Mesopotamia – Chapter 2

Gardner’s Art through the Ages: A Global History, 14th Edition

STUDENT HOMEWORK:
Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia: Crash Course World History #3 (12:05)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sohXPx_XZ6Y
or
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/art-history/ap-art-history/ancient-mediterranean-ap/ancient-
near-east-a/a/introduction-to-the-ancient-near-east
1. Why did people settle in this cradle of civilization?

 White Temple and its Ziggurat

https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-art-history/ancient-mediterranean-ap/ancient-near-
east-a/a/white-temple-and-ziggurat-uruk
2. What is the FUNCTION of a ziggurat?

3. Where does the White Temple get its name?

4. What was found excavated inside the White Temple?

 Statues of Votive Figures

Standing Male Worshipper, c. 2900-2600 B.C.E (4:47) https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=DKMWS9qJ_1U
5. What does it mean to be a “stand-in”?

6. What’s the difference between Egyptian and Sumerian sculpture?

7. What do they say the wide-eyed figure represents?

 Standard of Ur
Standard of Ur from the Royal Tombs at Ur | World history | Khan Academy (8:48)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nok4cBt0V6w
or
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-art-history/ancient-mediterranean-ap/ancient-near-
east-a/a/standard-of-ur-and-other-objects-from-the-royal-graves
8. What do the materials used in the Standard of Ur indicate about these people?

9. What are registers?

10. Specifically how are registers used in the Standard of Ur?

11. What’s happening in this piece of art?

Standard of Ur (quiz) https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ancient-art-civilizations/ancient-

near-east1/sumerian/e/standard-of-ur-quiz

 Stele of Hammurabi
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ancient-art-civilizations/ancient-near-
east1/babylonian/a/hammurabi-the-king-who-made-the-four-quarters-of-the-earth-obedient
Law Code Stele of King Hammurabi, 1792-1750 B.C.E. (3:16)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JO9YxZYd0qY
12. Who was Shamash?

13. How do we know its Shamash?

14. Explain how the material used to make the Code of Hammurabi is relevant to the FUNCTION of
the work.

Law Code of Hammurabi (quiz) https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ancient-art-

civilizations/ancient-near-east1/babylonian/e/law-code-of-hammurabi-quiz

 Lamassu
Lamassu from the citadel of Sargon II (5:08) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GrvBLKaRSI
15. What is the FUNCTION of a Lamassu?

16. How do the FORM and CONTENT of the Lamassu relate to its function?

17. What do you see that’s interesting about the legs of the Lamassu sculpture?

 Ishtar Gate and Throne Room Wall

Ishtar Gate and Processional Way (reconstruction), Babylon, c. 575 B.C.E. (6:49)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2iZ83oIZH0
18. What do the lions along the processional way represent?

19. Who started to rebuild parts of ancient Mesopotamia in recent years?

Ishtar Gate (quiz) https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ancient-art-civilizations/ancient-

near-east1/babylonian/e/ishtar-gate-quiz

 Persepolis
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ancient-art-civilizations/ancient-near-
east1/persian/a/persian-art-an-introduction
20. Why do you think we don’t have more visual information about the art of Persia?

21. What was the FUNCTION of the Apadana?

Capital of a column from the audience hall of the palace of Darius I, Susa, c. 510 B.C.E. (3:57)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjxCTApdX3Q
22. What did the Persians do to emphasize the size or scale of the capitals?

23. What other images of power would a person experience walking through the palace?
Extra Credit:
Mesopotamia - The Sumerians (51:57)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lESEb2-V1Sg
Treasures From The Royal Tombs of Ur - Revised 1999 (19:04) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZS-
Hbyupto
Ancient Mesopotamia Documentary Perplexing 6000 Year Old Discoveries Explained (50:45)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCQ15m8EWhM
The Secret Of Most Powerful Empire (BABYLON) - Ancient History Documentary (47:49)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2Y0f5Xpf2A
FULL DOCUMENTARY Lost Worlds Persepolis (46:23)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzmBSX-5nEA
Forgotten Ancient City (Persepolis): Discovery Civilization (46:23) https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=3coZB_ft9T4
Persian Empire | History channel | BBC Documentary 2015
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q49SxV84qec