Oldest art - Paleolithic (Africa)

Apollo 11 Cave, Namibia

ca. 23,000 BCE

stone - burned charcoal mark?

twisted perspective

animal symbolism - religious, symbolic meaning?

Oldest sculpture - Paleolithic (Germany)

Mammoth tusk

Human with feline head, Hohlenstein-Stadel

ca. 30,000-2800 BCE

twisted perspective, composite view, in the round

subtractive sculpture

Nude woman (aka Venus of Willdendorf)

Paleolithic (Austria)

ca. 28,000-25,0000 BCE

fertillity? women and animals depicted

subtractive sculpture, in the round - curves emphasized

Paleolithic (Spain)

Bison, detail of ceiling in Altamira cave

ca. 12,000-11,000 BCE

animal iconography and symbolism

color added - more detailed, twisted perspective

blood, charcoal?

Paleolithic (France)
Hall of the Bulls, Lascaux, Dordone

ca. 15,000-13,000 BCE

hunter vs. prey

bull revered, biggest animal vs. horses and more

stampede, water season?

on an axis, more depth, color, twisted perspective

Earliest civilization

site of first fortified town

Neolithic (Jericho) Stone tower

ca. 8000 – 7000 BCE

elevated, on an axis - first city - most advanced

Neoltihic (Jericho)

Human skull

ca 7000-6000 BCE

wall decoration(?)

sea shell in eyes

person of importance, religious significance

Neolithic (Turkey)

Catal Huyuk landscape

ca. 6150 BCE

first landscape(?)

composite view

color, elevated, on an axis

Neolithic (England)

Stonhenge

ca. 2550-1600 BCE

Worship(?), solar calender(?), observatory(?)

posts (vertical) and lintel (horizontal)

compass?

heel stone??

Sumerian (Iraq)

White Temple and ziggurat

Uruk, ca 3200-3000 BCE

God of Anu(?) - god of sky

Gilgamesh's home

only foundation & temple

Sumerian (Iraq)

Female Head,Uruk

ca 3200-3000 BCE

Inana(?), goddess of war

religious function

First subtractive sculpture

imported stone = trade in city-state

Sumerian (Iraq)

Statuettes from Tempe at Eshnunna, Iraq

ca. 2700 BCE

worshippers, citizens(?)

First statue of regular people

Sumerian (Syria)

Seated Urnanshe, Ishtar temple

ca. 2600-2500 BCE

precious stone material - shell & lapis lazuli eyes

"musician/singer"

Sumerian (Iraq)

Soundbox of the lyre, Ur

ca. 2600 BCE

early harp form

song, dance, wine, offerings - animal motif still, in proportion

along an axis

heraldic composition, monochromatic colors, composite view

religious ceremony

Akkadian (Iraq)

Head of ruler, Nineveh

ca. 2250-2200 BCE

 earliest form of monarchy, earliest cast bronze sculpture

realism/naturalistic (face) - more stylized = pattern (beard/headpiece)

Akkadian's used cuneaform language - similar to Hebrew & Arabic

beard = crown (most detailed and complex)

eyes had jewels in them

Mesopotamia

Neo-Sumerian (Iraq) ziggurat, Ur

ca.2100 BCE

Sumerians took over Akkadians

Neo-Sumarian - city-state with ruler

most preserved - Neo-Sumerian rulers added on, rebulit by other people like Suddan Hussian

dedicated to Nana, moon god

Tablets, figures at each center - each point faces all corners like a compass

on an axis, elevated, clay

Neo-Sumerian (Iraq)

Seated Gudea, Girsu

ca. 2100 BCE

 Guden - ruler of Gursa

similar to Sumerian sculpture

composite body, more detailed, seated, writing on skirt

book on lap - temple plans

architectural director sculputre

diorite - precious stone

city-state - independent communual living

Babylonian (IIran)

Stele Hammurabi, Susa

ca 1780 BCE

 stele - large stone inscription

Hammarabi's code - Hammarabi in front of sun god, Chumash

sun god giving power to hammarabi to enact his judgement

on an axis, elevated, bas-relief

Babylon city

Hitite (Turkey)

Lion Gate

ca 1400 BCE

 Hittites take over Babylon

lion gate - made own city walls

lions - guardian beats - prevelant in near-eastern style

bas-relief, on an axis,

Assyrian (Iraq)

Lamassu

ca 720-705 BCE

 Assyrians took over

guardian gate keeper - winged, human-headed bull - five feet

limestone

composite view, on an axis

conceptual representation vs. realistic one

Assyrian (Iraq)

Asurbanipal Hunt

ca. 645-640 BCE

 bas-relief sculpture

lions vs. hunters - trashing Hittites? (lion was guardian beast)

subtractive sculpture

king had lions in cages - lions hunt for fun

symbol of king of man dominating king of animals

humans depicted with animals

Neo-Babylonian (Iraq)

Ishtar Gate

CA 575 BCE

 Babylon re-established

king Neberkanezer

gate of goddess Ishtar

glazed bricks seperately, bas-relief sculpture - brick  by brick pieced together

dragons, bulls, lion

Persian (Iran)

Palace of Darius I

ca. 521-465 BCE