Ancient civilizations

Arlie, Anne, Nitika, Mamta

Ancient Civilizations

Paintings found in Chauvet Cave in Southeastern France.-discovered in 1994-minimal use of yellow the paintings and engravings in Chauvet Cave were created using red ochre and black charcoal -they depict animals such as horses rhinoceros, lions buffalos and mammoths

-created as a part of hunting ceremonies or other ritual behaviors.

small stone female figures that have exaggerated bellies, breasts, and pubic areas… Venus (or woman)of Willendorf 4 1/8 in high.

Old Stone Age

These paintings

have minimal use

of yellow; majority

use of red ochre

and black

charcoal. They

depict animals and

no human figures.

Often used as

hunting

ceremonies. They

were discovered in

1994.

Chauvet Cave Paintings

Facial features

are unedifying,

the arms barely

visible and the

feet are missing.

Small stone

female figures

that have

exaggerated

bellies, breasts,

and pubic areas.

Venus (or woman) of Willendorf.

aka Mesolithic Period- the climate warmed and a culture developed that produced are similar in some ways to the cave paintings of the Paleolithic Period.

- cave dwellers moved out of caves and began using rock as shelters

the difference between cave paintings and rock shelter paintings was that rock shelter paintings portrayed human beings, both alone and in groups and there seems to be an emphasis on scenes in which human beings dominate animals.

Middle Stone Age

Portrayed human

beings

Showed humans

dominating

animals

Rock Shelter Paintings

stone megaliths; “great stones”Culture that created these works is termed

“megalithic”-Ex: The Stonehenge; Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire England

-features concentric rings made with sarsen (from of sandstone) stones and smaller “blue stones”- rock native to the region..

-outermost ring is comprised of huge sarsen stones on post and lintel construction – two upright pieces topped with a cross piece or lintel.

New Stone Age

Sarsen Stones

“Blue Stones”

Stonehenge

Two upright

pieces with a

cross piece or

lintel.

The next ring is composed of 5 lintel- topped sarsen stone (weighing up to 50 tons each)

To the northeast is the vertically placed “heel-stone’.

If you stand in the center of the ring and look outward this “heel-stone” marks the point at which the sun rises on the mid summer solstice.

Cont. The New Stone Age: Understanding the Stonehenge

To the northeast

is the vertically

placed “heel-

stone.

If you stand in

the center and

look outward,

this “heel-stone

marks the point

at which the sun

rises on the mid

summer solstice.

Stonehenge

Existing artifacts

have come from

burial chambers,

caves and tombs

where they have

been protected

by being

naturally

concealed.

Cont. New Stone Age

Mesopotamian Civilization / ArtCont. from section one

Arose between

the Tigris and

Euphrates rivers

Developed

writing and art in

a similar style

with Egypt

Lacked natural

barriers which

left them

vulnerable to

invasion

Ancient Mesopotamian Civilization

They created

impressive

sculptures and

buildings.

Religion was a

central aspect of

Sumerians life

and they built

temples (stepped

pyramids calle

ziggurats at the

centers of their

cities.

Sumerians

In 2334 B.C.E. the cities of Sumer came under rule of Akkad ( although they spoke a different language from Sumerians the assimilated Sumerian culture. Akkadian rulers depicted in freestanding and relief sculptures. In 2150 B.C.E. Akkadian rule came to end as Guti ( barbarous mountaineers) invaded and took control.

50 years later the cities of Sumer reasserted control and a Neo-Sumerian ruler was established in the King of Ur.

Akkads

Akkadian rulers

depicted in

freestanding and

relief sculptures.

Akkads

Built at city

centers

Functioned

primarly as

temples but also

served as

administrative

and economic

centers.

Ziggurats

Hammurabi- king of the city state of Babylonian law-Code of Hammurabi; oldest legal code known in its entirety

Best known art work in Louver Museum is related to this code of law: stone stele onto Hammurabi’s code is carved with a sculpture in high relief at the top that depicts the sun god: Shamasha.

Babylonians Civilization

carved with a

sculpture in high

relief at the top

that depicts the

sun god:

Shamasha.

Code of Hammurabi

900 B.C.E. - 600 B.C.E. most powerful civilizations in the near East

Dominated the northartworks are relief carvings: often depicted

battles, sieges, hunts, and other important events

7th century B.C.E. their hold on power weakened, and from 612- 538 B.C.E. Babylonia becomes dominant.

Assyrians

artworks are

relief carvings:

often depicted

battles, sieges,

hunts, and other

important events

Assyrian Artworks

Famous hanging gardens of Babylon we constructed

Gate way to the great ziggurats of the temple of Bel, called the Ishtar Gate, which is considered one of the greatest works of architecture in which figures-in this case animals figures- are super imposed on a walled surface.

Neo-Babylonia Period

Ishtar Gate

Persian ArtPersian Empire (538-330

B.C.E) flourished in what is now present day Iran. The Persians were notable for their impressive architectural achievements, the most important of which was the palace at Persepolis, which was constructed of stone brick and wood and reflects the influence of Egyptian architecture.

Generally dated from 3500B.C.E., beginning with the predynastic period through 332B.C.E when Egypt was conquered by Alexander the Great

Great monuments of Ancient Egypt include: the Sphinx, the great pyramids at Giza, the larger-than-life-sized statues of the pharaohs, and the portrait head of queen Nefertiti

Much of this art emphasizes Hierarchical Scale (which uses the status of figures or objects to determinate their relative sizes within and artwork) as exemplified in the Palette of King Narmer (3150-3125 B.C.E.), a relic from the Old Kingdom (Dynasties III-VI)

Burial customs: dcreeded mummification and entombment with lavish furnishings, symbolic servants, and jewelry, resulted in rich stones of objects and images. Most famous Egyptian tomb: boy king, Tutankamen

Ancient Egyptian Art

Sphinx

Great Pyramids at Giza

Larger-than-life-sized statues of the pharaohs

Portrait head of Queen Nefertiti

This slab of stone

, which may have

been used as a

ceremonial

palette for

mixing

cosmetics,

presents King

Narmer centrally

and is depicted

larger than the

other figures.

Narmer is seen

holding the hair

of a fallen

enemy, with his

arm raised in

preparation to

give a death

blow. The figures

are represented

in “fraction

representation”

Palette of King Narmer

This mask found

in the inner most

layer of the

king’s

Sarcophagus,

rested on the

mummy’s face

and shoulders. It

is made of gold

and is decorated

with blue glass

and semi-

precious stones.

The mask

presents an

idealized portrait

of the young

king.

Tutankhamen

Kingdom of

Nubia lay to the

south of Egypt

and covered a

large area of

Africa.

There was a

period in history

of Egypt when

Nubia ruled the

area and the

Pharaohs of that

ear were Nubian.

Nubian Art

3200-2000 B.C.E.Cyclades, a group of islands in the Aegean Simplified, geometric nude figures from this

area are highly appealing to modern sensibilities

Cycladic culture produced decorated pieces of pottery as well as marble bowls and jars.

Cycladic Art

3200-2000 B.C.E.

NUBIAN ART

Centered around the city of Knossos on CreteThe legend of the Minotaur-the creature believed

to be half man and half bull who devoured those who entered his maze -the maze was actually the royal palace, a sprawling complex that has since been excavated and includes statues of a female snake goddess.

Minoans art created artworks that were characterizes by a naturalistic pictorial style . Their paintings took 2 major forms; frescoes painted on palace walls and pottery designs.

Minoan Culture

Built four major palaces, all completely unfortified and designed in a light flexible and organic style.

Collapse of the Minoan civilization coincided with the pinnacle of Mycenaean, culture was centered around the city of Mycenae on the Greek mainland.

Built elaborate tombs, and their tombs and their burial practices allowed for a large number of objects to be preserved

Objects best known are made of gold and show astonishing levels of mastery in goldsmithing

Skillful in relief sculpture also

Mycenaean Art

Mycenaean Tomb

Other Civilizations

Early Roman art reflected the influence of Etruscan art

2nd century B.C.E many roman artworks were variations of Greek works

Made pioneering advancements in engineering and architecture

Discovery of concrete = major contributions to architecture (constructed huge domed building; and the use of the curved arch to build bridges and aqueducts)

Created relief sculpture primarily for funerary purposes

Roman Art

Seen as a transitions from the ideals of Greece to the realistic concerns of the Romans

Civilization arose in what is now ItalyLargely know for tomb decorationNothing remains of the buildings because they were

made of brick and woodCeramic models depict temples with tilled gabled roofs

supported by columns in the fashion of GreeksArtifacts include: sarcophagus lids and other art forms of

baked clay, and bronzeArtworks done on bright, flat colors and they show

figures playing music and dancing as part of funeral celebrations.

Etruscan Art

Best know art: mosaic work in which small ceramic tiles, pieces of stone, or glass were set into a ground material to create large murals

Largely Christian in contentCan best be studied in the glimmering,

shining mosaic walls of the great churches of Ravenna (in present day Italy)

Built Hagia Sophia (532-537 C.E)

Byzantine and Medieval Art