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28 Cards in this Set
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Reconstruction Drawing of Mammoth-Bone House: Upper Paleolithic Art Humans lived as nomads and used mammoth bones to build their temporary homes. The now extinct mammoth's long and curved tusks made for great roof supports and arched door openings. They used animal hide to cover the bone framework. Most houses had specific space designated for tasks such as working stone making, making clothes or sleeping. All these houses had at least one fire pit or hearth on which food was prepared and tools were fashioned. |
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Lion-Human: Upper Paleolithic Art Human-Animal composite creatures had a very spiritual meaning to the humans in the upper paleolithic era. This may be due to the fact that unlike nowadays, humans used to believe that there was no difference between animals and humans and that they belonged to one common group. This figure was actually not put together until a while until its discovery. That was because researchers didn't know about the importance of human-animal composite creatures at the time and didn't realize that the head and the body were part of the same figure. |
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Woman from Willendorf: Upper Paleolithic Art The form of this figure is heavily exaggerated. This may be due to the fact that wide hips, large breast and a big tummy were all signs of fertility. It is also worth to note that any features that don't represent fertility (such as the arms or the face) are represented very simply or not at all. Also, the feet and legs come to a point. This could be an indication that the figure was meant to be stuck in the ground. |
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Woman from Dolni Vestonice: Upper Paleolithic Art The form of this figure is heavily exaggerated. This may be due to the fact that wide hips, large breast and a big tummy were all signs of fertility. It is also worth to note that any features that don't represent fertility (such as the arms or the face) are represented very simply or not at all. Also, the feet and legs come to a point. This could be an indication that the figure was meant to be stuck in the ground. |
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Wall Painting with Horses, Rhinoceroses and Aurochs: Upper Paleolithic Art It appears that there is no real composition on these walls, which leads to the belief that each animal was painted one at a time and that the actual act of painting the animal was more important than the image that is left behind after. Often features such as horns are heavily exaggerated to communicate what animal one is painting more clearly. Also, mixed perspective was often used to show off certain features such as horns. |
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Hall of Bulls: Upper Paleolithic Art It appears that there is no real composition on these walls, which leads to the belief that each animal was painted one at a time and that the actual act of painting the animal was more important than the image that is left behind after. Often features such as horns are heavily exaggerated to communicate what animal one is painting more clearly. Also mixed perspective was often used to show off certain features such as horns. |
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Bird Headed Man with Bison: Upper Paleolithic Art This is one of the rare cases that a human was depicted in a cave painting during upper paleolithic times. However, it is worth to note that it doesn't appear to be an ordinary human, but has the head of a bird. This may be due to fact that people believed humans to be strongly connected to other animals at the time. |
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Bison: Upper Paleolithic Art It appears that there is no real composition on these walls, which leads to the belief that each animal was painted one at a time and that the actual act of painting the animal was more important than the image that is left behind after. Often features such as horns are heavily exaggerated to communicate what animal one is painting more clearly. Also mixed perspective was often used to show off certain features such as horns. |
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House in Catalhoyuk: Neolithic Art and Architecture Catalhoyuk was one of the first permanent human settlements in the world. The houses were all directly connected to one another so the people used to walk on the roofs to go from one place to the next. Within the houses short walls and ridges were used to distinguish between different areas. some of which were raised with white plaster and textile mats. The entrances to theses houses were generally located on the roofs. |
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Tomb interior with Corbeling and Engraved Stones: Neolithic Art and Architecture Megalithic structures such as this one were often associated with death. Since the building of a structure as large as this one is incredibly work intensive not every one was buried in a place such as this. It is generally assumed that these structures were reserved for the most important members of a group. The fact that there is a passage that leads through it and that there are many engravings along the walls indicates that that this tomb was built with people visiting in mind. |
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Stone Henge: Neolithic Art and Architecture Stonehenge is the most iconic of all megalithic structures and has probably stirred the public's imagination the strongest. This may be due to the mystery around how exactly it was built, as lifting theses gigantic stones seems impossible without machinery. Another thing to note is that many techniques usually used in woodworking were used on the rocks of stonehenge. This could mean that stonehenge exists as a representation of a prior wooden structure. Also the stones that stonehenge was created with don't exist anywhere near where it was constructed, which leads us to believe that they must have had a great meaning to the people who built stonehenge, as otherwise it would seem unreasonable to go through such great lengths to get them. One of the most important details about stonehenge would also be its relationship with the sun, as it is oriented in a way that during the northern summer solstice the sun rises right above stonehenge's heel stone. |
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Figures of a Woman and A Man : Neolithic Art and Architecture What makes these two figures interesting is that, unlike figures from the upper paleolithic area, they have certain facial features, and one can even read and interpret their emotions. |
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Ruins of the anu Ziggurat and White temple of Uruk: Mesopotamian Art and Architecture - Sumerian Ziggurats are large stepped structures with a temple or shrine on top. One theory on why they are raised is that the temple was repeatedly rebuilt on the rubble of the previous one. Another reason it was raised could have been that it is midway between humans and the gods who reside in the sky. Another benefit of raising the temple was that it was protected from flooding. |
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Head of a Woman/Goddess (Warka Head): Mesopotamian Art and Architecture - Sumerian This head is an example of a representation of a god that would be standing in the temple of a ziggurat. The large empty eye sockets are there because the Sumerians believed that one has to make eye contact with the gods in order to honor them. The fact they they are empty leads us to believe that they were filled with semi precious gemstones such as lapis lazuli. The ridge on her eyebrow and on the center of her scalp indicate that there may have been inlays of gold to represent the goddess' hair. |
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Carved Vessel from Uruk: Mesopotamian Art and Architecture - Sumerian On these vessels one can see the classic registers that are so commonly used in Mesopotamian art. Here they are used to represent a re-enactment of the ritual marriage between the goddess Dumuzi, her consort (a role taken by the priest king). It is important to note that the registers are organized in a hierarchical order. At the very bottom there is water, a necessity for all kinds of life, then there are plants, one top of which we have animals. Above the animals there are regular humans and at the very top is the goddess receiving offerings. What is interesting to see here is that humans at this time no longer believe humans and animals to be part of the same group. |
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Twelve Votive Figures: Mesopotamian Art and Architecture - Sumerian These sculptures were representations of people that they put into temples in order to honor the gods even when they couldn't be in the tempe in person. They are very simply dressed and in smaller size in order to humble themselves before the gods. They are also often holding offerings in their hands. Another noteworthy detail is the size of their eye sockets, which are probably the size they are because of the importance people saw in the eye contact between the person and the god as a way of honoring them. |
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Bull Lyre: Mesopotamian Art and Architecture - Sumerian The only part of this Lyre that was found was the head of the bull and the front panel, the wood had deteriorated long before. The interesting thing about the bull is that it wears a beard. Bearded bulls were one of the symbols of spirituality in Sumerian times. The front panel is filled with four different registers within each of which there are animals performing human tasks or human- animal composite creatures. This is interesting because even though Sumerians believe humans to be above all other animals, they still find a spiritual value in them. |
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Cylinder Seal and its modern Impression: Mesopotamian Art and Architecture - Sumerian These Cylinder Seal were a very purposeful piece of art. They were used to imprint a positive of their negative carvings on slabs of clay. The dried slabs of clay were then placed into packages in a way that if anyone were to exchange the goods within them or open them prematurely they would break. All of these cylinders were unique so that one couldn't replace the clay slab if one were to the broken the slab. This was a way to unsure no one would interfere with the delivery of goods and to identify who sent it. One made imprints with these cylinders by putting them on a fitted stick with which they were easily rollable. |
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Nana Ziggurat of Ur: Mesopotamian Art and Architecture - Sumerian This Ziggurat, unlike most other Ziggurats, is not a result of constant rebuilding of past temples, but was originally built to be the size it was. There are three very large staircases leading up to its temple at the top. The act of walking up these massive staircases was a representation of walking up to the heavens to meet the gods halfway. |
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Votive Statue of Gudea: Mesopotamian Art and Architecture - Sumerian The ruler Gudea built and restored many temples and following mesopotamian tradition also placed a votive statue of himself in each one of them. He was usually represented wearing a simple garments, wearing a simple crown and holding a cup which has water flowing out of it in two streams, each filled with leaping fish. His statures are also only around 2 and a half feet tall which makes him seem peaceful and humble, yet powerful and strong, a leader worthy of divine favor. |
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Head of an Akkadian Ruler: Mesopotamian Art and Architecture - Akkadian This life sized bronze head is probably a representation of the ideal Akkadian male rather than a representation of a specific individual. The curling beard and elaborately braided hair indicate royalty and ideal male appearance. The head has also been deliberately damaged arounds its eyes and its ears which was probably a symbolical mutilation that wasn't meant to take away the heads power by taking away its ability to hear and see. |
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Stele of Naramsin: Mesopotamian Art and Architecture - Akkadian This stele was created in order to communicate and celebrate the political achievements of the Akkadian ruler Naram-sin. One can see that Naram-sin is larger than any other figure, this is a symbol that he is the most import. Another important aspect of this stele is Naram-sin's headwear. The horns he is wearing are usually a symbol for gods, so by wearing them is claiming semi divine status. There are also two symbols of gods above him which symbolize the god's support for him. |
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Stella of Hamurabi: Mesopotamian Art and Architecture - Babylonian This stele has all the kingdoms laws written on it. These include from how one should punish a criminal (usually an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth) up to how to determine what piece of land belongs to whom. At the very top of the stele we see the babylonian ruler Hamurabi talking to Shamash, the sun god and god of justice. Hamurabi is wearing simple clothing and holds his hand before his mouth(a way of showing respect that will continue to be used in art for many centuries). He also appears smaller than the god all in order to show respect to Shamash. The reason he is up there with Shamash is to tell the people that he didn't just make up these laws, but that Shamash himself instructed Hamurabi to invoke and enforce these laws. |
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Assunasirpal II Killing Lions: Mesopotamian Art and Architecture - Assyrian This scene represents a ceremonial hunt in which the king, in this case Assunasirpal II, stands in a chariot pulled by galloping horses and attempts to kill a lion with his bow and arrow. All this is done with armed servants that serve as protection for the king. The interesting thing about this piece is that one can really feel the emotion of the dramatic involvement in this scene. |
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Citadel and Palace of Sargon II: Mesopotamian Art and Architecture - Assyrian The Palace of Argon stood on a raised platform that was 40 feet high. This is a great demonstration of art being used as a political tool. |
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Enemies crossing the Euphrates to escape Assyrian Archers: Mesopotamian Art and Architecture - Assyrian This Scene is a celebration of a Assyrian invasion. The Assyrian archers on the left have their bows drawn and are ready to continue to fight. The Swimmers were taken by surprise as they're still trying to blow up their flotation devices, which were made of animal hide. The ruler on the enemy castle is notably smaller than the Assyrian archers and also only watches in shock, without drawing his bow. The two comrades of the swimmers also simply raised their hands in shock and terror of the invasion. |
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Guardian Figures at Gate a of the Citadel of Sargon II: Mesopotamian Art and Architecture - Assyrian The Guardian figures known as Lamassus are gigantic composite creatures, being made up of a bearded man, the body of a lion or bull, the wings of an eagle and the headdress of a god. One interesting thing to note is that they appear to have five legs. This is due to the fact that one is meant to see both their front legs from the front, and all four of their legs while looking at them from the side. |
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Assurbanipal and his Queen in the garden: Mesopotamian Art and Architecture - Assyrian At first this composition seems unusually peaceful. The king has his weapons laid aside, and his necklace hung over his couch, as servants are coming over to bring him some food. However, as the severed head hanging at the top left of the image indicates, this domestic tranquil is actually a victory celebration. |
