...The first image is a photograph of the Lamassu statue found in the Palace of Assyrnipal II in Nimrud, Iraq. This is from the Assyrian Empire and was created in the 9th century BCE. The Lamassu was a protective deity in Assyrian culture with anthropomorphic and zoomorphic features. The Lamassu is made up of the wings of an eagle, the body/legs of a bull, and the head of a man. Continuing with traditions of ancient Mesopotamia, the man’s head wears a long rectangular beard similar to previous votive figures. In addition, the Lamassu wears a hat made out of stacked horns, a hat that sun god Eshnuna in Babylonian culture has also been portrayed wearing. Similar to other Assyrian works such as Assyrnipal II Killing Lions; fine attention to detail and a focus on the muscular anatomy of the bull or lion is present. Also similar to Assyrnipal II Killing Lions, the use of shallow perspective is used as the Lamassu’s four legs are portrayed from the side, creating 5 legs when seen at certain angles. The second image is a photograph of a prehistoric Paleolithic work known as the lion man statue. Another zoomorphic work, this statue combines a man’s body with the head of a lion. This work dates back roughly to 40,000 BCE, belonging to a hunter-gatherer society. Some archeologists have speculated that this work may reflect practices of ancient medicine men or shaman. Clearly a prehistoric work, no form of writing can be seen anywhere on the statue. The lion-man is clearly worn by time as...
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...2/23/2013 Sumerian Cuneiform tablet: Date: ca. 16th–15th century B.C. Accession Number: 41.160.187 Material: Clay Media: In the late fourth and third milleniums B.C., people called Sumerians began to develop a writing system called “cuneiform”(wedge shaped), written on wet clay with a sharpened stick or stylus. A series of pictures (pictograms) were used to record information. Human-Headed Bison Date: ca. 2080 B.C. Accession Number: 1996.353 Material: Stone Media: This creature, known as kusarikku and associated with the son god Shamash, wears the horned headdress of a divinity. The sculpture is dedicated to the goddess Nanshe for the life of the Sumerian ruler Ur-Ningirsu. Uruk Kneeling Bull Holding a Spouted Vessel Date: ca. 3100–2900 B.C. Accession Number: 66.173 Material: Silver Media: A small silver bull usually clothed in a garment decorated with a stepped pattern and holding a spouted vessel. The large neck meets human shoulders that taper into arms that end as...
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...Mesopotamia, an ancient Greek term meaning “the land between rivers”, is considered to be the cradle of civilization because this is where we find the origins of agriculture, written language, and cities. It was known as the land between two rivers, the Tigris to the north and the Euphrates to the south. Rains were seasonal in this area, which meant that the land flooded in the winter and spring and water was scarce at other times. Farming in the region depended on irrigation from the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. In ancient times, many resources in Mesopotamia were scarce or absent, which stimulated trade within the region and beyond. Supported by lucrative trade with its neighbors, Mesopotamia grew to become a powerful empire. Life in Mesopotamia Prehistory The settlement of humans in the Near East began with the movement of Homo erectus off the African continent roughly 2 million years ago during the Paleolithic period. Over the course of several thousand years, Homo erectus spread rapidly throughout the Near East and then into Europe and Southeast Asia. The first three phases of the Paleolithic period (Lower, Middle, and Upper) extend from roughly 2.5 million years BC through 14,000 BC. Each phase is defined by changes in human habitat, stone tool technology, and diet. During most of that time, humans lived in open-air campsites and in small natural caves. They hunted wild animals and fished, gathered wild plants, and wandered over a large geographic area. During...
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...Division of Fine Arts, Speech and Commercial Music Northwest College ARTS 1303 – Art History I CRN 42838 – Spring 2015 SPBR Campus - Room 602 / 8:00-9:30am / T,R Credit:3 / 3 hour lecture course / 48 hours per semester Course length : 16 weeks/ Type of Instruction Traditional (Face-to-Face) Instructor: David Swaim Instructor Contact Information: Email: david.swaim@hccs.edu Phone: (713) 718-5674 Due to changes in the state core curriculum this syllabus is subject to change!!!! Office location and hours SPBR room AD4 hours: 7:15-8:00 am and as per class discussion Please feel free to contact me concerning any problems that you are experiencing in this course. You do not need to wait until you have difficulties or have received a poor grade before asking for my assistance. Your performance in my class is very important to me. I am available to hear your concerns and just to discuss course topics. Feel free to come by my office anytime during these hours. Course Description This course is a global investigation of the styles and methods of artistic production covering Prehistoric through Gothic periods. Media studied include: drawing, painting, sculpture, architecture, printmaking, textiles, ceramics, and metal arts. Using this framework, universal themes are studied within their historical, political, economic, theological, sociological, and ethnic contexts. Prerequisites Must be placed into college-level reading and college-level writing Academic...
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