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Characteristics of art of sculpture of the paleolithic period. Works Cited
Bedworth, Candy, and Candy Bedworth. “Portable Prehistoric Gods and Goddesses.” DailyArt Magazine, 12 Sept. 2024, www.dailyartmagazine.com/mobiliary-prehistoric-gods.
The Venus of Dolní Vestonice, the Oldest Known Ceramic Figurine: History of Information. -
Woolly Mammoth, c. 33 000-35 000 BCE, Vogelherd Cave, Swabian Jura, Urgeschichtliches Museum Blaubeuren, Blauberen, Germany This ivory mammoth carving is one of the oldest in the world, measuring a mere 37mm across! Carvings of animals are a common sight in paleolithic art and demonstrate not only the technical skill of our ancestors, but their reverence for the natural world. -
Venus of Dolní Věstonice, c. 29,000-25,000 BCE, Moravian Basin, Moravské zemské museum, Brno, Czech Republic The Venus of Dolní Věstonice was uncovered in the Moravian basin of Central Europe. It stands as an exemplary instance of a Venus figure both in form but also the purpose these figures might have served. That being to act as charms to promote fertility or even simply to worship the female form. -
Characteristics of art in the neolithic period.
Works Cited
Department of Ancient Near Eastern Art. “Animals in Ancient Near Eastern Art.” The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1 Feb. 2014, www.metmuseum.org/essays/animals-in-ancient-near-eastern-art.
Hongshan culture, pendant in form of a mask, c. 3500–3000 B.C.E. (late Neolithic period), jade (nephrite), 5.7 x 17.2 x .4 cm (Freer Gallery of Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC) -
Neolithic period, Majiayao culture, Jar (Guan), c. 3300–2050 BCE, Ceramic, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, USA. The importance of pottery in early human civilization cannot be overstated. The existence of pottery is the result of the need to store excess food with in an agricultural society. It marks an important lifestyle shift going into the Neolithic age. -
Late Uruk, Mesopotamian Culture, Head of a Ram, c.3500-3100BCE, Ceramic, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, USA.
Unearthed in the ancient Mesopotamian city of Uruk, this highly detailed ram head signals a vital shift in human culture. That being the shift from a nomadic to a sedimentary, agricultural lifestyle here domesticated animals made up an important part of people’s livelihoods. -
Hongshan Culture, Pendant in Form of a Mask, c.3500-3000 BCE, Jade (nephrite), Freer Gallery of Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC Ornate charms are nothing new in the world of prehistoric art, however materials such as jade require advanced techniques and additional efforts in mining and collecting that are not seen in the ivory and stone artifacts of the Paleolithic. -
Examples of Ancient Sumerian art
-Standing Female Worshiper - Sumerian - Early Dynastic IIIa - the Metropolitan Museum of Art. www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/329080.
-Search Our Collections | The Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures of the University of Chicago. isac-idb.uchicago.edu/id/36098fce-449e-4613-9130-4075af42f247. -
Sumerian Culture, Khafajah, Sin Temple IX
Early Dynastic Sumer II-III, ca. 2700-2600 BC, Limestone, Modern Restoration, University of Chicago
This carved plaque perfectly displays how ritual and hierarchy was portrayed in ancient Sumeria. From the servants carrying offerings at the bottom to the nobility positioned at the top seated on thrones. This portrayal of hierarchy is one of the defining features of ancient Sumerian art -
Sumerian Culture, Standing Female Worshiper, 2500-2600 BC, Limestone, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC.
Figurines such as these were a vital part of Sumerian religion and worship. Meant to act as stand ins for the people they depict so that they may worship eternally. -
Sumerian Culture,Ubaid Standing Bull,2500 BC, Copper Alloy, The British Museum.
Bulls were an important animal in Sumerian religion as they were symbol of strength and divinity. Statues such as these were important as their presence in Sumerian temples gives us a window into Sumerian religious practices. -
Prominent art of the Akkad civilization
-Victory Stele of Narām-Sîn · HIST 1039. hist1039-16.omeka.fas.harvard.edu/items/show/9. -
Akkadian Culture,Victory Stele of Narām-Sîn, 2,250 BC, Limestone, Louvre Museum Paris, France.
This artifact is meant to act as a monument to Narām-Sîn victory. To serve as propoganda and intimidation to those he defeated and to exalt himself to the level of the Gods. -
Prominent art of the Babylonian civilization
-German, Senta. “Law Code Stele of King Hammurabi.” Smarthistory, 8 Aug. 2015, smarthistory.org/hammurabi-2/. -
Babylonian culture,Law Code Stele of King Hammurabi,basalt,1792–1750 BC,Musée du Louvre, Paris
As a monument to Hammurabi's rule, this stele bears incredible historical and cultural significance. Not only is it the first written law code in history, but it also served to exault Hammurabi in the eyes of his people by putting him on par with the gods. -
Prominent art of the Assyrian civilization
-Relief Fragment: Assyrian Soldier Conducting Captives Across the Water - Assyrian - Neo-Assyrian - the Metropolitan Museum of Art. www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/322612.
-Human-headed Winged Lion (Lamassu) - Assyrian - Neo-Assyrian - the Metropolitan Museum of Art. www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/322609.
-(Relief Fragment: Assyrian Soldier Conducting Captives Across the Water - Assyrian - Neo-Assyrian - the Metropolitan Museum of Art) -
Assyrian Culture,Human-headed winged lion (lamassu),884-859 BC,Alabaster,the metropolitan museum of art
These lamassu statues stand as spiritual guardians of the sacred temples and palaces of the Assyrian Empire. They demonstrate not just the advancing technical skill of human civilization but also the evolving religious landscape. -
Assyrian culture,Lion-Hunting Scene, King Ashurbanipal,668-631BC,The British Museum
Reliefs were a common way for kings of the past to glorify themselves. In this example, the slaying of a lion is a way to show strength and domination over nature -
Assyrian culture,Relief fragment: Assyrian soldier conducting captives across the water,668–627BC,Alabaster,The Metropolitan Museum
To show their military might, Assyrians and many other cultures would depict themselves conquering and humiliating their enemies. These reliefs served not only as propaganda but as a way for kings to show their power and ruthlessness. -
-“The Achaemenid Persian Empire (550–330 B.C.).” The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1 Oct. 2004, www.metmuseum.org/essays/the-achaemenid-persian-empire-550-330-b-c.
-Getty Museum, www.getty.edu/art/exhibitions/persia/explore.html. -
Persian Culture,Vessel terminating in the forepart of a fantastic leonine creature,500BC,Gold, The Metropolitan Museum
Cups bearing visage of animals are common throughout history. They serve as a display of incredible wealth and opulence. The craftsmanship required to create such pieces has only gotten better throughout the years. -
Relief with a Lion and Bull in Combat, Achaemenid, 359–338 BC, Limestone,Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures Museum
Bulls and Lions were some of the fiercest creatures in Persian culture. To depict the two fighting was to depict the clash of two monstrous forces. -
Persian culture,Relief: two servants bearing food and drink,358–338BC,Limestone,The Metropolitan Museum
In many ancient cultures, drinks were a sacred part of everyday life for both kings and peasants. Reliefs during this time often depicted servants dutifully bringing libations to nobility, as seen here.