Waterworn Pebble

Magapanskat Valley, South Africa

Jasperite, 2", 3 million years old, Paleolithic

Earliest art?-Recognition of something that appears to be something else. Was not carved, occured naturally, but was found 20 miles from where it naturally occurred, in habitation cave. Could indicate someone preferred it for its face-like appearance.

Venus of Willendorf (Nude Woman)

Limestone, Willendorf, Austria 4" found in 1908, Paleolithic

I still think it's fertility, but the world is so damn PC these days that it could be anything. The choice about what to accentuate on the body does show acknowledgement of femininity. Fits in the hand, meant to be Personal. Had traces of red pigment on it.

Woman Holding a Bison Horn

Laussel, Dordogne, France, ca. 25000–20000 BCE. Painted limestone, 18” high, Paleolithic

Oldest known relief- Carved at entrance to rock shelter, much more public figure, visible to those using the shelter and those just walking by. Also had traces of red pigment, also faceless.

Two Bison

Le Tuc d'Audoubert, Ariège, France, ca. 15000-10000 B.C. Clay, 2" long each, Paleolithic

Enhancing pre-existing cave rock. Used clay to build up and add shape. Largest Paleolithic sculptures known. 3D adds realism- living, breathing animal. Takes advantage of natural forms

Spotted Horses and Negative Handprints

At largest, 11'2" 22000 BCE, Pech Merle Lot, France, Paleolithic

Negative handprint as signature of artist. One of those things that would be purely speculation, so we don't know what the purpose of the horses is, but could be deliniation between fake horse, real artist, or power of rigual animals. Can't reach top of painting standing on ground. Choising locations relevant to choice of subject (horse's head)

Hall of Bulls

Lascaux, France, Largest point is 11'6", 15,000-30,000 BCE, Paleolithic

Begin hundreds of feet from cave entrance. All profile, some silhouette, some outline. Twisted Perspective, composite view. Considered descriptive approach (vs. optical) because it isn't the most realistic, but gives the most information. Share a common groundline.

Rhinocerous, Wounded Man, and Bison

Lascaux, France, 15,000 BCE, Paleolithic

First representation of a human (very male). Effort to show story, narrative. Thought that rhino may be different artist entirely. Also, Atlatl, not broken stick.

Great Stone Tower

Jericho, 8,000-7,000 BCE, Neolithic

Built into settlement walls, some 5 ft thick, 13 ft tall. First known permanent stone fortifications. Keep people in or out, indicates the concepts of Us and Them. Group-built, which shows alliances, Greater Collective Good.

Landscape with Volcanic Eruption

Catal Hoyuk, Anatolia, 6150 BC

Shows town and twin mountain peaks in the background. First depiction of solely landscape or place. Surprisingly accurate.

Stonehenge

Salisbury, England. Diameter of 97 ft. Stones interior trilathons, 24 ft. tall+lintel= 30 ft tall, Neolithic

Built over the course of about 1000 years. Megalithic, which are almost exclusively found in GB. Many of the holes around the outside hold cremated remains. Solar/Lunar alignment- calendar. Heel stone at exact point sun rises at summer solstice. Posts weigh 50+ tons each.

White Temple and Ziggurat at Uruk

Mud brick- no stone or marble. 3200-3000 BCE, Temple 40 ft above street level

Stairways do not lead straight up, but have bent-access-approach, around sides. Dedicated to Anu (sky god). Place of worship for just some, restricted for nobility or priests. Aligned to cardinal points. Reflects belief that divinities reside above us.

Female Head (Inanna?)

Uruk, Sumerian, White Marble, life-size, 3200-3000 BCE

Marble makes it a luxury item. Would have been polished and inlaid originally and had a wig. Inanna was goddess of Love and War. Could be her, or a priestess.

Warka Vase, Uruk, Iraq, Sumerian. 3200-3000 BCE. Alabaster, 3 ft tall.

First great work of narrative relief sculpture. Also in Inanna district, makes an attempt at story. Divided into figural bands called Registers. Common ground line. Twisted perspective, composite view. Hierarchy of scale.

Statuettes of Worshippers

Temple at Eshnunna, Iraq, Sumerian, 2700 BCE

Inlaid Gypsum, Male is 2ft, 6in.

Come from cache found at temple at Eshnunna. Represent mortals, humble, reverent. Most have similar gestures, statures, some held beakers of offerings. Woman had small child next to her. Cuneiform at the base of statue gives name of donor, or god to whom sacrifice is being make. Exaggerated eyes- in awe of a god.

Standard of Ur

Royal Cemetary, Ur, Iraq, 2600 BCE, Inlaid with shell, wood. 8" tall, 1'7" wide. Hollow inside.

Divided into registers. Left to right, bottom to top. War side, and Peace side. Introduces the concept of good as beautiful and organized, and bad as disordered, chaotic, and ugly.

Bull-headed Lyre

Royal cemetary, Ur, Iraq, Sumerian, 2600 BCE, Wood with inlaid lapis and gold. 5 ft. tall, decoration for front of soundbox is about 1 ft. tall.

Head wood gilt with gold, inlaid with lapis. Odd composite creatures performing human tasks. First occurance of attribution of human actions to animals. Heraldic composition= stingle standing vertical element flanked by symmetrical elements. Seen in top panel.

Banquet Scene Cylinder Seal and Impression

Royal Cemetary Ur, Iraq, Sumerian, 2600 BCE. Lapis, 2" tall.

Left a raised impression, used to mark or identify objects and seal. Often used as a signature. The one we studied belongs to Pu-Abi. You can tell it's her because of hierarchy of scale. Or at least, it was found in her tomb. Would have been carried on the body.

Victory Stele of Naram Sinh

Susa, Iran, 2254 BCE-2218 BCE. Pink Sandstone, 6'7" tall. Akkadian

Used to commemorate his defeat of the Lullabi people (mountainous people). He is shown ascending the parallels of a ziggurat, no use of registers, can be seen through hierarchy of scale, wears "horned helmet of divinity." Not just a mortal ruler, but now the first example of god-like king.

Stele with Law Code of Hammurabi

Found in Susa, but not made there. Iran, Babylonian, 1780 BCE. 7'4" Black Basalt

Whole thing coated in cuneiform. Historical document in addition to law, serves as basis for all Western roman law. Language is Akkadian, King Hammurabi and Shamash at top. Shamash hands symbol of power to Hammurabi, measuring rod and coiled rope. Instruments which construct and build- one who builds society. Shamash handed down these laws, 282 separate laws, 3500 laws of text.

Lamassu

Citadel of Sargon II, Iraq, Assyria, Limestone, 13'10", 720-705 BCE

Wears "horned helmet of divinity," wears typical beard of kings of that period. Protective deity in form of winged bull or lion with human head. Head= intelligence, body= power, wings= swiftness or speed. Apotopaic- warding off evil. Not three dimensional. High relief, double aspect. View from front and side, there are really 5 legs. Often have cuneiform in spaces.

Ashurbanipal Hunting Lions

Ninevah, Iraq, Assyrian, Stone, about 6 ft high, 645-640 BCE

In spite of its title Ashurbanipal is actually just riding in the chariot, and his slaves are killing the lions. Images of dying animals are heartbreaking to us but to them is showed the power of the king. Enemy portrayed as strong and noble, to show king as even better. Impressive library. Was contained hunting match.

Ishtar Gate

Babylon, Iraq, Neo-Babylonian, 35 ft tall, 575 BCE Glazed brick

Main entrance into city, to Ishtar, who was a morph of Inan. Crenelated or Battlemented top. The bricks weren't flat, were made specifically for the designs they would create, fired in bright colors, mostly blue. Had ambling amimals.

Persepolis, Royal Audience Hall, Iran, Persian, 521-465 BCE

Built on a high plateau, highly fortified, destroyed by Alexander the great in 330 BCE. Apadana= raised royal audience hall, reached by raised staircase. Styles of Egyptian, Assyrian, and Ancient Greek= blending of styles.

Processional Frieze, Royal Audience Hall, Iran, Persian, 521-465 BCE

Images show that people came willingly, depict people realistically and amicably. Bring gifts to represent nations. High relief, finely detailed, still comoposite view. Sharing of ideas in the area.

Palette of Narmer

Slate, Hierakonopolis, Egypt, 3000-2920 BCE, 2ft, 1in tall

Kin Narmer begings Old Kingdom, unification between Upper (Southern) and Lower (Upper) Egypt. The palette is a scaled-up representation of an everyday object used to mix kohl. This was a ceremonial version of it. Hathor- cow-headed Goddess protects Pharaoh. Wears crown of Upper Egypt and subdues Lower Egypt, and then wears crown of Lower Egypt and subdues Upper Egypt. Pharaoh is divine, wears bull's tail.

Stepped Pyramid of Djoser, Imhotep architect

Saqqara, Lower Egypt. 2630-2611 BCE, 200 ft tall

First recorded name of artist/architect. One of oldest stone structures in Egypt. A bunch of Mastabas on top of each other. Burial chamber for this subterranean. Saqqara is necropolis. Stands at center of mortuary precinct as place for worshippers to respect the dead. Corridor is earliest example of columns- Not fluted, though. Must have originally been made of reeds, then mimicked that with stone.

Great Pyramids

Giza, Old Kingdom, Fourth Dynasty, Limestone and Granite, 2550-2450 BCE

1. Khufu- Oldest, largest, 137m, 2 mill stones, 13 acres, 2550 BCE

2. Khafre- Son of Khufu, second largest, easiest to recognize, looks tallest, has capstone. Associated with Sphynx

3. Menkaure- smaller, Khafre's son, 2450 BCE, 1/10 size of Khufu's.

Each stone= 2.5 tonnes. Not built by slaves- evidence of work camps. Buiral chamber is now inside the monument, vs. below it. Maze-like, and there were many false chambers to trick people. Were painted, aligned true north, line up with Orion's belt.

Great Sphinx of Giza

Old Kingdom, part of Khafre valley temple, 2520-2494 BCE, 250ft long, 65 ft tall

Face seems to be clearly that of Khafre. Head of human, body of lion. Protector and guardian to Khafre's complex. Divine wisdom of Khafre. Faces due east, carved from living rock. Probably was painted. Has been abandoned and dug out many times.

Khafre, seated

Giza, Diorite, 2520-2494 BCE, 5'6" seated

Sculpture of the Pharaoh less about actual appearance than idealized representation. Diorite imported from far away to be premanent, unbreakable. Immortal, because he was supposed to be a god. Holding something in his right hand, no one knows what it is. Horus, in hawk form, behind he head. Wears Nemes and false beard.

Menkaure and Wife

Giza, Old Kingdom, 2490-2472 BCE, Stone, Left-Leg Advanced

Both stiff, bilaterally summetrical, have mystery objects in hands. Stoic, she wears a wig and he traditional pharonic dress. Intended to be set against a wall, not in the round, traces of paint found.

Seated Scribe

From his mastaba at Saqqara, Egypt, Old Kingdom, 1'9", Painted limestone, 2500 BCE

Scribe named Kay. He was obviously rich enough and had enough status (scribes were respected) to commission this sculpture. Very realistic, because he wasn't important like a pharaoh.

Ti watching a Hippopotamus Hunt

Ti's Mastaba, Saqqara, Old Kingdom, 2450-2350 BCE, Painted stone relief, 4ft tall, divided into registers

He was royal hairdresser and overseer of the cattle and poultry. Well-preserved tomb, so well known. Stands in leg-advanced, composite view. Servants are hunting and they are realistic because they're unimportant, while he is idealized and much larger (hierarchy of scale).

Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut

el Bahri, Upper Egypt, New Kingdom, 1473-1458 BCE, Stone, many stories tall

Female pharaoh, first, or at least first well known. Patron of Arts, and daughter, wife, and mother of a pharaoh. Served for 20 years. Thutmose destroyed any depictions of her after the fact. Was referred to as "he", wore traditional dress including beard, and was lovers with senmut, her architect. Complex in its time was brightly painted, irrigated, and planted. Meant to show her as divine and powerful.

Hatshepsut with Offering Jars

From Mortuary Temple, New Kingdom, 8'6" without base, 1473-1458 BCE

Female pharaoh, first, or at least first well known. Patron of Arts, and daughter, wife, and mother of a pharaoh. Served for 20 years. Thutmose destroyed any depictions of her after the fact. Was referred to as "he", wore traditional dress including beard.

Fowling Scene from Tomb of Nebamun

Thebes, New Kingdom, 1400-1350 BCE, Fresco.

This was a wet fresco. Nebamun was a scribe and counter of grain, so he was able to commission this. "This is Nebamun enjoying his eternal afterlife." Still composite, but he is much more active, hunting. Cat as well, seems lucky and happy. See poses and family structure not depicted before.

Akhenaten, Portrait sculpture

Temple of Aten, New Kingdom 1353-1335 BCE, Sandstone, lifesize

You know basically everything about Akhenaten, but for this test, remember that the art changed along with his regime, he looked feminine, and it went back when he was assassinated.

Nefertiti bust

Thutmose, New Kingdom, Tel-el-amarna 1'8", 1353-1335 BCE, Painted Limestone

"The Beautiful One is Here". She was his wife, has elongated neck and face. Fairly naturalistic, but idealized to an extent. Every image of her is consistent, some people theorize that this was a teaching model. Poets liken her to a lotus or papyrus blossom (big flower, little stem)

Akhenaten Nefertiti, and three Daughters

Limestone, Sunken relief, New Kingdom, Tel-el-amarna, 1353-1335 BCE. 12" Square.

Uniquely intimate portrayal of Pharaoh and family. That + size indicates that this was probably a private image. Rarely see children in art, and never see females as babies in Egypt (not valuable). All sit beneath Aten and enjoy his rays, some of which end in Ankhs.

Death Mask of Tutankhamen

Thebes, New Kingdom, 1323 BCE, Gold and Inlay, 1'9", Lapis, Carnelian, other semi-precious

Idealized portrayal of boy-king. Or at least a bit, he was only 18 when he died.  Seems he wasn't killed, but died of a leg wound. One of the best-known pharaohs because tomb was best preserved. Tombs like nesting dolls. Son or grandsom of Akhenaten. Cobra and Vulture on Nemes as symbols of North and South Egypt.

Painted Chest from Tut's tomb

Wood, painted, New Kingdom, 1323 BCE

Shown as sphynxes, riding in chariot, defeating enemies. Artistic style is somewhat reminiscent of the Amarna period. Young and beautiful boy.

Ramses II

Mortuary Temple Complex, Abu Simbel, 1290-1224 BCE Sandstone- carved from living rock, figures 65 ft tall

Ramses the Great was the last great warrior pharaoh of Egypt. He ruled for almost 75 years. He was probably the one the Israelites escaped from. Hierarchy of scale means he's more important than the sun god. Faces east, and twice a year the sun shines through the door and illuminates the temple of the gods. Inside there are Statues of Ramses as Osiris, which are pillars.

Last Judgment of Hu Nefer

Hu Nefer's tomb near Thebes, New Kingdom, 1290-1280 BCE, 1'6" tall, Painted papyrus

Scribe to Set I, this painting shows him passing through his trials to get into the underworld.

Female Figurine

Syros, Cycladic, 2500-2300 BCE, Marble, 18" tall

The islands were made from marble, so those were their materials. Carved in shallow 3D, simple and modern. Did not stand, was found in graves. There were male statues, Female statues and Musician statues and they were intermixed. (Female statues in male graves, etc.)

Male Lyre-Player

Keros, Cycladic, 2700-2500 BCE, Marble, 9" tall

Musician statue- More elaborate than male and female just because he has an instrument and chair. Instrument has imbellishment on the front which many scholars seem to agree was probably a duck head. This seems to show some cross cultural beliefs about putting animal heads on instruments.

Aerial View, Palace at Knossos

Crete, Minoan, 1700-1400 BCE

Building of large-scale temple complexes with plumbing, bathtubs, expansive storage, and gorgeous, painted walls. Luxury. Also story of Minotaur and Labrynth, whatever.

Stairwell, Palace of Knossos

Crete, Minoan, 1700-1400 BCE

Originally made of wood, and had a subtle taper from the top of the column to the bottom. Often painted black and red and had a "cushioned" top. Supported these open stairways, again luxury and riches.

Minoan Woman (La Parisienne)

Palace at Knossos, Crete, Minoan, 1450-1400 BCE, Fresco

Was once much larger fresco. Shows stict profile portrait (but still frontal view eye) with her hair done up. She has on a unique dress with lined fabric and something unidentified on her back

Bull-leaping

Palace at Knossos, Crete, Minoan, Fresco

Has border- which means that it was meant to be decorative, not to represent something real. Females on either side of the bull (lighter, because they were always inside, unlike the males). Bull has an amazing sense of motion. This scene is depicted everywhere in this time period, so maybe it was a real event. Splotches are the real bits of fresco.

Corbeled Wall

Tiryns, Mycene, cyclopian stone, 1400-1200 BCE

Cyclopian stone means mortar-less. Held only by their own weight an positioning (cantileavered in to create pressure to stay together). One of the first examples of such, pointed arch.

Snake Goddess

Palace at Knossos, Crete, Minoan, 1700-1400, Faience- Glossy, glazed earthenware

There are many of these. The one we were shown is from 1600. May not necessarily be goddesses, but since they hold snakes, they're not your average girl. They have curvy figures and small wastes and big, exposed breasts. No free-standing temples separate from Palace- found within palace.  

Lion's Gate

Entrace to Myceaen complex, 1300-1250 BCE, Limestone, Cyclopian, corbeled stone. Panel is 9'6"

Built on a hilltop, surrounded by walls, clearly a defensive structure. Lintel weighs over 20 tonnes, Monolithic post and lintel. Corbeled above to create pointed vault. Relieving triange- uses shape and organization of stones to relieve weight from the lintel. Relief itself is thinner and lighter. No mortar still.

Relief itself has two lions flanking a Minoan column in Heraldic composition. Lions heads are gone, could have been those of men= composite creatures. Not much is known.

Treasury of Atrius, 1300-1250 BCE, Myceaen, 43ft high, 45ft diameter, Beehive shaped tomb

Neither a Treasury nor did it belong to Atrius. Was a circular tomb=Tholos, led up to by the Dromos, the stone was cyclopian, had the post and lintel, stones were cantileavered in to basically become a big dome. This is one of the first examples of this ever. Was, of course, probably painted in its day, and the whole thing was then covered by a mound of dirt.

Funerary Mask (of Agamemnon)

Grave Circle A, Myceaen, Gold, 1600-1500 BCE

Found over the face of one of the men in Grave Circle A (19 wealthy men, women, and children buried in stone-lined graves). Only the men had masks, and these masks were made by pushing out on the gold foil, rather than the opposite. First example of Greek art attempting to do life-sized representations of real people. Gold imported from Egypt, some elements of realism, though still stylized. (See Agamemnon's fat friend)

Inlaid Dagger Blade with Lion Hunt

Mycene, Greece, Grave Circle A, 1600-1500 BCE, Inlaid gold, silver, with niello- black paste to fill in space. 9" long.

Lion hunt, boys wear the same hairstyle as Minoan youths- sharing of culture, but also shows Greek tendency to have remarkable use of space.