A traditional interpretation of what has become known as the Assyrian Sacred Tree conceives of it as the date palm. Consisting of a series of nodes and interlacing vines, the depiction of the “tree” contradicts the morphological appearance of a date palm seems at best to be a highly abstracted consolidation of various botanical characteristics from separate distinct species. Despite recent proposals by several art historians and botanists to conclusively determine its proper classification, indubitable evidence unlocking the enigma behind this timeless symbol—a sacred fountainhead for many western religions originating in the Near East—has yet to uproot the deep seeded academic insistence on the date palm.
The “Sacred Tree,” (fig. 1) was originally positioned behind the king’s throne. The scene shows two genii, sometimes with birds’ heads and sometimes with men’s heads and the horned hats of gods. Each of the winged figures holds a bucket and reaches out with an oval object toward a stylized “tree.” The composition has been read as being based on bilateral symmetry, with the vertical stalk-like structure crowned by a palmette. A meticulous examination reveals that although balanced, it has many discrepancies on both sides that deviate from perfect mirror symmetry. Ashurnasirpal appears twice, shown from two sides, dressed in ceremonial robes and holding a mace connoting his authority. The figure of the king on the right makes an invocative gesture a god in a winged disk in the top center of the relief. Ashur, the national god or Shamash, the god of the sun and justice, may be identified as the god who confers the king divine right. On the left, the king holds a ring, an ancient Mesopotamian symbol of divine kingship, in one...
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...ee of Life." Economic Botany 56, no. 2 (2002): 113-29.
Parpola, Simo. "The Assyrian Tree of Life: Tracing the Origins of Monotheism and Greek Philosophy." Journal of Near Eastern Studies 52 (1993): 161-208.
Porter, Barbara Nevling. "Sacred Trees, Date Palms, and the Royal Persona of Ashurnasirpal II." Journal of Near Eastern Studies 52, no. 2 (1993): 129-39.
Reade, Julian. Assyrian sculpture. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1983.
Richardson, Seth. "An Assyrian Garden of Ancestors: Room I, Northwest Palace, Kalhu." State Archives of Assyria Bulletin 13 (1999): 145-216.
Tylor, Edward B.. The Winged Figures of The Assyrian and other Ancient Monuments. London: Society of Biblical Archaeology, 1890.
Winter, Irene. "Ornament and the 'Rhetoric of Abundance' in Assyria." Eretz-Israel: Archaeological, Historical and Geographical Studies 27 (2003): 252-264, at 253.
J. Boardman, 1975, Athenian Red Figure Vases, The Archaic Period (London: Thames and Hudson), 121, ill. 170
The difference between an archaic statue such as Kroisos (fig. 5-11) and a classical statue such as Doryphoros (fig. 5-42) may not seem very great in a single glance. In fact, you may not notice any differences in that one glance. Yet, if you were to look at them closely, you can see that these two statues actually have very little in common.
Information from the textbook and Hays’s article help illuminate the events depicted and their significance in culture and art of the New Kingdom, and how the style ties into the art of the time.
The Assyrian Winged Protective Deity is a low relief sculpture, so it does not stand out as much against the stone it was carved out off, but the viewer can easily distinguish the outline of the figure portrayed. One foot of the figure is stepping forward, which could symbolize a continuation with life even after death to protect the king. The stance of this figure greatly resembles Egyptian reliefs, since they would often have their statues have one foot forward. They did this because it symbolized eternity through the afterlife, which the ka of the person needed. The ka ...
5. Howe, Helen, and Robert T. Howe. From the Ancient and Medieval Worlds. N.p.: Longman, 1992. Print.
The wooden lintels, writing, and the unique calendar reveal clues about life in a society that thrived for over 1000 years. Many massive building are visible today, those built to pay tribute to kings and to please the deities. The M...
The Metropolitan Museum of Art. ‘Egyptian Art’, The Metropolitan Museum of Art Egyptian Art. New Series, Vol. 41, No. 3, Egyptian Art (Winter, 1983-1984): pp. 1+3-56
Bailkey, Nels M. Readings in Ancient History: Thought and Experience from Gilganesh to St. Augustine. Third edition. Lexington, MA: D.C.Heath and Co., 1987.
Peck, Harry T. "Harry Thurston Peck, Harpers Dictionary of Classical Antiquities (1898)." Harry Thurston Peck, Harpers Dictionary of Classical Antiquities (1898), Twelve Tables. Web. 16 May 2014.
This work of art is subtractive because it involves skimming or subtracting from the material’s original mass or volume (Sayre, 295). Carving is a process where materials were being chiseled, cut into or hammered to achieve the desired form/s (Sayre, 299). The most common material carvers used to produce sculptures are wood or stone (Sayre, 299). In this art work, the artist used a material, in this case alabaster, and carved the material into shape using sharp tools, such as chisel or gouger. The carving for “Assurnasirpal II Killing Lions” is low relief, meaning its depths are shallow and the forms are not as elevated from the base as in high relief carving. Additionally, this sculpture is a type of frontal art which was meant to only be viewed from the front and not from the back (Sayre, 295). This type of art form is often used to embellish architectural structures such as residences, buildings and even palaces (Sayre, 295). In fact, this specific piece is found as a decoration in Assurnapiral II’s palace complex as one of the many relief arts found in his residence. This specific relief art depicted the powerful leadership of Assurnapiral II, the country’s strong military units, and the thriving capital of Kalhu which was established after the fall of Babylon in 1595 B.C. (Sayre,
Dalley, Stephanie. Myths from Mesopotamia. New York: Oxford University Press, 1989. Dundes, Alan, ed. Sacred Narrative: Readings in the Theory of Myth. LA: University of California Press, 1984.
The questions about the existence of life and the creation of the world are always mind-boggling and fascinating, however, the real answer to these questions may never surface. All there is to rely on are the myths, stories and legends passed on from generation to generation by ancestors and the clues they have left. This essay will try to uncover the ancient Mesopotamian and Hebrew views on existence and creation by looking at sources like the Genesis and other ancient Mesopotamian texts and poems. Mesopotamians and Hebrews had contrasting views on how they explained the events in their lives, and through analysis of ancient sources, those differences will be outlined. In such populated and booming areas, human conflict was inevitable and some of the law codes that were placed in effect to establish order within the society will be examined. Throughout it all, god and religion played a central role in these ancient civilizations.
Conlin, Diane Atnally. The artists of the Ara Pacis: the process of Hellenization in Roman relief sculpture. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1997. (P. 4)
...n Canaan. However, another explanation, beyond the mere availability of bedrock, must be sought for the presence of built tombs. This explanation may be related to cultural factors, as these are the largest tombs and required the most effort to construct. One of the shaft burials is likely associated with one of the chamber tombs, the shaft probably comprising the original access to the chamber tomb. When the massive earthen embankment was deposited over the remains of the previous occupation and tomb shaft, a new shaft was dug out. The question is whether the burials date to the shallow, pre-embankment shaft or the deeper post-embankment shaft. At least four individuals with burial goods were interred here; the uppermost was flexed and relatively intact. The configuration of flexed position and burial goods rules out the simple disposal of refuse (Ilan 1995).
Damrosch, David, and David Pike. The Longman Anthology of World Literature. The Ancient World. Volume A. Second Edition. New York: Pearson/Longman, 2009. Pgs. .656-691. Print.