Assyria

century to the sixth century. The primary function of the statues is not aesthetic. Royally commissioned art during the Neo-Assyrian period was responsible for maintaining and spreading the influence of rulers. They are protectors of the King of Assyria. The figures are deities called Lamassu, tasked with protecting the King from natural or supernatural dangers, while showing the great wealth and power of the ruler. The Lamassu displayed at the MET are dated between 883-859 BCE. This is during…

WHO COULD READ AND WRITE CUNEIFORM? The act of reading and writing in ancient Mesopotamia was believed to be the work of professional scribes who would assist rulers, merchants, and commoners in their daily economic or political activities (Charpin and Todd 2010:8). Some exceptions to this have been accepted by past historians. Several kings of various Mesopotamian kingdoms and empires have claimed to be literate and have composed work of their own (Charpin and Todd 2010:9). One such exception…

The Middle Assyrian Laws concerning adultery were designed to give the people of Assyria a method to handle the adultery justly. The entire point of both the Middle Assyrian Laws and the Law of Moses is justice, or a way to service or repay a wrongdoing in order that right relationship might be achieved. With the texts of the Middle Assyrian Law that is still intact, it is clear to see that even though their society would not have been considered the people of God, there is a common theme in…

The human body has been a mainstay in the art world and its use spans across time and most ever culture. The human form has been used to tell stories, communicate cultural values, and reflect religious beliefs. It can be used to show emotion like happiness, sadness, despair and status such as power, importance, or poverty. The artist may use a realistic form or something morphed or stylistic based on what he is trying to convey to his audience. Whatever the purpose may be, the use of the…

Geographical location and climate play an important part in early civilization’s lives. Based on these two factors, these civilization’s worldviews, religious beliefs, and political structure were influenced greatly. Mesopotamia was located near the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers. This is a very fertile area. Rainfall was minimal in this area, so these people were very dependent on these rivers to supply water for their irrigation systems. Agriculture was a major part in the lives of those in…

Chapter 2 covers the development of human settlement patterns along five river basins. The authors focus on how humans used the environment to sustain larger scale settlements than previously experienced. Please respond to the following discussion question: What were some of the similarities and differences among these river settlements? How do we account for those similarities and differences? What, if anything, stood out to you in this chapter as particularly interesting or surprising?…

How was Mesopotamia able to use all of its cultures to create one civilization? Mesopotamia was located between rivers Tigris and Euphrates as the name states. It was more precisely located in modern-day Iraq. This civilization is also credited for the invention of the wheel and sophisticated weaponry and warfare. Despite all of these characteristics a few stick out. Mesopotamia is a civilization with a variety of cultures and unique religion, sacred writings, and distinct system of laws. The…

Nebuchadnezzar II is well known for building sanctuaries committed to Babylonian divine beings and for changing Babylon, the capital of his domain, into a superb city. The Processional way, which was a noteworthy street utilized for formal parades, was cleared with vast stone pieces and kept running from the waterway to the royal residence complex and the passageway to the city, the Ishtar Gate. The door had four tall towers that spoke to the city's quality, and encompassing the course prompting…

Like most civilizations, Mesopotamia changed in a way that helped the people thrive. After analyzing Tom Standage’s novel, A History of the World in Six Glasses, you can begin to understand the changes. All throughout history, civilizations change; but, there are many traditions that never change. In Mesopotamia, beer became a vital source of everyday life. It played an important role in the economy of Mesopotamia and while these new developments were important, many traditions never changed.…

The work I choose from the museum was a Bearded Bull’s Head from 2600 - 2450 BC. This was from the Sumerian, Early Dynastic III period. The bull’s head is made from copper with lapis lazuli and shell inlay which can be seen in the eyes of the bull. Since this was made from a valuable material it is thought to be used as a lintel over a door since it is too heavy for a piece of furniture. With the age of the object, it has pieces broken off of it such as the beard has only half left on. It’s not…