Chapter 6, The Ancient Near East, 05 — Transcript

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1. 0:00In the Standard of Ur, we see decoration in registers, or horizontal bands, like we did
2. 0:07in the Warka Vase.
3. 0:09We again see a shared ground line, for soldiers, prisoners of war, horses, chariots, and workers
4. 0:16traveling with agricultural products.
5. 0:20And finally, we see hierarchy of scale.
6. 0:24It's clear here who the most important person on each side is!
7. 0:28Whether standing, as on the War side, or seated, as on the Peace side, one figure is so large
8. 0:35that his head actually breaks the decorative border at the top!
9. 0:40The figures are also shown in composite view, with frontal eyes in profile heads, frontal
10. 0:47shoulders and torsos, and profile legs.
11. 0:51In the top register of the peace side, we have a scene of celebration.
12. 0:56Party-goers sit in chairs, holding goblets, while smaller servants attend to them and
13. 1:02musicians, at the far right, prepare to entertain.
14. 1:05One of them is holding a stringed instrument with an animal's head, very similar to this
15. 1:14one also found buried at the Royal Cemetery.
16. 1:18The gold-covered bull's head; lapis lazuli eyes, hair, and beard; and ornate inlaid decoration
17. 1:26reveal this as a very precious object that fits with this very lavish burial-which, as
18. 1:33your textbook points out-included humans as well.
19. 1:37Pu-abi, the wealthy woman buried here, seems to have been interred not just with precious
20. 1:43objects, but with multiple attendants as well, including, apparently, a musician.
21. 1:52The soundbox of another bull-headed instrument found in the Royal cemetery again shows elaborate
22. 1:59inlaid decoration-with unclear meaning.
23. 2:03We see hybrid human-animal figures, and animals acting like humans.
24. 2:09At the top of the soundbox, a man with stylized features and a distinctive curled beard stands
25. 2:17between two bulls that also bear his face.
26. 2:20This grouping of a man between two beasts is known as a heraldic grouping, and we'll
27. 2:28see it again in later art.
28. 2:30Below this trio, animals walk on their hind legs, apparently carrying food and drink to
29. 2:36a feast.
30. 2:37At the bottom, another hybrid creature seems to have the head and arms of a man, but a
31. 2:43body that curls into a scorpion.
32. 2:47Scholars aren't clear just what these scenes represent, although one plausible idea is
33. 2:53that the creatures inhabit the land of the dead and that there is some funerary significance
34. 2:59here; after all, this instrument was part of a grave treasure.
35. 3:06In any case, it's just one of many image, continuing through this day, showing human-animal
36. 3:12hybridity.
37. 3:14Pu-abi's tomb also included several of these cylinder seals; in fact, that's how scholars
38. 3:21know her name!
39. 3:23These cylinders are often quite small-this one is less than two inches tall-but very
40. 3:29precious objects.
41. 3:30The owner could roll the object across wet clay to leave an impression that would function
42. 3:36as a signature, sealing a document, shipment, or official business.
43. 3:43These were personal objects, and the hole drilled in the center would allow them to
44. 3:50be worn as a bracelet or necklace.
45. 3:53They finest ones were made of expensive material; this one is that deep blue, highly prized,
46. 4:01lapis lazuli.
47. 4:02The decoration is intaglio, meaning it is cut into the stone, in reverse.
48. 4:08When the impression is made, the figures appear in relief.
49. 4:13This tiny object is both functional and luxurious.
50. 4:18Let's move from Sumer to Akkad.
51. 4:22In around 2332 BCE, Sumer, a collection of independent city-states, was united under
52. 4:29the power of great ruler Sargon I, from Akkad.
53. 4:33This centralization of power, through military might, led to a new concept of royalty.
54. 4:41Instead of loyalty to the city-state, we now see loyalty to a king.
55. 4:46The art produced during the Akkadian period tends to celebrate this royal power and military
56. 4:52might.
57. 4:53Here, I'm showing you an artwork called Head of an Akkadian Ruler.
58. 4:58Some scholars believe it may represent Sargon I himself, although that hasn't been proven.
59. 5:06Like the female head from the Inanna temple complex in Uruk, it's life-sized and would
60. 5:12have been one section of a full-body sculpture.
61. 5:16Spend a moment with this artwork.
62. 5:19What do you notice?
63. 5:21What does it communicate?