Arc1423 - Week 4-5 - Arch in Near East

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ARC1423: HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE 2

Architecture in the Ancient Near East
Sumerian, Akkadian, Babylonian, Kassites and Hittites, Assyrian, Neo-Babylonian, Persian, and Parthian
MODULE 1
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HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE 2
MODULE 2: ARCHITECTURE IN THE ANCIENT NEAR EAST
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Mesopotamia, the area between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers (in modern day Iraq), is often referred to as
the cradle of civilization because it is the first place where complex urban centers grew. The history of Mesopotamia,
however, is inextricably tied to the greater region, which is comprised of the modern nations of Egypt, Iran, Syria,
Jordan, Israel, Lebanon, the Gulf states, and Turkey. We often refer to this region as the Near or Middle East. (Dr.
Senta German, 2005)
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Geography and the Growth of Cities

Mesopotamia remains a region of stark geographical contrasts: vast deserts rimmed by rugged mountain ranges, punctuated
by lush oases. Flowing through this topography are rivers and it was the irrigation systems that drew off the water from these
rivers, specifically in southern Mesopotamia, that provided the support for the very early urban centers here.
Cuneiform
The earliest writing, we know of date back to around 3,000
B.C.E. and was probably invented by the Sumerians, living in major
cities with centralized economies in what is now southern Iraq. The
earliest tablets with written inscriptions represent the work of
administrators, perhaps of large temple institutions, recording the
allocation of rations or the movement and storage of goods.(Dr.
Senta German, 2005)
The latest known example of cuneiform is an astronomical
text from C.E. 75. During its 3,000-year history cuneiform was used
to write around 15 different languages including Sumerian,
https://brewminate.com/art-and-architecture-of-the-ancient-near-east/
Akkadian, Babylonian, Assyrian, Elamite, Hittite, Urartian and Old
Persian.
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Historical Background Period

• The area witnessed the earliest rise
of human civilization around 4500
BC
• Transformation from prehistory, to
villages and cities occurred there
• Civilization there lasted for 5000
years
• Cultural development was not
homogenous during the period
• Different cultures established city
states and empires at different
periods
• The cultures include Sumerian,
Akkadian, Assyrian, Babylonian,
and Persian
ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER
• Massiveness
• Monumentality
• Grandeur
https://brewminate.com/art-and-architecture-of-the-ancient-near-east/
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SUMERIAN ARCHITECTURE 4500 BC TO 2000 BC
Sumer was an ancient civilization founded

in the Mesopotamia region of the Fertile
Crescent situated between the Tigris and
Euphrates rivers. Known for their innovations in
language, governance, architecture and more,
Sumerians are considered the creators of
civilization as modern humans understand it.
The Sumerians were responsible for

many of the most important innovations,
inventions, and concepts taken for granted in the
present day. They essentially “invented” time by
dividing day and night into 12-hour periods,
hours into 60 minutes, and minutes into 60
seconds. Their other innovations and inventions
include the first schools, the earliest version of
the tale of the Great Flood and other biblical
narratives, the oldest heroic epic, governmental
bureaucracy, monumental architecture, and
irrigation techniques. (Joshua J. Mark, 2019)
Cities of ancient Sumer, photo Wikimedia Commons
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The Sumerians of Mesopotamia were creating sophisticated works of

architecture in the fourth millennium BC, almost wholly constructed of brick,
and used arches, domes, and vaults. The huge Eanna temple precinct at
Uruk. the greatest of the Sumerian cities, had two groups of temples
connected by a mighty portico of huge circular columns of brick facing a
court the walls of which were embellished with engaged columns. Interior
wall-faces were decorated with a geometrical pattern of
small terracotta cones of different colors.
The huge ziggurat at Ur (C22 BC) had enormous battered walls,

monumental flights of stairs, and a temple on the summit of the platform. The
basic principles of Sumerian architecture were absorbed by their successors,
the Assyrians from Northern Mesopotamia, around 2000 BC. (Cruickshank,
1996)
The history of this region is divided by modern scholars into six eras:
• The Ubaid Period – c. 5000-4100 BCE
• The Uruk Period – 4100-2900
• The Early Dynastic Period -2900-2334 BCE
• The Akkadian Period – 2334-2218 BCE
• The Gutian Period – c. 2218-2047 BCE
• The Ur III Period (also known as The Sumerian Renaissance) – 2047-
1750 BCE
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The Sumerians also invented the concept of the city and one of the claimants to
the title of “oldest city in the world” is the Sumerian Uruk. The earliest cities
established in Sumer were:
• Eridu
Sumerians first of Mesopotamia’s earliest
• Uruk civilizations
• Self-ruling city-states
• Ur • Contributions include:
• Larsa • Develop system of writing c. 3000 BCE
• Writing established as form of inventory for
• Isin agriculture and donations to gods
• Adab • Establish lunar calendar
• Devise mathematical computation system,
• Kullah medical and scientific discoveries, and
• Nippur architectural Ziggurat at Ur, modern day Iraq
ca. 2100 BCE.
• Kish
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WHITE TEMPLE URUK

Uruk was a major Sumerian city by 3300 BC . Uruk is also known as warka in arabic .The name Iraq is
derived from Uruk .The city covered an area of 2 square kilometer and a population of 40,000 people. The
white temple is an example of earliest development of Sumerian temples and Ziggurat great mound of earth
called 12 meters above ground built with mud bricks shape supported by buttresses temple was a long alter
and offering table. The temple had imposing doorways located at its either end. Worshippers to the temple
however enter through a side room.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ziggurat#/media/File:White_Tem
White Temple and ziggurat, Uruk, ca. 3200-3000BCE. ple_'E_at_Uruk,_3500-3000_BCE.jpg
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WHITE TEMPLE URUK

Sumer Themes: Forms:
Offerings Mud brick construction
Gods Natural and conceptual treatments of figures
Warfare and hunting Registers of space
Rulers Hierarchy of scale
Digital reconstruction of the two-story version of the White

Temple, Uruk (modern Warka), c, 3517-3358 B.C.E. © artefacts-
berlin.de; scientific material: German Archaeological Institute
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GREAT ZIGGURAT UR
Ur was a Sumerian city located near
the mouth of the Euphrates river . The city was a
thriving place by 2600 BC .It was considered sacred
to Nnanna, the moon god. It was built on the ruins of
previous temples and incorporated their remains.
bricks reinforced with thin of twisted reeds located
as part of a temple the ziggurat and its court
attached to it called the priest of the temple and It
was constructed of mud layers of matting and https://www.ancient-origins.net/ancient-places-asia/great-ziggurat-ur-001767
cables The Great Ziggurat was complex comprised
of and a secondary court of .
The fourth staircase gave access to

the second and third stages of the ziggurat and to
the temple. The temple is usually access only by the
priest, where gods are believed to come down and
give instructions. The ziggurat is believed by the
Sumerians to unite the heavens and the earth. The
people believed that climbing the staircase of the
ziggurat gives a holy experience. The chief temple
was also used as a last line of defense during times
of war. https://www.ancient-origins.net/ancient-places-asia/great-ziggurat-ur
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GREAT ZIGGURAT UR
Sumer Example: https://sites.google.com/a/usd261.com/jillrausch/6th-grade-1/mesopotamia

• Ziggurat platform
• Monumental mud construction
• Axial alignment
• Temple for god on top
• Cella for priests
• “Waiting room”
• Votive offerings placed inside
• Hierarchy of space
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OVAL TEMPLE- KHAFAJE
Oval temple is an example of second

type of Sumerian temples. It was constructed
around 2600 BC. The temple is named oval
because of its massive oval walls surrounding
the temple. Located in the city, emphasis in
its organization is on enclosing space within
courtyards.
Space is enclosed to create island of

peace from a busy city. The temple is raised
https://www.sutori.com/item/untitled-cc75-4862
on a simple platform enclosed within the oval
walls. It had subsidiary chambers at the
ground level. The outer wall was extended to
protect a priestly residence with its own
chapel. The inner court had an offering table
and showed evidence of animal sacrifices.
The inner court also had basins for ablution
as well as workshops and storage rooms.
https://d.facebook.com/crazymesopotamians/photos/
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Oval Temple- Khafaje Plan

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AKKADIAN ARCHITECTURE 2350 BC TO 2200 BC
Sargon of Akkad’s unification of the Sumerian city-states and

creation of a first Mesopotamian empire profoundly affected the art
of his people, as well as their language and political thought. The
increasingly large proportion of Semitic elements in the population
were in the ascendancy, and their personal loyalty to Sargon and
his successors replaced the regional patriotism of the old cities. The
new conception of kingship thus engendered is reflected in artworks
of secular grandeur, unprecedented in the god-fearing world of the
Sumerians. (britannica, n.d.)
Re-representation of Sargon of Akkad

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AKKADIAN ARCHITECTURE 2350 BC TO 2200 BC

One would indeed expect a similar change to
be apparent in the character of contemporary
architecture, and the fact that this is not so may be
due to the paucity of excavated examples. It is known
that the Sargonid dynasty had a hand in the
reconstruction and extension of many Sumerian
temples.
The Akkadians buildings were made with

handfuls of wet clay. The walls were poorly
constructed. One-way walls were made was to
outline the shape of your house with lumps of clay
and let it dry in the hot sun. A faster way was to use
wood planks and put a layer of clay between each
board. Their houses were shaped like domes, the
whole dome was made from clay.
New concept of absolute monarchy (theocratic https://historyandsoon.wordpress.com/tag/akkadian/
monarch)
Forms: Skilled casting, polishing, and engraving
Balance of naturalism and abstract patterns,
Geometric clarity. Use of contrasting textures,
Sensitivity to formal pattern.
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BABYLONIAN ARCHITECTURE 2000 BC TO 1600 BC
In ancient Babylon, architecture characterized by: mud-brick construction; walls articulated by pilasters and
recesses, sometimes faced with burnt and glazed brick; narrow rooms, mostly covered with flat timber and mud roofs;
and the extensive use of bitumen in drain and pavement construction and as mortar. The city of Babylon contained the
famous Tower of Babel and the Ishtar Gate, decorated with enameled brick friezes of bulls and lions, and the Hanging
Gardens of Semiramis. The ruins of the Assyrian Palace of Khorsabad show evidence of monumental sculptural
decoration. The Palace of Darius at Persepolis featured magnificent relief carvings. (“Babylonian architecture | Article
about Babylonian architecture by The Free Dictionary,” 1998)
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The city of Babylon was the

capital of the ancient land of
Babylonia in southern
Mesopotamia. It was situated on the
Euphrates River about 50 miles
south of modern Baghdad, just
north of what is now the modern
Iraqi town of al-Hillah. The
tremendous wealth and power of
this city, along with its monumental
size and appearance, were certainly
considered a Biblical myth, that is,
until its foundations were
unearthed, and its riches
substantiated during the 19th
century. Today part of Syria and
Iraq.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babylonia
MODULE 2: ARCHITECTURE IN THE ANCIENT NEAR EAST II
Nebuchadnezzar

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TIMELINE
2006-1894: Babylonia,
Isin-Larsa period: when
Isin and Larsa were the
dominant cities
1792-60: Babylon,
Hammurabi rules
1763: Larsa is overthrown
by the Kassites
1757: Mari, Royal palace
destroyed by the
Babylonians
1415-1155: Southern
Mesopotamia, Kassite
invaders rule Babylon and
most of southern
Mesopotamia.
The Word "Babylon"- What does it mean? Babylon is Akkadian "babilani" 612: Assyria is defeated
which means "the Gate of God(s)" and it became the capital of the land of by the Medes and
Babylonia. The etymology of the name "Babe"l in the Bible means "confused" (Gen Babylonians
11:9) and throughout the Bible, Babylon was a symbol of the confusion caused by 605-562: Babylon,
godlessness. The name Babylon is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Babel. Nebuchadnezzar II rules
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Law Code of King Hammurabi
Sample laws covered the subjects of:
One of the most well-known of Hammurabi's laws is:
Ex. Law #196. "If a man destroys the eye of another man, they shall
destroy his eye. If one break a man's bone, they shall break his bone. If one
destroys the eye of a freeman or break the bone of a freeman, he shall pay
one mana of silver. If one destroys the eye of a man's slave or break a bone
of a man's slave, he shall pay one-half his price.”
Religion-Ex. Law #127: "If anyone "point the finger" at a sister of a god or the
wife of any one, and can not prove it, this man shall be taken before the
judges and his brow shall be marked. (by cutting the skin, or perhaps hair.)”
Slavery-x. Law #15: "If anyone take a male or female slave of the court, or a
male or female slave of a freed man, outside the city gates, he shall be put to
death."
Thievery -Ex. Law #22: "If anyone is committing a robbery and is caught,
then he shall be put to death.”
Food -Ex. Law #104: "If a merchant gives an agent corn, wool, oil, or any
other goods to transport, the agent shall give a receipt for the amount, and
compensate the merchant therefor. Then he shall obtain a receipt from the
merchant for the money that he gives the merchant.” •Hammurabi had many
other punishments as well. If a boy struck his father, they would cut off the
boy's hand or fingers
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NEO- BABYLONIAN ARCHITECTURE 612 BC TO 539 BC
Neo- Babylonian Period ruler Nebuchadnezzar II was the real genius and builder of Babylon. its 70
years in existence he ruled for 45 years. As the commander of Nabopalassar’s armies he was unstoppable. He
broke the power of Egypt at the battle of Carchemish and proved to be one of the mightiest monarchs of all time.
Among the cities he invaded and plundered were Tyre, Moab, Ammon, Edom, and Jerusalem.
• 250 towers that were 450 feet high

• A wide and deep moat that encircled the city.
• The Euphrates River also flowed through the
middle of the city. Ferry boats and a 1/2 mi.
long bridge with drawbridges closed at night.
• ”Hanging Gardens” with the water was raised
from the river by hydraulic pumps.
• Eight massive gates that led to the inner city
and 100 brass gates
• Streets were paved with stone slabs 3 feet
square -The great Tower (Ziggurat) and 53
temples including the "GreatTemple of Marduk."
180 altars to Ishtar
Contributions in Planning :In the form of a square, 14 miles on each side, and of enormous magnitude The
brick wall was 56 miles long, 300 feet high, 25 feet thick with another wall 75 feet behind the first wall, and the wall
extended 35 feet below the ground
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NEBUCHADNEZZAR’S PALACE was considered to be the most magnificent building ever erected on earth.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/32289838@N04/28914520083/ https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/116178865357114850/
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WALLS OF THE BABYLONIA
Transforming the city of Babylon

into an awe-inspiring wonder belongs
to King Nebuchadnezzar II. He built
three walls around Babylon at heights
of forty feet and so broad at the top
that chariots could race around them.
The Ishtar Gate in the wall of
Nebuchadnezzar II’s Babylon was
claimed by some to be greater than
any of the listed Wonders of the
Ancient World. Ancient walls of Babylon Original walls of Babylon
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ISHTAR GATE
Work on the walls of Ishtar Gate
Eighth gate to the inner city of Babylon. Claimed by some to be greater than any of the listed Wonders of the
Ancient World. Constructed in about 575 BC by order of King Nebuchadnezzar II on the north side of the city. Dedicated
to the Babylonian goddess Ishtar. She was known as the "Queen of Heaven" and was the patron goddess of
the Eanna temple at the city of Uruk, which was her main cult center. She was associated with the planet Venus and her
most prominent symbols included the lion and the eight-pointed star. The gate was constructed using glazed brick with
alternating rows of bas- relief dragons and aurochs, symbolizing the gods Marduk.
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ISHTAR GATE
ACTUAL PHOTO
https://memolands.com/2019/11/27/the-eighth-gate-of-babylon-in-berlin/ https://frontlinecontraversy.wordpress.com/2017/01/02/
The roof and doors of the gate were of cedar wood. The gate was covered in lapis lazuli, a deep- blue semi-precious
due to its vibrancy. These blue glazed bricks give jewel-like shine. Through the gate ran the Processional Way, which was
lined with walls showing about 120 lions, bulls, dragons and flowers on enameled yellow and black glazed bricks, symbolizing
the goddess Ishtar. The gate itself depicted only gods and goddesses; these included Ishtar, Adad and Marduk. During
celebrations of the New Year, statues of the deities were paraded through the gate.
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THE HANGING GARDENS OF BABYLON
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon were one of the Seven Wonders of
the Ancient World, and the only one whose location has not been definitely
established. Distinctive feature of ancient Babylon. Built by King
Nebuchadnezzar II in 600 BC, the gardens are believed to have been a
remarkable feat of engineering: an ascending series of tiered gardens
containing all manner of trees, shrubs, and vines.
Nebuchadrezzar II ascends the Hanging

Gardens of Babylon in this 20th-century
illustration, also featuring the Ishtar Gate. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/magazine/2020/07-08/
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THE HANGING GARDENS OF BABYLON
The gardens were said to

have looked like a large green
mountain constructed of mud
bricks, rising from the center of the
city. According to one legend,
Nebuchadnezzar II built the
Hanging Gardens for his Median
wife, Queen Amytis, because she
missed the green hills and valleys
of her homeland. He also built a
grand palace that came to be
known as 'The Marvel of the
Mankind'. Because of the lack of
evidence it has been suggested
that the Hanging Gardens are
purely mythical and If it did indeed
exist, it was destroyed sometime
after the first century AD.
Ruins of the Hanging Gardens of babylon
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ZIGURRATS
https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/490399846903852743/
One of the most important aspects of Babylonian religion and tradition Ziggurats were huge "stepped" structures with, on
their summit, far above the ground, a temple. The same could be done on ground level but on top of the ziggurat they would be
"nearer the god". Therefore, the ziggurat was not just a religious center but also a center of civic pride. In the time of Hammurabi,
they would sometimes reach the height of 150 feet. Around the base, accommodation for priests.
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HOUSES AND FARMS
Houses made of sun-dried bricks .Inhabited by farmers and artisans. The city streets -narrow, winding, and quite
irregular, with high, windowless walls of houses on both sides. The streets were unpaved and undrained. The average
house- a small, one-story, mud-brick structure, consisting of several rooms grouped around a court. The house of a well-to-
do -two-story brick dwelling of about a dozen rooms and was plastered and whitewashed both inside and out.
The ground floor consisted of a reception room, kitchen, lavatory, servants' quarters, and, sometimes, even a
private chapel. Furniture consisted of low tables, high-backed chairs, and beds with wooden frames. Household vessels
were made of clay, stone, copper, and bronze, and baskets and chests of reed and wood. Floors and walls were adorned
with reed mats, skin rugs, and woolen hangings. Below the house was often located a mausoleum in which the family dead
were buried. Agriculture formed the economic base of Babylonian civilization with production of barley, wheat, fruits,
vegetables, with cattle and sheep predominating.
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HITTITES ARCHITECTURE 1600 BC TO 1180 BC
The Hittites were a people who lived in Anatolia
(today the country of Turkey and parts of Syria). This
part of the world is also known as Asia Minor. The
Hittites, possibly descendants of an earlier culture called
the Hatti, rose to prominence between 1600 and 1180
BC, eventually ruling over much of Asia Minor.
The culture and lives of the Hittites are a bit

mysterious. Scholars didn't know much about them until
the late 19th century, and most of their structures and
cities are today little more than ruins. They lived in a
barren, mostly rocky landscape and somehow were able
to make the most of an inhospitable territory to rise to
power. (Stephanie Przybylek, n.d.)
Because they lived in a rocky land dotted with limestone cliffs, the Hittites had
plentiful natural resources for building. Much of their architecture has been lost, but
that which remains is of heavy stone construction. It's architecture with a clear
defensive purpose.
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HITTITES ARCHITECTURE 1600 BC TO 1180 BC
Hittites
• Used huge boulders in construction
• Large fortification
• Guardian lions
The Hittites created a type of palace structure called a , which was an entrance hall surrounded by
columns. People approached the hall by climbing a staircase lined with pillars The Hittites also built massive
temple structures with multiple storage spaces, central courtyards and surrounding rows of columns. Four large
temples were built at Hattusa, only one of which has ever been excavated.
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ASSYRIAN ARCHITECTURE 1350 BC TO 612 BC
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ancient-art-civilizations/ancient-near-east1/assyrian/a/assyrian-art-an-introduction?modal=1
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The Assyrian empire dominated Mesopotamia and all of the Near East for the first half of the first millennium, led
by a series of highly ambitious and aggressive warrior kings. Assyrian society was entirely military, with men obliged to
fight in the army at any time. State offices were also under the purview of the military. Indeed, the culture of the
Assyrians was brutal, the army seldom marching on the battlefield but rather terrorizing opponents into submission who,
once conquered, were tortured, raped, beheaded, and flayed with their corpses publicly displayed. The Assyrians
torched enemies' houses, salted their fields, and cut down their orchards.
Ashurbanipal slitting
the throat of a lion from
his chariot
(detail), Ashurbanipal
Hunting Lions, gypsum
hall relief from the
North Palace, Ninevah,
c. 645-635 B.C.E
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ancient-art-civilizations/ancient-near-east
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LUXURIOUS PALACES
As a result of these fierce and successful military campaigns, the Assyrians acquired massive resources from all
over the Near East which made the Assyrian kings very rich. The palaces were on an entirely new scale of size and
glamor; one contemporary text describes the inauguration of the palace of Kalhu, built by Assurnasirpal II (who
reigned in the early 9th century).
Some of this wealth was spent on the construction of several gigantic and luxurious palaces spread throughout
the region. The interior public reception rooms of Assyrian palaces were lined with large scale carved limestone reliefs
which offer beautiful and terrifying images of the power and wealth of the Assyrian kings and some of the most
beautiful and captivating images in all of ancient Near Eastern art.
• Assyria is the name for a part of ancient Mesopotamia located on the upper Tigris
• The principal cities of Assyria were Nineveh, Dun, Khorsabad, Nimrud and Assur
• The Assyrians were great warriors and hunters, and this was reflected in their art
• They produced violent sculptures and relief carving in stone that was used to ornament their houses
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CITY OF KHORSABAD
• Khorsabad was designed as the royal capital of
Assyria.
• The city was built on a flat land with an area of about
a square mile and was enclosed by a double wall
with seven city gates.
• Only a part of the city including palaces, temples and
administrative headquarters was built.
• The palace was located on the north west side of the
city.
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PALACE OF SARGON The palace is approached at ground level through a walled

citadel. Within the citadel is found the main palace, two minor
palaces and a temple dedicated to Nabu. The main palace was set
on a platform located on the northern side of the citadel. All the
buildings within the citadel were arranged around courtyards.
The palace was arranged around two major courtyards about

which were grouped smaller courtyards. The palace consisted of
large and smaller rooms with the throne room being the largest. The
building was decorated with relief sculpture and glazed brick.
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LAMMASSU
Protective spirit or deity. Winged bull

Usually male face at city gates so everyone
would see it on entering. From the front it is
standing and from the side walking. Achieve
this by placing 5 legs on the lamassu. The motif
of a winged animal with a human head is
common to the Near East, first recorded
in Ebla around 3000 BCE. The first
distinct lamassu motif appeared in Assyria
during the reign of Tiglath-Pileser II as a
symbol of power.
Assyrian sculpture typically placed

prominent pairs of lamassu at entrances in
palaces, facing the street and also internal
courtyards. They were represented as "double-
aspect" figures on corners, in high relief. From
the front they appear to stand, and from the
side, walk, and in earlier versions have five
legs, as is apparent when viewed obliquely.
https://arqueologiabiblicayantigua.wordpress.com/2019/04/19/los-lamassu/
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PERSIAN ARCHITECTURE 539 BC TO 330 BC
The heart of ancient Persia is in what is now southwest Iran, in the region called the Fars. In the
second half of the 6th century B.C.E., the Persians (also called the Achaemenids) created an enormous
empire reaching from the Indus Valley to Northern Greece and from Central Asia to Egypt.
A tolerant empire
Although the surviving literary sources on the Persian empire were written by ancient Greeks who were the sworn
enemies of the Persians and highly contemptuous of them, the Persians were in fact quite tolerant and ruled a multi-ethnic
empire. Persia was the first empire known to have acknowledged the different faiths, languages and political organizations of its
subjects. (“Ancient Near East | Ancient Mediterranean | Khan Academy,” n.d.)
• Their materials of construction were also from different locations

• Material included mud-brick from Babylon, wooden roof beams from Lebanon, precious material from India and Egypt,
Stone columns quarried and carved by Ionic Greeks
• Despite sourcing materials and ideas from different areas, their architecture was original and distinctive in style.
• Built by Darius I and Xerses I and destroyed by Alexander the Great.
• Built for receptions and festivals.
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The Apadana
Persepolis included a massive columned
hall used for receptions by the Kings, called the
Apadana. This hall contained 72 columns and two
monumental stairways.
The walls of the spaces and stairs leading

up to the reception hall were carved with hundreds
of figures, several of which illustrated subject
peoples of various ethnicities, bringing tribute to the
Persian king.
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PALACE AT PERSEPOLIS
Persian architecture achieved its greatest
monumentality at Parsepolis. It was constructed as a new
capital for the Persian Empire. The city was started 510 BC
and finished in 460 BC. It is set along the face of a
mountain leveled to create a large platform 1800 feet by
900 feet. It was surrounded by a fortification wall. The site
was more than half covered by buildings
The palace consisted of three parts:
• An approach of monumental staircases, gate ways and

avenues
• Two great state halls towards the center of the platform
• The palace of Xerxes, the palace of Darius, and other
living quarters at the south end of the site
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PALACE AT PERSEPOLIS
Another famous aspect of the palace at parsepolis was the throne room. This was also known as hall of 100
columns. The columns in the room were 37 feet high, with a diameter of only 3 feet. They were spaced 20 feet apart
or seven diameters from axis to axis. The slim nature of the column created room and spacious feeling in the room
when compared to the audience hall
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Conquered by Alexander the Great

The Persian Empire was, famously, conquered by Alexander
the Great. Alexander no doubt was impressed by the Persian
system of absorbing and retaining local language and traditions as
he imitated this system himself in the vast lands he won in battle.
Indeed, Alexander made a point of burying the last Persian
emperor, Darius III, in a lavish and respectful way in the royal
tombs near Persepolis. (“Ancient Near East | Ancient
Mediterranean | Khan Academy,” n.d.)
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
PARTHIAN ARCHITECTURE 247 BC TO 224 AD
After the death of Alexander the Great (323 BC), there was turmoil in Iran until the rise of the Parthians (c.250 BC).
Theirs is essentially a crude art, synthesizing Hellenistic motifs with Iranian forms. Buildings of dressed stone and rubble
and brick were decorated with sculpted heads and mural paintings. The larger-than-life-size bronze statue from Shami of a
ruler is the most outstanding remaining Parthian monument. (“Persian art and architecture: Parthian and Sassanid
Contributions | Infoplease,” n.d.)
Ghale Dokhtar or Dokhtar Castle
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/Ghal%27eh_Dokhtar2.jpg
The Parthi style of architecture appeared after Alexander the Great's conquest of the Achaemenid Empire in the 3rd
century BCE, and historically includes the Sassanid, Parthian, and post Islamic eras, up to the 9th–10th centuries. The
remains of the architectural style of this period are not abundant, and although much was borrowed and incorporated
from Greek designs and methods, architects and builders of this age employed many innovative concepts of their own as
well.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
REFERENCE:
Ancient Near East | Ancient Mediterranean | Khan Academy. (n.d.). Retrieved November 2, 2020, from khan academy website:
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ancient-art-civilizations/ancient-near-east1/assyrian/a/assyrian-art-an-
introduction?modal=1
Babylonian architecture | Article about Babylonian architecture by The Free Dictionary. (1998). Retrieved November 2, 2020, from
Illustrated Dictionary of Architecture website: https://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Babylonian+architecture
britannica. (n.d.). Mesopotamian art and architecture - Akkadian period | Britannica. Retrieved November 1, 2020, from
https://www.britannica.com/art/Mesopotamian-art/Akkadian-period
Cruickshank. (1996). Sumerian architecture | Encyclopedia.com. Retrieved November 1, 2020, from
https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/dictionaries-thesauruses-pictures-and-press-releases/sumerian-architecture
Dr. Senta German. (2005). Introduction to the Ancient Near East (article) | Khan Academy. Retrieved November 1, 2020, from
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-art-history/ancient-mediterranean-ap/ancient-near-east-a/a/introduction-to-the-
ancient-near-east
Joshua J. Mark. (2019). Sumerians - Ancient History Encyclopedia. Retrieved November 1, 2020, from
https://www.ancient.eu/Sumerians/
Persian art and architecture: Parthian and Sassanid Contributions | Infoplease. (n.d.). Retrieved November 2, 2020, from
https://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/arts/visual/asian-middle-eastern/persian-art-and-architecture/parthian-and-
sassanid-contributions
Stephanie Przybylek. (n.d.). Hittite Architecture & Art | Study.com. Retrieved November 1, 2020, from
https://study.com/academy/lesson/hittite-architecture-art.html

Arc1423 - Week 4-5 - Arch in Near East

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ARC1423: HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE 2

Geography and the Growth of Cities

Historical Background Period

Sumer was an ancient civilization founded

The Sumerians were responsible for

The Sumerians of Mesopotamia were creating sophisticated works of

The huge ziggurat at Ur (C22 BC) had enormous battered walls,

WHITE TEMPLE URUK

WHITE TEMPLE URUK

Digital reconstruction of the two-story version of the White

The fourth staircase gave access to

Sumer Example: https://sites.google.com/a/usd261.com/jillrausch/6th-grade-1/mesopotamia

OVAL TEMPLE- KHAFAJE

Oval temple is an example of second

Space is enclosed to create island of

Oval Temple- Khafaje Plan

AKKADIAN ARCHITECTURE 2350 BC TO 2200 BC

Sargon of Akkad’s unification of the Sumerian city-states and

Re-representation of Sargon of Akkad

AKKADIAN ARCHITECTURE 2350 BC TO 2200 BC

The Akkadians buildings were made with

New concept of absolute monarchy (theocratic https://historyandsoon.wordpress.com/tag/akkadian/

The city of Babylon was the

ARC1423: HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE 2

• 250 towers that were 450 feet high

Transforming the city of Babylon

Nebuchadrezzar II ascends the Hanging

The gardens were said to

The culture and lives of the Hittites are a bit

PALACE OF SARGON The palace is approached at ground level through a walled

The palace was arranged around two major courtyards about

Protective spirit or deity. Winged bull

Assyrian sculpture typically placed

• Their materials of construction were also from different locations

The walls of the spaces and stairs leading

The palace consisted of three parts:

• An approach of monumental staircases, gate ways and

Conquered by Alexander the Great

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