Midterm IDs Flashcards
(38 cards)
Paleolithic Art
Chauvet Cave, France, 30,000 BCE
Significance:
They indicated motion of the animals using the 3D shape to the walls, flickering lantern lights, and multiple limbs/horns to give a sense of power and strength to the animals that may have had some spiritual significance (as they were not the animals frequently hunted). Overlapping images dated years apart show that this cite was repeatedly visited, possibly for some ceremonial or spiritual purpose as the cave was not a place Paleolithic humans lived.
Paleolithic Art
Woman of Willendorf, Austria, 24,000-22,000 BCE
Material: Oolitic Limestone
Significance: Small figurine likely meant to be handled or carried (cannot stand on its own). The figurine has no facial features and limited limb definition, but large breasts and prominent vulva and naval take center stage as well as sagging skin and decorated headdress or braided hair. The focus on female anatomy could denote fertility or accumulation of wisdom since the figure is aged.
Early Settled Communities:
Ancestor Skull, Jericho, Jordan Valley, ca. 7000 -6500 BCE
Material: Plaster, Human Skull, cowrie-shell inlay
Significance: Suggests a possible ceremony with dead ancestors as the skulls were removed from their graves, ‘refleshed’ with plaster, decorated with rare shells, and then placed back in their grave cites. Bodies were buried in graves under the house, and this along with the potential ceremony with the disembodied skull suggests a close relationship with the dead, or at least a strong importance on the deceased.
Early Settled Communities:
Wall Painting from Çatalhöyük, Turkey, 6400-6200 BCE.
Material: Used materials of the animals they were depicting as extra decorations
Significance: Similar to ancient cave painting, the art of Çatalhöyük expressed the power and strength of animals, which can be seen with the difference in size between the main creature (perhaps a red deer, the main food source) and the people around it who seem to be baiting or chasing it. One of the early examples of humans interacting with animals.
Art of Early Africa: The Highlands of the Sahara
Elephant Relief, Messak Settafet, Libya, 7500-5000 BCE
Significance: Incised into the rock is a petroglyph in the Large Wild Fauna Style, which were large examples carved by early African artists. This elephant is extremely realistic, with accurate folds of the ears and skin. This attention to detail as long as the large amount of time it would have taken to carve these huge petroglyphs (this one is around 1/2 the size of an actual elephant!) indicate that these animals were incredibly important to the artist. The unexplained object coming out of the rear of the elephant could be excrement, which could point to this pieces being used to celebrate or bring about a successful hunt for which the poop would be used to track the animal (though most think this is a symbol of some kind and not a physical object)
Art of Early Africa: The Highlands of the Sahara
Scene of cattle with men, women, and children, Tassili n’Ajjer, Algeria, ca. 5000-2000 BCE
Material: Pigment bound with milk
Significance: This is an example of a Pastoralist style scene, which came about in the settlements that first domesticated cattle. The scene is very relaxed, with the children included (which are some of the first children found in this type of art) playing peacefully around the adults and cattle. The pigments used in this piece were bound with cow’s milk, likely adding to the focus on these animal and the importance they had to these peoples lives.
Amanitore and Natakamani on the entrance of the temple of Apedemak, Naqa, Sudan. Nubian, Meroitic Period ca. 50 BCE
Materials: Stone relief
Significance: Showing King Natakamani and Queen Amanitore in poses of military victory on the entrance to the temple for a war god. They hold the hair of many enemies while their other hand holds a weapon ready to strike and execute their prisoners. Shows military success as well as the strength of the rulers.
Southern Mesopotamian Art: Early Dynastic Period
Votive figures from the Temple of Abu, Eshnunna, Tell Asmar Iraq 2750-2600 BCE.
Materials: Gypsum, limestone, and alabaster with inlayed eyes of precious materials (lapis lazuli, shell, black limestone)
Significance: found buried under the waiting room floor where the cult statue would have been placed, indicates that these could have been used as stand ins of the people who commissioned them in eternal worship of their cult god. The ever open, wide eyes and clasped hands ready to hold libation cups also show this theme of eternal worship, though the eyes that were inlaid w/ luxury materials could also symbolize the gods eyes that constantly watch you.
Royal Standard of Ur, Royal Tombs of Ur, Tell el-Muqayyar, Iraq, 2550-2400 BCE
Materials: Wood inlaid with shell, lapis lazuli, red limestone, and bitumen
Significance: While called a standard (which would have been a ceremonial banner), it is unknown what exact purpose this artifact may have had. The different sides show early examples of pictorial narrative through the separate registers, or layers, with specific scenes depicted. One side shows scenes of a battle with enemies being beaten by an army lead by a leader as seen by his hierarchical scale. The other side depicts a feast with a procession with offerings for a leader as well as musical instruments being played. Both of these narratives show of the strength, power, and leadership that the main leader wields.
Head of an Akkadian Ruler, Temple of ishtar, Nineveh, Akkadian Period, ca. 2250-2220 BCE
Materials: Copper alloy with previously inlaid eyes of precious stone
Significance: This image of kingship shows strength and power with the strong facial features, while also showing what kind of ruler he was, with a calm and serene expression with an almost smiling mouth. His eyes would have been made of a precious material, but they have been gouged out, possibly in protest of his rule. Show dedicated realistic features and 1st example of intricate wax copper casting technique which shows the Akkadians technological prowess
Seated Statue of Gudea, ruler of Lagash, dedicated to the god Ningishzida, Girsu (Tello, Iraq) ca. 2120 BCE
Material: Diorite
Significance: The many statues depicting Gudea, the ruler of Lagash, all depict him as a peaceful and pious man, with simple clothes, folded hands, and bare feet all depicting his devout nature. His expression is calm and serene, and while his entire image is rather simple to share his piousness, his exposed upper arm shows his strength with well defined muscles. He is seated on a simple throne, and covered in inscriptions which share his devout and pious nature to the god Ningishzida or ningirsu, though much of the inscription lauds his feats and accomplishments in the name of Ningirsu. The statue itself is made of diorite, which was not particularly precious monetarily but was incredibly long lasting and polished to give a sense of Gudea’s legacy eternally persevering.
Art of West Asian Empires: Babylon (Mesopotamia)
Law Stele of Hammurabi, ca. 1760 BCE, originally installed in Babylon, but excavated in Susu (Iran)
Material: Black Basalt
Significance: Illustrates the importance of justice for Mesopotamian Kingship, with this large (7 ft) stele being displayed publicly with inscribed laws written in cuniform surrounding the base. The top of the stele has a low relief depiction of Hammurabi interacting with a seated depiction of the sun god of justice, Shamash. Shamash is handing Hammurabi rod and ring, which is a symbol of royal power. This interaction between god and ruler gives credence to Hammurabi’s authority to rule and dispense justice.
Art of West Asian Empires: Neo-Assyrian Empire
Colossus winged lion (lamassu) that guarded a portal in the Northwest Palace of Ashurnasirpal II at Kalhu, ca. 879 BCE
Material: Gypsum
Significance: Large portals that connected the major throne room to the main ceremonial courtyard, and served as imposing and powerful-looking guards. The lamassu’s depicted are mythical creatures with human heads, lion bodies, and eagle wings, and inscriptions on the base of the structure connect their mythos with the construction of the palace to act as protectors and as ‘fittingly imposing’. The beasts are carved in such a way that allows them to be seen from multiple sides, with ‘5’ legs, two in the front that show a strong standing creature, and 3 more from the side that show a prowling motion. This would have given them an appearance of movement to anyone walking past them through the portals.
Art of West Asian Empires: Neo-Assyrian Empire
Lion Hunt of Ashurbanipal, from the North Palace, Nineveh (new capital of Neo-Assyrian Empire), ca. 645-635 BCE
Materials: Gypsum
Significance: This low relief image from an orthostat (upright standing stone slab) shows a scene from a one of King Ashurbanipal’s lion hunts, which showed his strength and power over one of the most impressive animals that represented royalty and kingship. This showed a shift towards narrative scenes instead of static scenes. The King is outfitted in royal garb and jewelry and accompanied by a servant who seems to have dealt the initial blow to the lion with his bow and arrow. The lion itself is depicted as extremely muscular and strong, with defined muscles and large teeth, though its wounds are also depicted showing its pain. This image shows the strength of the king, as he is besting this powerful creature with his hand around its throat, stopping it from killing him and stabbing him through the heart.
Art of West Asian Empires: Neo-Babylonian Empire
Ishtar Gate of Babylon, 605-562 BCE
Materials: Glazed Brick
Significance: Included low relief depictions of mythical creatures such as mushussu (lion legs, snake body, horned head) and other dieties against a beautiful blue background. This level of detail and color was a feat of engineering, as it was huge and was a key entrance into the city of babylon. The gate played a major part in the akitu festival, which held a procession where the people of the city carried the statue of Marduk, the city’s god, out side of the city to a seperate temple, and then back in through the gates after 12 days. The city was highly at risk while Marduk’s statue was removed, but the ceremony of removing and returning the statue was a way of ‘re-uping’ the protections placed on the city. His return brought the return of social and political order after the ‘limbo’ the city was placed in during his absence.
Art of West Asian Empires: The Achaemenid Empire
The Apadana building at Persepolis (new imperial city) ~450 BCE
Material: stone relief
Significance: This relief uses separate registers to depict processions from different subjected territories bringing offerings to the Persian Ruler, which is a fitting decoration to have on the apadana building, which was the largest building in Persepolis and functioned as an audience hall where the Persian emperor received dignitaries and guests. The different groups can be identified by their clothing and animals, the Bactrians with camels on top, the Lydians with special headdresses to the left, and the center leading oxen were the Gandharans. The depictions represent the diverse nature of the empire as well as the subjection of these different peoples to the Persian State.
Egyptian Art: Predynastic Nile Valley
The Narmer palette, excavated at the sacred enclosure of Horus, Hierakonopolis, Egypt, ca. 3000 BCE
Material: Graywacke
Significance: Dedicated to Narmer, the legendary king who united lower and upper Egypt. Found in a temple to Horus with other offerings to the god, this palette (designed like the palettes used to mix pigments, but much to heavy to likely be actually used) depicts two serpopards (mythical hybrid of serpent and leopard) with intertwined necks which symbolize the unification of Egypt. Both sides are covered in low relief images and hieroglyphs, including the kings name written at the top, a further indication of kingship. Actual images of the king also cover both sides, with one wearing the white crown of upper Egypt holding a ceremonial mace ready to strike a captive under Horus’ (the falcon god of kingship) watchful gaze. The other side depicts Namer wearing the red crown of lower egypt and is surrounded by the headless corpses of his enemies. The violent depictions would have been used to signify Namer’s power and intimidate the viewer.
Egyptian Art: Old Kingdom - Fourth Dynasty
The Pyramids at Giza, Egypt, pyramid of Menkaure in the foreground, great pyramid of Khafre in the middle, and Khufu’s is on the right. 2589-2503 BCE:
Materials: Stone covered in fine white limestone
Significance: The main remaining monuments from the funerary complexes of these 4th dynasty rulers, which would have originally been connected through a causeway to the valley temples near the river where the king’s bodies would have been brought by boat to their final resting places. The pyramids contain the rulers’ tombs in deep underground caverns. These were meant to allow for the rebirth of the rulers and showed the power as well as technical prowess of the egyptian state through their sheer size and engineering.
Egyptian Art: Old Kingdom - Fourth Dynasty
Statue of Khafre as the enthroned king, 2558-2532 BCE
Material: Anorthosite Gneiss (represented the nile river with its patterns)
Significance: Found in Khafre’s valley temple, this statue was one of many that was said to be able to hold his spirit. He is depicted with Horus around his head, wings protectively wrapped around him symbolizing the god’s protection of the king. The symbols of royalty included in many Egyptian pieces are included, such as the ceremonial kilt, linen headdress, and false beard that were reserved for royalty. Under his throne there are depictions of ‘sema tawy’, intertwined lotus and papyrus plants which signify the unification of Egypt. His youthful idealized body symbolize his strength while his calm piercing gaze symbolizes eternity and permanence.
Egyptian Art: New Kingdom
Hatshepsut’s Funerary Complex, Dier el-Bahari, Egypt, ca. 1473-1458 BCE
Material: carved into the mountains with stepped levels which mirrored the mountains behind
Significance: Funerary complex with causeway lined with sphinx connected to the nile like with earlier Egyptian rulers. Reliefs depict scenes shower her military accomplishments, and central statue of her mummified and wearing the royal false beard as well as the combined crowns of upper and lower Egypt, connecting her to royalty and Osiris and rebirth. Foliage played a key role, with frankincense and myrrh trees lining the first court,
Egyptian Art: New Kingdom (Amarna period aka Akhetaten’s rule)
Stele of Akhetaten, Nefertiti, and children from Akhetaten (Tell el-Amarna Egypt), 1352-1336 BCE.
Materials: Limestone with painted sunken relief
Significance: Signify the radical changes in visual culture of religion that Akhetaten brought by replacing the god Amun-Ra with the sun god Aten, with Akhetaten the sole intermediary instead of a multitude of dieties. Aten is represented above the royal family with his rays extending out the symbol for eternal life (ankh). This daily scene of the royal family was found in an elite’s home, which could signify the wish of Akhetaten to disseminate his new religious changes.
Egyptian Art: New Kingdom
Inner Coffin of Tutankhamen, from his tomb in the Valley of the Kings, ca. 1327
Material: Gold with colored ceramic and semi-precious stone inlay
Significance: One of the most well-known tombs not because it was all that impressive (it was actually smaller and less opulent than most) but because it was incredibly intact, meaning it hadn’t been looted or destroyed by the elements so it gave a good picture of the funerary practices and contents of the tombs. This inner coffin was within the many layered sarcophogus, and has royal imagery such as the nemes headdress, false beard and flail w/ crook. The wings depicted on the side are protective goddess’s wings and a goddess of the underworld rests in serpent form on his forehead, indicating a connection of royalty and divinity as well as death.
Art of Early East Asia: Shang Culture
Ceremonial Ax (Yue) from the tomb of fu Hao, Anyang, Henan, China ca. 1200 BCE
Material: Bronze
Significance: Symmetry highlighted by twin abstracted tigers seemingly swallowing a naturalistic human head, possibly representation of the function of the ax in ritual decapitation. There is also written language depicting Fu Hao’s (the owner’s) name, which was impressive at this time since written language was reserved for royalty and had ties to divination, ritual, and power.
Art of Early East Asia: Eastern Zhou Period
Rack of Bells from the tomb of Marquis of Yi of Zeng, Suixian, Hubei China. 433 BCE
Material: Laquered wood stands holding Bronze bells
Significance: The wide range of sizes and ways to play each bell leads to the significance of music. Sacred music was used to enact literal harmony to reflect peace in a time of war.
