Different aspects of ancient

civilization
❖ Art
❖ Architecture
❖ Religion
❖ Writing seals / cylinder seals
❖ Economy
Art of Mesopotamian
• Art played a key role in Mesopotamian culture.
• Many forms of art had been crafted by the most skilled, all lending a
hand to help better understand the Mesopotamian people.
• Religion was one key influence present in near all Mesopotamian
artwork.
• Statues of gods were crafted from stone had been present
throughout the rooms of the Ziggurat temples.
• The last but most economically effective form of art produced by
Mesopotamians, were their miscellaneous items such as chairs,
pottery, and jewelry produced.
• The Sumerian people impacted Mesopotamian culture by their
craftsman ship producing beautiful crafts such as pottery.
• Items such as these became very popular within the towns people,
and became useful for trade with others.
Art of Mesopotamian

• Another important form of art, had been the mosaics painted by the
Mesopotamians.
• Frescoes had detailed the walls of Ziggurat temples, depicting many
religious gods.
• Pictures of daily life and achievements in battle had been painted by
the Assyrian people, showing pride in this form of art.
Art of Mesopotamian: Potters
• The most common material for Mesopotamian artists was clay.
• Clay was used for pottery, monumental buildings, and tablets used to
record history and legends.
• The Mesopotamians developed their skills in pottery over thousands of
years.
• At first they used their hands to make simple pots.
• Later they learned how to use a potter's wheel.
• They also used high temperature ovens to harden the clay.
• They learned how to make different shapes, glazes, and patterns. Soon
their pottery turned into works of art.
Art of Mesopotamian: Artisans
• Artisans played an important role in the culture of the Mesopotamian
people.
• They made every day useful items like dishes, pots, clothing, baskets, boats,
and weapons.
• They also created works of art meant to glorify the gods and the king

•Art of Mesopotamian : Jewelers

• Fine jewelry was a status symbol in Ancient Mesopotamia.
• Both men and women wore jewelry.
• Jewelers used fine gemstones, silver, and gold to make intricate designs.
• They made all sorts of jewelry including necklaces, earrings, and bracelets.
Art of Mesopotamian: Metal smiths

• Around 3000 BC the metal workers of Mesopotamia

learned how to make bronze by mixing tin and copper.
• They would melt the metal at very high temperatures
and then poor it into mounds to make all sorts of
items including tools, weapons, and sculptures.
Art of Mesopotamian: Stone Masons
• Some of the best surviving work of Mesopotamian art and
craftsmanship was carved by stonemasons.
• They carved everything from large sculptures to small
detailed reliefs.
• Most of the sculptures had religious or historical
significance.
• They were usually of the gods or the king. They also carved
small detailed cylinder stones that were used as seals.
• These seals were quite small because they were used as
signatures.
• They were also quite detailed so they couldn't be easily
copied.
 Art of Mesopotamian: Carpenters
• Carpenters were important craftsmen in Ancient
Mesopotamia.
• The most important items were made with imported wood
such as cedar wood from Lebanon.
• They built palaces for the kings using cedar.
• They also constructed chariots for war and ships to travel
on the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers.
• Many fine pieces of wooden craftsmanship were decorated
with inlays.
• They would take small pieces of glass, gems, shells, and
metal to make beautiful and shiny decorations on items
like furniture, religious pieces, and musical instruments.
Interesting Facts about Mesopotamian Art

• Sumerian sculptures of men usually had long beards and

wide open eyes.
• In the wealthier cities, even the gates to the city became
works of art. One example of this is the Ishtar Gate of
Babylon built by King Nebuchadnezzar II. It is covered with
colorful glazed bricks showing designs and pictures of
animals.
• Pottery and sculptures were often painted.
• A lot of Sumerian jewelry was recovered from the Royal
Tombs of Ur.
• Sumerian artisans also learned how to make glass about
3500 BC.
 Architecture of Mesopotamian

• Various forms of architecture had been constructed

throughout Mesopotamia, each made for a specific
reason, ranging from religious purpose to protection from
outsiders.
• Materials such as mud brick, stone, wood, and red brick
has been a common use when constructing any form of
architecture.
• Many of these constructed building didn't just come into
existence over night.
Architecture of Mesopotamian
• Due to many discovers founded by archeologist, it is
presumed that some Mesopotamian structures took upon 3-
5 years for completion, with a near 2,000 men.
• One form of Architecture constructed was the Ziggurat, tall
tower constructed for religious purposes.
• These towers were one of the first forms of architecture
created by the Mesopotamians, and were also home to the
priest and high status officials and usually dedicated to a
specific god in Mesopotamian religion.
Architecture of Mesopotamian
• The towers were constructed at such a large elevation, for
protection from floods, and to practice religious ceremony
on the shrines located at the very top.
• Each Ziggurat was interconnected with other buildings to
form a "complex" like form of building, a court yard usually
resided in the center of these complexes.
• Homes in the Mesopotamian civilization were constructed
with a very basic architecture.
• These buildings were small, mainly consisting of a centered
square living areas, and added on rooms surrounding the
center living area
Architecture of Mesopotamian
• Another form of housing architecture in Mesopotamia were
palaces.
• These forms of housing were made for the most important
citizens in Mesopotamian cities, representing how much
power the owner held to its name.
• These large homes had beautiful decoration, and were
some of the tallest buildings in the city.
• These much like the Ziggurats, also were considered
complexes due to how large and interconnected the
building was.
Architecture of Mesopotamian
• The Final form of architecture present in Babylonian cities, were its
defensive walls.
• With the geological location of the Mesopotamians allowing for
common attacks from outsiders, city protections was needed.
• These walls stood tall above the ground, and had many defensive
towers connected within it.

Architecture of Mesopotamian
• The most important surviving architectural remains from Mesopotamia
are, in rough chronological order:
1. the temple complexes at Uruk (4th Millennium BCE);
2. the temples and palaces of Khafajah and Tell Asmar in the Diyala
River valley, dating to the Early Dynastic period;
3. the Sanctuary of Enlil at Nippur, and the Sanctuary of Nanna at Ur;
Architecture of Mesopotamian
1. the Middle Bronze Age towns of Alalakh, Aleppo, Ebla,
Mari, and Kultepe;
2. the Late Bronze Age palaces at Ashur, Bogazkoy, Nuzi and
Ugarit;
3. Iron Age palaces and temples at Nimrud, Khorsabad,
Nineveh (Assyria), Babylon (Babylonia), Tushpa/Van
Kalesi, Cavustepe, Ayanis, Armavir, Erebuni, Bastam
(Urartian), Karkamis, Tell Halaf and Karatepe. Greek
Architecture (900-27 BCE).
Famous Architectural Works in Mesopotamia
• White Temple at Uruk, Iraq (3200-3000 BCE)
• Ziggurat at Sialk, Iran (2900 BCE)
• Ziggurat at Ur (c.2113-2096 BCE)
• Ziggurat of Agargouf, Iraq (c.1500 BCE)
• Assyrian City of Ashur, Iraq (1400-900 BCE)
• Choqa Zanbil Ziggurat, Susa (1250 BCE)
• Palace of Ashur-Nasir-Pal II at Nimrud, Iraq (879 BCE)
• Nergal Gate at Nineveh (c.700 BCE)
• Etemenanki Ziggurat at Babylon (605-562 BCE)
• Ishtar Gate, Babylon (c.600 BCE)
• Tomb of Cyrus the Great, Pasargadae (c.530 BCE)