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"The land between two rivers"
[Tigris and Euphrates]

The Sumerian, the Akkadian, the Assyrian and the Babylonian cultures.

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Sumer - One of the earliest civilizations

Created the first written language known as Cuneiform

Because of their development as a civilization, huge advancements in architecture were made.

[Wheel, arches, ramps, furniture, math]

Art in Sumer is divided among:

Ritual Objects

Objects of State

Personal Objects

Not naturalistic figures exaggerated according to conventions
Large eyes
Relief Sculptures
Hieratic Scale (size shows social rank)

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Sargan of Akkad leads an army and conquers the Sumerian cities. The king goes on to conquer southern Mesopotamia and lead military expeditions to conquer further east and north.
Art heavily focused on the kings of the dynasty. Sumerian art continued and further developed. Little architecture remains. In large works and small ones such as seals.

...the degree of realism was considerably increased, but the seals show a "grim world of cruel conflict, of danger and uncertainty..."

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Votive Statues of Tell Asmar
(Hieratic scale, large eyes)
King, Wife, worshipers praying for fertility

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Standard of Ur
War//Peace
Soldiers in a battle leading prisoners to the king
King holding banquet while commoners bring him gifts of livestock, produce and manufactured goods

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Ram Caught in a Thicket
Is actually a goat, wood, gold, lapiz lazuli

Life and Energy

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Sumer

gold

lapis

clay

wood

Akkad

interesting reliefs

very fine fragmentary life-size figures in stone and copper

Beautiful cylinder seals

potters, jewelers, metalsmiths, carpenters, stone masons

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The Neo-Sumerian period is considered a golden age of Mesopotamian history.
Code of Ur-Nammu is created.

...invokes the deities for Ur-Nammu's kingship, Nanna and Utu, and decrees "equity in the land".

Hammurabi's Code
1. If a man commits a murder, that man must be killed.
2. If a man commits a robbery, he will be killed.
3. If a man commits a kidnapping, he is to be imprisoned and pay 15 shekels of silver.
4. If a slave marries a slave, and that slave is set free, he does not leave the household.
5. If a slave marries a native (i.e. free) person, he/she is to hand the firstborn son over to his owner.

During the Neo-Sumerian Period, temples began to be placed on top of ziggurats, man made mountains.
Levels of elevation and staging were typical elements of ziggurats. The Ziggurat of Ur was built in dedication to the moon god, the patron deity of the city.

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Factors that contributed to Mesopotamian Art

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Factors that contributed to Mesopotamian Art

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Sociopolotics - Glorification of military prowess

Organized Religion - Notable architecture was primarily religious buildings. All sculpture served religious purposes.

Natural Environment - Resource limitations on architecture and art -Terra-Cotta, brickwork