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    33 views77 pages

    The British Museum Guide

    Uploaded by

    Kacper Machowski

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
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    of 77
    ‘The Ancient Near East ‘The area known today asthe ancient Near East stretches over most ofthe modem Middle East covering the Gul tates an, rag, Syria, Jordan, sae Palestinian ‘erties Lebanon and Turkey The Syrian and Arabian deserts en the cane ofthis region and people edn ancient times ‘a no within the so-called Festile Crescent. where an or Fives provide ‘enough water to survive. The Tis and Eupivates rivers form the south-eastern part ofthis crescent, rein known as “Mesopota. The rest of the fertile zone ‘extends orth-nest towards the southern coast of Turkey also known as Anatolia The cascent then curves south long the east coat of the Mediteranean Sea into the scea known a the Levant. ‘The fist signs of clisation appeared within the Fertile Crescent, Around ‘Toacec the Neolithic period was marked by the esrly domestication of arimals ‘and plants and the setting of population groups into permanent agicultural com munities. Later came the manufacturing of pottery which gradually developed Into a sophisticated technology, 2 is demonstrated by the pot from Susa iusrated here, From the late Neolithic onwards, trade in rare goods became more widespreaé so thet by the onset of Urbanisation. atrial such as ops Lazu obsidian and bitumen were beng traded ‘over large distances By 35c0sc, the mining, smltng and working of metals had been mastered, and it can be argued that the worlds next major technological innovation did not occur until plastic was inverted, Shortly before jo0oee, the ist ties emerged in Mesopotamia, Population groups became larger, and frameworks such a social stratification and craft specialisation emerged. Fach ty operated asa small state wih its on ruler. ist, power seems to have been vested within rotary Neolithic termples Hence the rulers of city-states in the ancient land of Sues, now southern Iraq, were religious figures During this period there was an expansion nrth- ‘wards in order to procure materia such as stone, wood and metal ore that were scarce inthe south The finds for the city of Tel Brak in north-east Syria show evidence forthe aval of peoples from southern Mesopotamia. The local inhabl tants nevertheless maintained ther customs and identity, sis shown by their distinctive Eye dol igurines Secular contol emerged gradually within the clty-states of Mesopotamia, and atwough religious institutions remained important, kings rule instead on es Gee ae 6000. 000 of piets. Archeological excaations undertaken by SirLeonard Wooley atthe city of Urin the 1920s uncovered magni: ‘cent burials indicating the existence of ‘abigh-status group within the city’s population. Individuals were buried with rich grave goods made fom gol, silver, carlin and lapis saul, and were accompanied to thei graves by male and female aterdants The largest gave at Urheld 74 attendants, scriced to accompany the main busi ‘Around 2500, the kings of Akad, ‘an ares othe north of Sumer, ose to power. Widespread mltary campaigns were conducted by King Sargon and his _fendson Naram-Sin, and thelr power was ned beaker. fom Sosa, [3] Abuser ‘Eye Hol Arom [Mastered sal with shel: south-estien« 400080. Tell Brak, northeastern Inlaid ee. From echo, Thisbesutifilvesselis Sia, 3500-36008 seventh mille 3. ‘piel of pty dicoraed Hundreds of This abjecemay have in graves ina larg cere en comneted with some tery at Sk, Te pore Pronounced eyes ave been | form ofanceror ca ‘wa cueflly mace by Found, They may represent hand, adhe Bins pices | worshipers and vere vst ave helonged to ‘epost asfxings important people tty Bone Age crete ) The Ram nat Fr Ur, southern «6c080 “This sone of pair | eiscovered int Royal | cemetery Though ately | goa, itwas named ‘Ram ina Thicker by SieLeonard Woot beach kod ‘ic! atasions. | Shetland stone masse set | bmames, orginally on | aweoden base, 260006, This enigmatic objet | possbiyee scund-box of | pmsl nsament~ is jason tem of he vast tres econered by Sie eonatd Wolly fom the oyal Cemetery of Ur felt throughout Mesopotaria from the Gulf to the Mediteranean coast Their influence reached as fr 35 Tel Brak whore Naram-Sin built fort. in the second milennium ac, contro ‘of Mesopatamia was contested by the ‘Assyrians from the north and Babylonians from the south the eat ist mille rium the Assyrians emerged asthe dominant power and ruled Mesopotamia For 300 yeas from thel splendid capitals ‘at Nimrud, Khorsabad and Nineveh, now in parthern lag. Theic empire was finally ‘overthrow by the Babylonion King Nabopolassar in 6128. Meanwhile other powers were emerging. rom 15008 ‘onwards, the eritory of the Hittite empire spread southwards fom certral Tutkey through Syria unlit met the border ofthe zne controlled by Egypt in ‘the areas of modern ireland Jordan Citysttes in this zone traded with both Egypt and Mesopotamia and threby ‘accrued military and economic power. The ite empire colapsed around 12008 and was superseded by smaller power bases uch asthe Urartians. the Phryglans and the Lydian. The Levant was contralled by the Sea Peoples and then ‘the Phoenicians in the north and ae ‘and Judah further tothe south, before succumbing to Azsyrian rule. In ran, ‘Assan and Babyen ners uaa Uratian and Assyrian irvasons were repelled by the Medes, ultimately leading ta theris of Persia asa great power in the sth contury a: Mesopotaria was the birtplace of tracy. nity, writing was sybolic ‘and designed forthe keeping of accounts Pictograms were impressed into wot clay using a reed asa syle. Within this system an ox head represented an ox, and the rising sun represented a day. Such symbels wore accempanie by rls and semi-cices that represented umber. By the early third millenium, the pictograms had becorne highly stylised and were ro longer recognisable [E] Mesopotamian cinder © sal and impression) apiszal with gold cape, Aladin pei, | apas-aunan ‘Sela were old over amp clay eables othe | sealingsofcontainere and | doors ea fom of ec. [zy Smal glut cepe- senting Hue god. From ‘analla,1400-12008. Thistiny ius coring cared wespon thar perhaps denis Bios v4 god of hung [p) Iowcaning. om Nimneud 80-7508 ‘This Phoencen-sle voy, once decor with ol leaf and inlay of laps asl and evan, stows Nubian oy being sacked by ones, [B] Map ofthe world, Babylonian, 709-5008, probably fio Sopa, sourhers a Babylon is shown in the cet of hi unigae | map of ite Mesopeanin | won [io] Color staeseoFs winged oman eaded iow rcs the Nort. Wes Place af Ashurasepall 2tNimead. Neo-Aspian, 86580, “his sone oF pie of guardian gues called Tors se up wo proce ‘he palace rom demonic fore ‘Aad Conqus: lance oreo) Assyrian Palace Reliefs ‘The Neo-Assyrian kings, who controlled the Near East from Egyptto the Persian Gulfffom the ninth to the seventh century 8c, ruled from a series oPeapitals at Nim, Khorsabad and Nineveh, The centrepieces of these cities ‘were the great royal palaces, with their monumental gateways, ‘protected by winged, human-headed lions and bulls and their ‘walls lined with carved stone slabs showing royal exploits such as hunting and warfare. The British Museum is the coy place where so many sequences ofthese magnificently preserved slabs can be seen in their original order. Excavated between 1845 and 1855, mostly by Sir Henry Layard, they include the famous reliefs of King Ashurbanipal hunting Tions ftom his palace at Nineveh (. 6458¢). as pltures, Symbols developed to repre- sent syllables, and it grodually became possible to write sentences and express eas using cuneiform’ wedge-shaped ‘signs. Cuneiform became the script ‘employed to write many ofthe languages used inthe ancient Nea Est, usta the Roman alphabet i used to write a variety of languages today. A wide range of ‘written material has been preseved on clay and stone, incuing letters, astro: logical maternatical and historical texts, mythological tales songs, poems laws decrees, maps and even recipe for beet In the mile ofthe rst millennium, the old poners ofthe Near East were ‘overrun by Persia. twas the Medes who First extended thelr empire cut of present- day Fran and into eastern Turkey. In tum, in the sith century ac, the Persian King (Cyrus defeated the Medes and lid cim 1 ther territories. He constructed a grand capital at Pasargadae captured Babylon and then established » vast empire from the Megiteranean to eastern lan, Darius cemented ths territory by crushing rebelion and establishing a system of _apveors calle strap, He also ordered ‘the ling of lavish ceremonial ‘entre at Persepols and the Royal Road! running thousands of mies rom Susan Dass n 3314¢, Alexander was south-western ran to Sardis in western crowned King of Persia and married 2 Tutkey local princess At the height of his poner, Although the Persians held a mighty his empire stretched afar as Ina, but ‘empire together neither Darusnorhis after is death was divided between _nucestor Karnes managed to conquer his generals, mainland Greece, despite their repeated The Near East then came under the attempts inthe fifth century ac. The control ofthe Seleucid dymasy. In 238, splendour and wealth of the kings of the Seleucid lost thelr tertary east of Persia made theirnames bywords for great the Euphrates to a Parthian dynasty trom locary and power among the citizens of the north-east, and despite the years of the Greck city states. Persia dd manage Greek influence, the aes rapidly became te subjugate the Greek cities onthe hostile to western powers Rome conse coast of western Anatolia but these quently fought several bitter campaigns ‘were liberated in s3ate when Alexander against the Parthians and their successors, the Great cossed into Asia and swept the Sasanians, withthe region remaining into the heart ofthe Psian Empire Under Sasanian control unt the ami Having defeated the Pesian King conquest in aD6st [Hp Tero abe trom 9] Bone feo wine |e ibrar of Aeburbnipal "| bilwith human ose [eX seen | rom Urea 7008 Inscribed in cuneiform with the Babylonian version | oe ibid story of he | Hood, eistable highs she omen ground | rere Sem eigons snd mythologies, 7] The Ox Tetsu, Achaemenid Pesan | s50-goore, 1 Tye gol bracelet wo leaping iis and | golé mode ofa four-erse ‘hace par of lectin of precious object allege dseoreed ‘othe banks othe | river cus in 88. 1 Stone ree showing ale ES sphinx wearing the homed heads aa dig Achaemenid Persian, Bh cena ee. Pom Persepolis, eignof cers (358-3388. “This ie erin version ofthe Asean unedian Figs (sto. 10 The Islamic World ‘The history of slam began in Arabia in Far from ignoring these pre-ilamic ‘22, when the Prophet Muhammad cultures, the rab conquers used ther migrated from Mecca to Medina and to thei advantage: in Sis and Iran, for established a community of believes ‘example, the new islamic regimes were there. Following the death ofthe Prophet openly bult onthe foundations of the In 632, the leadership ofthe isle ‘Graeco-Roman and Sasanian cultures. ‘community passed toa series of caliphs, This openness also extended to learing: the second of whom, Umar, undertook Greek sclentific and mathematical manu the active conversion of neighbouring script were preserve, translated and lands to slam, After the death of Umar, copied by Arab and Iranian scholars, while the Caliphate passed fist to Uthman, _being ignored in medieval Europ. ‘then to Al the Prophet's cousio, and [Nonetheless the art ofthe Islamic {rom him to ancther branch of the ‘world soon developed some common familythe Umayyads. The Umayyads characteristics. Because the Qur'an ruled from Damascus unt the mid- (Koran, che Muslim holy book. is can eighth century, wine they were sidered in slam to be the titeral word defeated by the Abbasids of Baghdad (of God as revealed to Muarnmadits By thistime, the weakened Byzantine, _language, Arabic, is immutable. Thus, Visgothic and Sasanian empires had throughout the Muslim wold Arabic was succumbed to the Muslim armies, learned by educated balovers In this and the Islamic world stretched trom world bound together by the written ‘Afghanistan, kan and rain the east word calligraphy assumed the highest via Syria, Fgypt and the NorthArican importance, and even the biafest texts, coast as fr as Spain inthe west such a imperial monograms, were Creat cities arose, and masques and executed with the greatest attention to universities were bul s centres for | erecta Teauuyone "apace Aetna ected |e grad secciuece aie) | ttomryreeeey Miogisoamerack| — |sdfcqertu op Teese |i selariwme navtemefpone, | ride titan [Simic eccteaes | mondo | were placed around the | fucnishings. From the eercabese _|tcomt ecroeon | | Iacquerware was produced | for export and was avidly | coy en ame [inte ont [g] teint Hela pei 2o7seE85 [i] Wooden eo in, [7] Nona aie wood FennleDetyo tora, | seententh-ighenth aang etheemanyAd| ey a. hifi dite fom | The Sooyearolé Nob [acting goes, ee aon thew ofihny, tes | continues to dvr ssroste ihe, | nde Bah Moco fetid orn alpen | salen ice mane Shelacrbecmneoneef | donated ying mask the Seen Dies Goo’ | xe Tis ese Foren, Steere as | eps character slsyoftechinseTang | ofa young woman Shy dopo). the Stat eaned oma ges fwd | atuaukon ape. method of fxing together a number of hollowed segments often producing larger, more animated figures. Sklled wood-carvers also developed the craft of carving masts for use in religous ritual and the rtual-based Noh theate Metalworking techniques reached perfection inthe work of swordsmiths The production method of epested folding, hammering ane fina heating and plunging in water produce tough ‘epons but also objects of great spiritual strength and beauty, the blade ‘enhanced by apatten of complex cystine forms known as the har. For over 200 years, from around 1639, Japan vas relatively isolated from ‘extemal influences. This encouraged the creation or elaboration of incigenous styles, particulary in ceramics and pictorial ar. Porcelain production ‘techniques had been introduced from the continent inthe early seventeenth century. The industry centred in Arita in southecn kysha, used porcelain lay that had been discovered nearby. Native Japanese wares developed along very tere lines from Chinese porcelains in terms ofboth style and function From the 1660s onwards, epenese porcelains were exported to Europe by the Dutch Eas India Company. Painting schools that had grovm up during the meciva pried ~ suchas the Tosa school offical painters tothe lenperilfaly and shoguns, ane the Kano setiol who served the temples and miltary aristocracy ~ continue to flourish Inthe Edo period (40165-1868), with the Kano artists dominating the paiting word, Several new schools emerged, notably the Rimpa school with its highly decorative revival of courtly an literary themes, the Manyara Shije School centred in Kyoto and the itera or busin, panes, wo imitated ‘amateur Work ofthe Chinese schola-painters Genre painting of everyday life and festv- ites developed into the Ukyo-e school (pictures ofthe Roating word), reflecting the leisure pursuits centred on urban pleasure quarters ofa sing wealthy merchant clas Print and printed books of increasing complexity and sophistication were produced by Ukiyo-e artists. These ‘also recorded the development of the popular Kabuki theatre ‘The period of isolation was followed, {rom 1860 onwards, by atime of rapid and almost overwhelming Westerisation. Hawever the twentieth century saw 3 revival of confidence in such traditional art forms as ceramics and caligraphy. Today, theres also a Nourishing school | of apanesestyle painting (Nihong}, and | Japanese prints, often very international in flavour havea wide audience Japan’s ich | regional traditions, ineuding those of (Okinawa snd the Aina in Hoktaid are now increasingly recogrised. [5] Tee hangingscllby G] Pocelain bow emailed 7) Kasai Hokan, [Thi Made, eee “©! manana Ok, a01775, | andere ath pretes | ‘Sou Wind. ClearSky” feet ey an, ied The anginal al, 9 (Red, our wood by Moeohage Bien forsterite inthe Thislagimprssne blocking AD 850-35. | Poinegrseney cn pesodesaincens | Bowlarmadeend donated FromthesceeThny Six Olayama eter) sfaislarng Bast bythe tng atonal | Ven ft Fa ‘Noconl elicen Falntngs andwasiner | TeastresitidaRakeon, | lsd that when ving weapons, apanese | opted Zen nepaiter. fontaine rom the | conditions aright inte __| swords were wevered for Fy Oipo'stine,ebadalso | Arabsedorginator of | sumcroreaty autumn, rine Beuy aad Secomepopuirfr purely Rakienonatleporcin, | ithawind frm tbesouth spicules They — fica | Sadcacnoe |eatscearsnrtesce | wea de ad ee | cig1666,teeresed | of Fa canappear ced walvines it vetls dine orangesed, | redhpthecg ate rte bam (gd, ae ell | thecolototpersinmons | su This ithe mot ashing insane of | Citi wien gresthisspleabsacedcomposion orl uaa samc | | itensme Therewae high andyetthemostmetor- enor seth pt | | demand eaLironeype | legal spe of tnenlignmer Theos Ueseinscemeemi-and Hokus poem ofc onthe | Seat cntuy Europe. ade ofthe ve nd eproctiog ave pe * Korea The Korean peninsula was already ‘occupied inthe Palaeolithic percd by [Neolithic times, ts inhabitants were producing comb-pattered pottery. ts Bronze Age was characterised by the construetion of late cit graves and olmens, a well asthe introduction of Fics cultvation, The bronzes produced at this time are ute diferent from those ‘of China and incuce situa implements sed in shaman ceremonies. By 400s ion was being produced: considerable quantities of ron weapons ‘and armour have been ciscovered in ‘the south ofthe country. The high ‘temperatures needed fr ron production ‘ae associated withthe emergence of stoneware pottery at ths time. This peti aso saw the establishment of several Han Chinese colries in the ‘north, Korea was initially divided into Four parts, but during the Teee Kingdoms peti (578-0888), Kaya, inthe central southem part ofthe peninsula, ‘was absorbed into Sila in the south-east Kogury occupied the north and Packche the southonest. in Koguryo stone tens builtin the Fox of steppes pyramids contained ‘chambers decorated with val paintings strongly influenced by those of Han China. Patkche had maritime contacts with southern China and alo influenced the development of Buddhist art in Japan, ‘where many oft artists and craftsmen emigrated. The dramatic stoneware furmerary vessels produced in Kaya and Sila were probably used in shamanistic tural tals Silla tombs have ato yield spectacular sheet. gold crowns, bats, shoes, earings and vessels whose ecoration may indicate an origin in the Soytho-siberlan steppe cules of central Asia Sila nile Korein A066 its splendid cept at Kyonglu was based on the Tang Chinese capital at Chang an. Close lations With China led to the introduction ofa CChinese-stle administration, and many Koveans travelled to China and beyond. ‘The highly stratified society ofthe Unified Sila period persisted under the Koryé dynasty (90918-1392), under whose rule the Budchist church gre in both influence nd wealth, Many fine works of art ~ paintings, iluminated manuscripts, sculptures and celadon ‘wares were produced forthe glory of Budahism, Reproduction ofthe Buddhist srptures ‘was considered @ meritorious actsn the eleventh century, the entice canon was Printed from ever Boco0 hand-carved ‘wandblocks an extraordinary accorplsh- rent cared out in 2 vain attempt to protect Kore for imvesion by the “Mongols. The desir to pint ly tents more quik’ and efficiently led to the invention of movable metal type ~ the ezalest inthe world —in the early thirteenth century. Buddhism was persecuted during the long Chason dynasty (A01392-1910) when strict Confucianism was the prevailing philosophy The fiteenth century, however, awa flowering of science, ‘technology and culture though a seres ‘of apanese invasions at the end ofthe sixteenth century caused great destruc- ton, No sone had Korea recovered from ‘these incursions ~ sometimes called the Pottery Was’ because the Japanese took many potters a prisoners than it was invaded by the Manchus who were to fom the Chinese Qing dynasty However, the fac thatthe eighteonth century was a period of confident matuty is elected In the at of the time. [i] erste naa otelsin with whiten lay ad eden glare. Kory das, welt [ss 0. [Water sprinkler ke | is ore aedin Badin [ stale Thevesl shape | exited in nia ane | toe tecoigne of making rranalucentelaon gases | was imponed om Chins, butte ny ectnigue was | Korean innovation. 0600) Poctnitofaonfician [3] luminated manuscript [Tz] Bronze bole buckle fa the [5] Goldeazings. hace fore Choedamy lan [endcherpaneon ie |mrtgeeeenoe | dllrrenuh rey, “Biecatauccond [pup toy nay : omy ome nee Stier fatupedbee | ons ee Theses |" Theasenneotie | ediarctsire tere eos ies vase damiiccdionvite [ooituartaovecene, tenemos” [canes Sunaina |arassemarcead | Somrnbondcirme [amr taderarot fcnvccmictes |taeaatcakerumcy eee Neen Teecoupts tine Kaatioueta — |enuhenaoras fmeiwarhs [Selim chiteeiedytoe —|aeantand em ar mechs aes Sener 1521510 “4e8001 “ap 1000) ‘012001 401400) “a01600) avia001 “402000 | ! |The Pacific & Australia ‘The great expance of the Pacific Ocean are now in the Museu which fs usual is inhabited space At the beginning of Inholding a sigrificant collection from the ast eantury more then 14,000,000 the northern Pacific. The Fist European people lv in 2 nations spread across the encounters with the wider Pacific focused Pi, between them speaking more ‘on the islands inthe east, such a5 Tait, than 1300 languages, For many ofthese New Zealand and Hawai. Europeans people the oceans nat so much 2 barier found these societies easy to deal with as known landscepe acoss which they their complex social structures with travel constantly by boat er plane, leaders, commoners and pists were not ‘exchanging goods and knowledge and

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