2150 BCE

    Akkadian art marked a shift toward realism and individual identity, especially in representations of rulers. Artists emphasized naturalistic anatomy, movement, and divine kingship. Art became a tool of imperial propaganda rather than communal ritual.
  • Victory Stele of Naram-Sin, Unknown artist (Akkadian culture), c. 2254–2218 BCE, pink sandstone relief, approx. 6 ft 7 in tall, Musée du Louvre, Paris
    2218 BCE

    Victory Stele of Naram-Sin, Unknown artist (Akkadian culture), c. 2254–2218 BCE, pink sandstone relief, approx. 6 ft 7 in tall, Musée du Louvre, Paris

    This stele depicts King Naram-Sin as a god-like figure towering over his enemies. The diagonal composition breaks from earlier register-based organization, emphasizing movement and dominance. Naturalistic anatomy reinforces royal power and divine authority.
  • Head of an Akkadian Ruler (Sargon of Akkad), Unknown Artist (Akkadian), c. 2250–2200 BCE, copper alloy (bronze), approx. 36 cm high, Iraq Museum, Baghdad
    2200 BCE

    Head of an Akkadian Ruler (Sargon of Akkad), Unknown Artist (Akkadian), c. 2250–2200 BCE, copper alloy (bronze), approx. 36 cm high, Iraq Museum, Baghdad

    This sculpture is one of the earliest examples of life-sized metal casting in Mesopotamia and demonstrates the Akkadian interest in realism and idealized authority. The detailed facial features, stylized beard, and confident expression emphasize the ruler’s power and divine right to rule. Its deliberate mutilation in antiquity also reflects political upheaval and the symbolic rejection of royal authority.
  • Stele of Ur-Nammu, Unknown Artist (Akkadian culture), c. 2100–2050 BCE, limestone relief, approx. 2.2 m high, Sulaymaniyah Museum, Iraq
    2050 BCE

    Stele of Ur-Nammu, Unknown Artist (Akkadian culture), c. 2100–2050 BCE, limestone relief, approx. 2.2 m high, Sulaymaniyah Museum, Iraq

    The Stele of Ur-Nammu commemorates the king’s military and legal achievements, showing hierarchical scale and registers to reinforce social order. It illustrates the continuity of royal propaganda from Akkadian traditions, emphasizing divine sanction and authority. Its detailed relief work demonstrates early narrative techniques and the importance of rulers as intermediaries between gods and people.
  • Period: 1900 BCE to 539 BCE

    Babylonian Art Period, c. 1900–539 BCE

    Babylonian art emphasized law, order, and divine justice. Monumental stone sculptures combined text and imagery to communicate authority. Art reinforced the king’s role as a lawgiver chosen by the gods.
  • Stele of Hammurabi, Unknown artist (Babylonian culture), c. 1754 BCE, basalt relief with cuneiform text, approx. 7 ft 4 in tall, Musée du Louvre, Paris
    1754 BCE

    Stele of Hammurabi, Unknown artist (Babylonian culture), c. 1754 BCE, basalt relief with cuneiform text, approx. 7 ft 4 in tall, Musée du Louvre, Paris

    The relief shows Hammurabi receiving authority from the sun god Shamash. The durable basalt material emphasizes permanence and legal order. The combination of image and text reinforces divine justice and centralized power.
  • Burney Relief (Queen of the Night), Unknown Artist (Babylonian culture), c. 1800–1750 BCE, fired clay, approx. 50 cm high, British Museum, London
    1750 BCE

    Burney Relief (Queen of the Night), Unknown Artist (Babylonian culture), c. 1800–1750 BCE, fired clay, approx. 50 cm high, British Museum, London

    The Burney Relief depicts a winged goddess, possibly Lilith or Ishtar, highlighting Babylonian religious beliefs and divine symbolism. Its detailed wings, talons, and headdress reflect the importance of iconography and mythology. The relief’s material and size suggest it was used in a domestic or ritual context, demonstrating how Babylonian art connected everyday life with spiritual power.
  • Period: 1400 BCE to 612 BCE

    Assyrian Art Period, c. 1400–612 BCE

    Assyrian art functioned as political propaganda emphasizing military strength and royal authority. Artists used large-scale stone reliefs and monumental sculpture placed in palaces to intimidate viewers and glorify conquest.
  • Statue of Ashurnasirpal II, Unknown Artist (Assyrian culture), 883–859 BCE, gypsum and alabaster, approx. 2.5 m high, British Museum, London
    859 BCE

    Statue of Ashurnasirpal II, Unknown Artist (Assyrian culture), 883–859 BCE, gypsum and alabaster, approx. 2.5 m high, British Museum, London

    This statue presents King Ashurnasirpal II with a commanding stance, emphasizing authority and royal presence. The monumental scale and carved details communicate power and divine sanction. The work served both ceremonial and propagandistic functions within the palace.
  • Lamassu, Unknown artist (Assyrian culture), c. 720 BCE, limestone sculpture, approx. 13 ft tall, British Museum, London
    720 BCE

    Lamassu, Unknown artist (Assyrian culture), c. 720 BCE, limestone sculpture, approx. 13 ft tall, British Museum, London

    Lamassu figures guarded palace entrances and symbolized protection and power. Their composite form combines strength, intelligence, and divine authority. Monumental scale reinforced intimidation and control.
  • Ashurbanipal Hunting Lions, Unknown Artist (Assyrian culture), c. 645–635 BCE, gypsum relief, approx. 200 × 300 cm, British Museum, London
    635 BCE

    Ashurbanipal Hunting Lions, Unknown Artist (Assyrian culture), c. 645–635 BCE, gypsum relief, approx. 200 × 300 cm, British Museum, London

    This relief depicts King Ashurbanipal hunting lions as a symbol of dominance over chaos and enemies. The detailed anatomy of the lions and the king, along with dynamic motion, demonstrates Assyrian skill in narrative realism. Its placement in palace walls reinforced the king’s power and divine favor.
  • Ishtar Gate, Unknown Artist (Babylonian culture), c. 575 BCE, glazed brick, approx. 14 m high, Pergamon Museum, Berlin
    575 BCE

    Ishtar Gate, Unknown Artist (Babylonian culture), c. 575 BCE, glazed brick, approx. 14 m high, Pergamon Museum, Berlin

    The Ishtar Gate served as a monumental ceremonial entrance to Babylon, decorated with reliefs of dragons, lions, and bulls. Its vibrant blue glazed bricks and repeating motifs symbolized protection and divine favor. This work reflects the Babylonian fusion of architectural scale, decorative technique, and symbolic meaning to glorify the city and king.
  • Period: 550 BCE to 330 BCE

    Persian Art Period, c. 550–330 BCE

    Persian art under the Achaemenid Empire emphasized imperial authority, unity, and the integration of cultural influences from across the empire. Monumental architecture, reliefs, and inscriptions communicated political power, religious sanction, and harmonious governance. Artists often combined styles from conquered regions to create a controlled, symbolic visual language that reflected order and stability.
  • Cyrus Cylinder, Unknown Artist (Achaemenid culture), c. 539–530 BCE, baked clay cylinder, approx. 23 cm long, British Museum, London
    530 BCE

    Cyrus Cylinder, Unknown Artist (Achaemenid culture), c. 539–530 BCE, baked clay cylinder, approx. 23 cm long, British Museum, London

    The Cyrus Cylinder contains inscriptions praising Cyrus the Great and detailing his policies of tolerance and governance. Though small in size, its text and craftsmanship symbolically reinforced the king’s legitimacy and ethical rule. This artifact exemplifies the Persian use of writing and material culture as political and ideological tools.
  • Apadana Reliefs, Unknown artist (Achaemenid culture), c. 500 BCE, limestone relief, Persepolis, Iran
    500 BCE

    Apadana Reliefs, Unknown artist (Achaemenid culture), c. 500 BCE, limestone relief, Persepolis, Iran

    The Apadana Reliefs depict representatives from across the empire bringing tribute in a highly organized procession. The uniform scale, calm gestures, and repetitive patterns emphasize unity, harmony, and peaceful governance. These reliefs demonstrate how Persian art visually reinforced imperial ideology and order.
  • Gate of All Nations, Unknown Artist (Achaemenid culture), c. 480 BCE, glazed brick and stone relief, Persepolis, Iran
    480 BCE

    Gate of All Nations, Unknown Artist (Achaemenid culture), c. 480 BCE, glazed brick and stone relief, Persepolis, Iran

    The Gate of All Nations served as a ceremonial entrance to the city, symbolizing imperial inclusivity and protection. Guardian figures, inspired by Assyrian lamassu, convey strength while the monumental scale reinforces royal authority. Decorative motifs and structural design combine functionality with symbolic representation of power.