Lapis lazuli

massive snake, with a body overlaid in gold and eyebrows of lapis lazuli, appears. The snake asks, “who brought you, who brought you, fellow, who brought you” (212-213)? The snake threatens the narrator for not answering and then carries the narrator back to where the snake lives. Again, the snake proceeds to ask who brought the narrator three times again. The narrator then explains his journey, repeating much of what was said earlier in the story. The snake tells the narrator to not be afraid and explains that a god let the narrator…

gain resources, and increase government power. After all of the suffering and violence, we eventually resolve back to harmony and concord, and this is a cycle that will continue on throughout human existence. The ancient Sumerian art piece Standard of Ur and Banksy’s modern painting Soldiers Painting Peace are both artistic representations of this theme of war and peace. In appearance, these images have minimal correlation amongst each other, but a closer observation into the art may give the…

the master is nervous about reporting to the king since the voyage was not successful. However, the narrator reassures him that the expedition was not all in vain as the entire crew returned safely. The narrator begins talking about a tale of his own failed voyage. The narrator’s story tells of how a massive wave strikes his ship and causes it to sink. The narrator was the only one of the crew to survive the disaster and a wave carries him to an island. When shipwrecked sailor, the narrator,…

jewelry and regalia was usually blue and gold. Synthetic pigments were used to produce dyes and pigments. Blue is associated with the sky, water, prime-evil waters and the heavens. It signified the Nile River and all of it’s associated offerings, fertility, and crops. The inundation of the Nile which was an annual reminder or re-enactment of the watery origins of the world. The annual flood of the Nile was symbolic of life and rebirth bringing fertility to the land. Blue also symbolized things…

The warm tones from the gold and the cool tones from the lapis lazuli compliment each other to create a visually appealing piece. The gold used to construct the bull’s head varies from a rich bronze tone in the darker areas to a white gold in the areas where the light is reflected. The lapis lazuli is a deep blue stone, which adds emphasis to the bull’s features. The lapis lazuli ranges from a black with a blue undertone, to a royal blue, all the way up the spectrum to a pale baby blue depending…

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…

This valuable historical relic is now well-preserved in the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. The lyre was created between c. 2600 BCE and c. 2500 BCE during the Sumerian Period. It was discovered in a royal tomb from an ancient Mesopotamian city named Ur and its contemporary location is Muqaiyir, Iraq. The lyre looks like an ancient harp and was used to perform music. Before excavated by Woolly, it was placed beside a woman who was buried with a royal figure.…

In the year 576 BCE the Babylonian King, Nebuchadnezzar commissioned his builders to construct and design a monumental gate on the outskirts of the city. The gate was situated at the main entrance to the promenade, north of the city’s border to the temple of Marduk, chief God of Mesopotamian. The monument was dedicated and named after Ishtar, the Babylonian Goddess of; love, fertility, war and sex. (Wikipedia) If thou openest not the gate to let me enter, I will break the door, I will…

As of now held at the Museum of Archeology and Anthropology at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, this Bull-headed Lyre with Sound Box conveys a special angle to Sumerian craftsmanship. This lyre was found in the "Lord's Grave" of the Royal Cemetery of Ur, this divided instrument's creation is evaluated to be around 2,600 BCE. The lyre itself comprises of wood yet the unshaven bull's head, which covers the sound box, is involved gold and lapis lazuli, a semiprecious stone. The sound…

The Epic Gilgamesh has various repeating lines throughout; these lines allude to the theme of the story and provide deeper meaning to otherwise vague lines. Throughout this epic, the inevitability of death is a prominent theme. This theme leads characters to seek out an approach to life that will leave them with an eternal legacy. The repetition of verses provides a window into Gilgamesh’s change of view on life from the beginning to the end of this epic. In this essay we will examine the…