Gudea statues Essay - 1837 Words

Discovery of Statues in Lagash Lagash was one of the oldest cities in Sumer and Babylonia. Today it is represented by a long line of ruin mounds, which are rather low, now known as Tello al-Hiba in Iraq. Located northwest of the junction of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers, and east of the ancient city of Uruk, it is positioned on the dry bed of an ancient canal, approximately 10 miles north of the modern town of Shatra.# The ruins of Lagash were discovered in 1877 by Ernest de Sarzec, a Frenchman, who was allowed by the Montefich chief, Nasir Pasha, to excavate the site at his pleasure in the territories under the governing of Nasir Pasha. Ernest de Sarzec continued excavations at this site with various interludes, at first on his own†¦show more content†¦From the objects and inscriptions uncovered at Tello it seems that Lagash, the city ruled by Gudea, was one of great importance during the Sumerian period. During this time independent kings (Ur-Nina and his successors) ruled Sumer, but with the Semitic conquest its rulers became dependant, forced to listen to Sargon of Akkad and his successors. However, the city remained Sumerian and continued to be of great importance because the city was the center of commerce and art. Trade during this period developed far-reaching commercial communication with distant territories. Gudea imported cedar from mountainous regions of Syria, gold and copper from areas in Arabia and Sinai, and diorite from eastern Arabia. These new imports helped make this era one prominent for artistic development and it was in this era that art reached its peak stages. A lion-headed eagle with outspread wings grasping two more lions in its talons, a great vase with what is considered the coat of arms of Lagash, and of course statues of Gudea made from diorite are some of the artifacts recovered from this period. However, after the reign of Gudea, Lagash loses its importance to the region as a center for art and economic trade, and is lost for centuries.# Statues of Gudea Most timetables agree that Gudea ruled Lagash sometime between the period of 2150-2100 B.C., bringing peace and prosperity to his people during that time, and inaugurating a Sumerian renaissance, marked by literary blossoming,Show MoreRelatedComparing The Statue Of Gudea802 Words   |  4 PagesOur world is full of so many grandiose monuments, eye-catching sculptures, and stunning statues, each having an individual story to tell. Thousands of them have been created however, only a small number of them are actually extraordinary and picture-worthy. This paper will compare and contrast two of those picture-worthy sculptures. Furthermore, I will examine the aspects of each of these sculptures. I will compare and contrast what each of them represents, the differences in texture, their sizeRead MoreComparison of Ancient Mesopotamian and Egyptian Art1418 Words   |  6 Pageshuman need to leave an impression on their world. Looking at the example of the statues of Gudea from the Neo-Sume rian period and the Temple of Ramses II from the New Kingdom of Egypt in the 19th dynasty, will show how both rulers of these times chose to commemorate their lifes work and what insight those choices give current civilizations into the mind-set of their respective cultures. The Seated statue of Gudea, holding temple plan, also known as The architect with a plan, is an excellentRead MoreAncient Civilizations Of Mesopotamia And Mesopotamia1851 Words   |  8 PagesStone, wood, and metal was imported. Sumerian art and architecture was ornate and complex - primarily used for religious purposes - painting and sculpture the main median used. Of the many portraits produced in this area, some of the best are those of Gudea, ruler of Lagash. Some of the portraits are in marble, others, such as the one in the Louvre in Paris, are cut in gray-black diorite. Dating from about 2400 BC, they have the smooth perfection and idealized features of the classical period in SumerianRead MoreCivilization Of Mesopotamia Civilization996 Words   |  4 Pagesdirectly and made their wills clear through the laws they devised. As mentioned earlier, the invention of writing and the Sumerian cities was the beginning of architecture. The sculpture were used as ritual equipment in the temple. Two Akkadian head statues have survived throughout history. One is made of stone and the other one is made of bronze wearing a wig helmet. It is suspected that it symbolized Sargon himself. The heads are regarded as one of the greatest masterpieces of art even though it lacksRead MoreArt History7818 Words   |  32 Pagesit was already dug out once before #61607; Probably damaged by Arabic wars and Napoleons drunken soldiers #61607; Door found in side of structure leading down a flight of stairs to another door • Believed to be a tool shed o Pg. 56 Ââ€" Khafre Statue #61607; Builder of Middle Giza Pyramid #61607; Engaged Sculpture #61607; Cubic Structure #61607; Very solid, block-like #61607; One giant piece #61607; Made of Diorite • Dark, greenish, grayish, black, hard stone o Pg. 57 Ââ€" Menkaure