Chapter 2 - Ancient Near East

LEARN ABOUT IT:

• 2.1 Investigate a series of conventions for the portrayal of human figures through the history of the ancient Near East.
• 2.2 Explore the development of visual narrative to tell stories of gods, heroes, and rulers in sculpted reliefs.
• 2.3 Survey the various ways rulers in the ancient Near East expressed their power in portraits, historical narrative, and great palace complexes.
• 2.4 Evaluate the way modern archaeologists have laid the groundwork for the art-historical interpretation of the ancient cultures of the Near East.

IMAGES (be able to identify these images by title, date, medium, and culture of origin - if in situ, specific location as well)

2-1 Stele of Naram-Sin
2-3 Head of a Woman
2-4 Carved Vessel
2-5 Twelve Votive Figures
2-7/8 Great Lyre with Bull's Head/Front Panel
2-10 Cylinder Seal
2-14 Votive Figure of Gudea
2-15 Stele of Hammurabi
2-22 Ishtar Gate

You should be familiar enough with other images presented in the text and lectures, so as to be able to support explanations of attribution and physical, formal, iconographical, and contextual analysis.

VOCABULARY

• hierarchic (hieratic) scale
  
• polytheism/monotheism 
  
• cuneiform 
  
• realism vs abstraction 
  
• stylization (form of abstraction with specific conventions)
  
• bas relief (low)
  
• alto relief (high)
  
• anthropomorphic
  
• ziggurat 
  
• votive figure 
  
• composite animals - hybrid
  
• composite perspective - figures 
  
• ​inlaid
  
• register
• ground line
• incised
• cylinder seal
• stele
• composition
• frieze