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Mesopotamian Art Period

early cultures

ubaid period

The art of Mesopotamia from this period is recognizable by the distinctive painting technique applied to the pottery.

uruk period

The focus shifted from domestic slow wheels to works that were created large-scale on fast wheels by groups of specialist artists and were unpainted.

gilgamesh

Enmebaragesi of Kish is the first recorded king of this region and was mentioned in the Epic of Gilgamesh from around 2100 BCE.

ceramics

chALCOLITHIC ERA

Mesopotamian artists created jars, bowls, and vases with fired clay and painted decorative and abstract designs.

akkadian empire

During the period of Akkadian take over of Sumerian cities, artists continued to create vases, jars, bowls, and many other ceramic objects.

UR III

Unpainted ceramic objects were still being created, yet in more elaborate forms, creating vessels out of clay for storing liquids.

babylonian ceramics

Ceramics produced during this period indicates a marked return to the use of abstract patterns painted on the surface of the pottery.

sculptures

uruk period

The sculptures of the Uruk period reflect concepts such as communication and spirituality.

HUNTER GATHERERS

The sculptures that have been found by archeologists from this period are all light and small. This is due to the reason that hunter-gatherers were nomadic and constantly on the move.

AKKADIAN PERIOD

The Akkadian Empire lasted from 2270 to 2154 BCE, and the sculpture grew increasingly themed around war and politics.

EARLY DYNASTIC PERIOD

During the Early Dynastic Period of 2900 to 2400 BCE, sculptors created works that built on the older traditions and developed styles that became more complex.

BABYLON AND ASSYRIA

In Babylonian culture,  humans became more naturalistic and less stylized than before. Assyrians were  influenced by the Babylonians.

architecture

POLITICAL

Public Mesopotamian buildings such as palaces and temples were highly decorated on the outside with features such as enameling, gold leaf, and vibrant paint colors.

ZIGGURATS

Ziggurats are similar to pyramids, consisting of terraced steps with receding levels that were built by piling and stacking very large cuts of stone.

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