Middle Eastern Art: Art of Mesopotamia four thousand BC to three hundred thirty-one BC

Middle Eastern Art: Art of Mesopotamia four thousand BC to three hundred thirty-one BC

During the reign of the Pharaohs in Egypt, human civilization began. Around this time, between the major rivers: Tigris-Euphrates, in Mesopotamia, the second human civilization was emerging. This is believed to be a matter of coincidence; though both these civilizations were entirely different. This difference too is largely owing to Mesopotamia's geographical situation. The Mesopotamian region nestled in the valley within the Tigris-Euphrates river system is like a wide and shallow bowl. It is pervaded by the web created by the flow of these two major rivers and its tributaries. Since it is not surrounded by hilly terrain, this region is not blessed with natural fortifications of the mountains. Therefore, there were frequent invasions here and no single power could rule. Hence, Mesopotamia's political history is full of local rivalry for power, foreign attacks, abrupt rebellions, and sudden downfalls of military rules. Yet, it is astonishing that, despite such conditions, the continuation of the traditional art and culture that developed there has remained unstoppable.

The art in Mesopotamia kept on evolving consistently at various places. Unlike the Egyptians, the people there did not believe in life after death. But they considered animals as Gods, believed in black magic and astrology. Having progressed in hieroglyphics, they could record their mythological and religious thoughts.

The acute scarcity of the availability of hard stones in Mesopotamia led to the bricks dried in the sun being used to build architecture. They discovered how to construct arches and domes. Both these elements were used across all the edifices built. They turned their attention towards metals like brass, gold and silver, besides carving on easily perishable media like bones, wood and ivory. While Mesopotamia's civilization was being built, several people, languages, religion and art genres contributed towards it. The main founders of this civilization were the Sumerian people. They initially formed colonies and stayed in the Sumer region near the confluence of Tigris and Euphrates rivers; which is how they got the name 'Sumerian'.

Sumerian Art

There is no information on the dwelling origins of the Sumerian people. During the period four thousand BC they came from Persia (Iran) to South Mesopotamia. Later, in about one thousand years they formed several city-states in that region.