This document provides an overview of art from the Ancient Near East, specifically Mesopotamia, including sculptures, reliefs, and architectural works. It features images and descriptions of votive statues, a standard from Ur, musical instruments including an iyre, sculptures of rulers' heads, a law stele of Hammurabi, a ziggurat from Ur, and Assyrian reliefs depicting war and hunting scenes. The time period spans from approximately 3200 BCE to 640 BCE, highlighting the artistic achievements across many centuries in Mesopotamian civilization.

1. The ART of the Ancient Near East
Mesopotamia

3. The Ancient Near East

4. Female head (Inanna?),
from Uruk (modern Warka),
Iraq, ca. 3200-3000 BCE.
Marble, approx. 8” high.
Iraq Museum, Baghdad

5. Votive Statues, from the Temple of Abu, Tell Asmar
ca.2500 BCE, limestone, shell, and gypsum

6. Head of Votive Statue, 2700-
2600 BCE.

7. War side (top) and peace side (bottom) of the Standard of Ur, from Tomb 779,
Royal Cemetery, Ur (modern Tell Muqayyar), Iraq, ca. 2600 BCE. Wood inlaid
with shell, lapis lazuli, and red limestone, approx. 8”x 1’ 7”. British Museum,
London.

8. Silver kneeling bull holding a
spouted vessel, Iran, ca. 2900
BCE ("Proto-Elamite"). 16.3 cm
high.

9. Soundbox of the Iyre from
Tomb 789 (“King’s Grave”),
Royal Cemetery, Ur (modern
Tell Muqayyar), Iraq, ca. 2600
BCE. Wood with inlaid gold,
lapiz lazuli, and shell, approx, 1’
7” high. University Museum,
University of Pennsylvania,
Philadephia.

10. Bull-headed Iyre (restored) from
Tomb 789 (“King’s Grave”), Royal
Cemetery, Ur (modern Tell
Muqayyar), Iraq, ca. 2600 BCE, Gold
leaf and Lapis Lazuli over a wooden
core, approx, 5’ 5” high. University
Museum, University of Pennsylvania,
Philadephia.

11. Bull-headed Iyre (restored) from
Tomb 789 (“King’s Grave”), Royal
Cemetery, Ur (modern Tell
Muqayyar), Iraq, ca. 2600 BCE,
Gold leaf and Lapis Lazuli over a
wooden core, approx, 5’ 5” high.
University Museum, University of
Pennsylvania, Philadephia.

12. Side view (in left side image ) and front view of (in the right side
image) Head of Akkadian ruler, from Nineveh (modern Kuyunjik), Iraq,
ca. 2250- 2200 BCE. Copper, 1’ 2 3/8” high. Iraq Museum, Baghdad.

13. Victory stele of Naram- Sin, from
Susa, Iraq, 2254-2218 BCE. Pink
sandstone, approx. 6’ 7” high.
Louvre, Paris.

14. Ziggurat (northeastern facade with restored stairs ), Ur (modern
Tell Muqayyar), Iraq, ca. 2100 BCE.

15. Stele with law code of
Hammurabi, from Susa, Iran, ca.
1780 BCE. Basalt, approx. 7’ 4”
high . Louvre, Paris.

16. Detail of Stele with law code of Hammurabi, from Susa, Iran, ca.
1780 BCE. Basalt, approx. 7’ 4” high . Louvre, Paris.

17. Lamassu (winged, human-headed
bull), from the citadel of Sargon
II, Dur Sharrukin (modern
Khorsabad), Iraq, ca. 720-705
BCE. Limestone, approx. 13’ 10”
high. Louvre, Paris.

18. Assyrian archers pursuing enemies, relief from the Northwest palace of
Ashurnasirpal II, Kalhu (modern Nimrud), Iraq, ca.875-860 BCE.
Gypsum, 2’ 10 5/8” high. British Museum, London.

19. Ashurbanipal hunting lions, relief from the North Palace of
Ashurbanipal, Nineveh ( modern Kuyunjik), Iraq, ca. 645-640 BCE.
Gypsum,5’ 4” high. British Museum London.

20. Dying lioness, detail of a relief from the palace of Ashurbanipal,
Nineveh (modern Kuyunjik), ca. 645-640 B.C. GYPSUM, APPROX.
1' 4" HIGH. BRITISH MUSEUM, LONDON.