LastweekwelookedatveryearlyfemalefiguresmadeinthePrehistoricperiod.The<meperiodswearelookingatthisweekrepresentveryearlyciviliza<ons.Humansarenolongernomadicbutratherse@lingdownandcrea<ngci<es.Theyarefarmingandraisinganimals.Wri@enlanguageemergesalongwithlargeandsmallscaleimagesthatsupportbeliefs.Evidenceexiststosuggestthefirstwarsofconquestbeganatthis<me. TheVenusofWillendorf,
28,000-22,000BCE,limestone.4.4”tall.NaturalHistoryMuseum,Vienna.
Thisweekwearelookingatthreedifferentrivervalleyciviliza<onsthatgrewupataboutthesame<meindifferentplaces.TheAncientNearEast(AnatoliaandMesopotamia)–intheTigrisandEuphratesRiverValleysinwhatispresentdayIran,IraqandSyria.Egypt–intheNileRiverValley,Egypt.IndusValley–IndusRiver,NorthernIndia,about2600-1900BCE.WehaverecordofotherearlyRiverValleyCiviliza<onsinotherareasoftheworld,butthesearetheonesthatmighthavemeaningforWesternthought.
SeatedmothergoddessCatalHoyuk,Turkey,7500BCto5700BCandreconstructedinaPolishMuseum
Thefirstciviliza<onwewillexploreistheAncientNearEast(AnatoliaandMesopotamia)Twoareas,Anatolia(presentdayTurkey)andMesopotamia(presentdayIraq,Kuwait,partsofSyriaandTurkey)Someofthemostimportantdevelopmentsinhumanhistoryarea@ributedtotheseareasfromabout4,500BCEtothe7thcenturyCE.Importantdevelopmentsinclude:Inven<onofthewheelPlan<ngcropsWri@enscript–asopposedtopicturesMathema<csAstronomyAgricultureLiteratureandLibraries
Cuneiformwri<ng—from3100BCEThisoneshowsbothpictographsalongwithdifferentshapedimpressions.Thesearethefirstevidenceofwri@enlanguage.Stampedintowetclay,theywereoriginallyusedtokeeptrackofthingslike,ra<ons,grain,etc.
Wearefollowingthedevelopmentoffemaleimageryintotheseareastoseewhatwasimportanttopeopleofthis<meLet’sstartwiththisimagethatwasfoundinagrainbininTurkey.Theblackandwhiteversionbelowishowshewasfound;theheadbrokenoff.Thefiguretotherighthasbeenreconstructedtowhatarchaeologistsbelievewasmoreliketheoriginalstatue.
SeatedmothergoddessCatalHoyuk,Turkey,7500BCto5700BCandreconstructedinaPolishMuseum
Descrip<on:ÇatalhöyükSeatedMotherGoddess1. Femalefigureseatedonathrone2. Twolionessesflankoneitherside3. Femalehaslargebreastsandbelly4. Armsandlegsarealsolargewithdeep
incisionsatbellyandknees5. Aheadcanbeseenemergingfrom
betweenherlegs
Wehavenowamorerepresenta<onalreasontobelievethisfigureisaboutchildbirth;thebaby’sheadisemergingfrombetweenthelegs. SeatedmothergoddessCatalHoyuk,
Turkey,7500BCto5700BCandreconstructedinaPolishMuseum
Wealsohaveareasontobelievethestatueismorethanatalismantohelpwithchildbirth;thethrone.Itisbelievedthatnow,thefemalehasbeengivengoddessstatusasshesitsonathronesurroundedbytwolionessfigures;symbolsofstrengthandpower.Inaddi<on,havingbeenfoundinagrainbinleadsarchaeologiststobelievetheconceptoffer<lityhasnowbeenexpandedtootherthingsbesideshumans.Thefemalegivingbirthisnowseenasametaphorforgenera<onofotherthings,includingthecrops.
SeatedmothergoddessCatalHoyuk,Turkey,7500BCto5700BCandreconstructedinaPolishMuseum
Manyotherfemalefigureshavebeenfoundinthisarea.Someareconsideredtobegoddessfiguresandothersarenotasclear.Theonebelowisatransi<onalfigureforus.
Thisisacupwithahornedfemaledeity.Ca.2600-2350BCEMesopotamia.Rememberhowhumanshavethemselvesrepresentedwithanimalpartstoshowhowtheyalsohavethatanimalpower.
Neolithic
Thisonewasmadeabout1000yearslaterthanourpreviousfigure.ShewasfoundinSyria.Lookattheimagesonthenextslide.No<cethesimilari<es.FemalefigurefromnorthernSyria,ca.6400BCE
ThesearetwoimagesofIshtar(orInana)fromMesopotamia.Theyweremadeover4000yearsa;ertheoneonthepreviousslide.Theyarebothshownholdingtheirbreastsinsymbolicoffering.Thegoddesswasknownatthis<meas:MotheroftheFruikulBreastQueenofHeavenCreatorofPeopleMotherofDei<esThebreast-offeringposesymbolizesherprovidingallnourishmentandfer<lity.InanaishowshewasknownbytheSumeriansandIstarorIshtarbytheAkkadians(twoMesopotamiancultures).SheisoneofthemostimportantoftheMesopotamiandei<esandthemostimportantgoddess.
Ishtarofferingherbreasts.(lem)Susaca.1300-1100BCE(right)Babylonca.2000BCE
Agoddessofcontras<ngtraits,Ishtar(orInannainSumerian)wasprojectedasthefemaledivineen<tyofbeauty,sexanddesire,whileatthesame<mebeingthesymbolicpurveyorofwarandcombat.Descrip<on:1. Anudefemalefigurewithtapering
featheredwingsandtalons2. standingwithherlegstogether3. shownfullfrontal,wearingaheaddress
consis<ngoffourpairsofhornstoppedbyadisc
4. wearinganelaboratenecklaceandbraceletsoneachwrist
5. holdingherhandstothelevelofhershoulderswitharodandringineach
6. figuresupportedbyapairoflionsaboveascale-pa@ernrepresen<ngmountainsorhillyground,andflankedbyapairofstandingowls
Significantamountofredochrepaintfoundonthebodyofthefemalefigure.
Whydoyouthinkthisfigurelooksthewayshedoes?Whydoesshehaveanimalparts?Whatdoalltheanimalsmeannow?
WhatI’mmen<oninghereissomewhatofasidenote:Lookcarefullyatmanyoftheimagesoffemalefigures,especiallytheonesstanding.Inmanyofthemyouwillno<ceaninvertedtriangleshapeattheirvaginalarea.Thisshapecametobeassociatedwithfemales.Itisanancientsymbolthatdevelopedintoarepresenta<onofthegenitaliaofagoddess.Seeifyouno<ceitaswemoveforward.
Inanna,aprominentMesopotamianfemaledeityinscribedontheIshtarvase.
Herearetwoimagesoffemalefigureswithchildren.TheonebelowfromAnatoliawasmade3000yearslaterthantheonetotheright.Thesnakeheadedgoddess,Nammu,(goddessofthesea),inSumerianmythgavebirthtotheearthandsky.
MothergoddessNammu—SnakeHeadGoddessfigurinefeedingherbaby.Terraco@a4thMBCE,Iraq
Seatedgoddesswithachild,ca.1400BCE,madefromgold,Thediscbehindherheadismostlikelythesun.
IfthiswereanordinaryArtHistoryclasswewouldbediscussingtheartworkandideasoftheseciviliza<onsdifferently.Manydifferentciviliza<onsdevelopedhereandtherewasmuchfigh<ngincludingwarsofconquest.Powerfulrulerswereworshipasgodsandmanymythsandstorieswerewri@enabouttheirconquestsandartworksmadetovisuallytes<fytotheirpower.
Wealreadylookedatthisonemadearound880BCEinwhatwenowcallIraq.ThisoneisfromthecitadelofSargonII,areallypowerfulking.
HeadofanAkkadianruler,fromNineveh(modernKuyunjik),Iraq,ca.2250–2200BCE.Copper,1’23/8”high.IraqMuseum,Baghdad.
Ournextexplora<onwillbeintoEgypt.TheAncientEgyp<anEmpire,similarlytoMesopotamia,lastedalong<me.WeusuallybeginlearningaboutEgyp<anhistoryinthePharaonicPeriod,fromabout3200BCEto330BCE(whenthecountryfellunderMacedonian,Greek,rule)DividedintoKingdoms–theEarly,MiddleandNewKingdoms,indicatesrela<velyconsistentwaysofvisuallyrepresen<ngpharos,queens,godsandgoddessesthroughoutthethousandsofyears.
MostofyouprobablyknowsomethingsaboutEgypt.ItgrewuparoundtheNileRiverinnorthEasternAfrica.
Egyp<anartworkisgenerallyverys<ffandwhatwecall‘stylized.’Thismeansratherthana@emp<ngtocreateaportraitofthepharaohandhisqueen,theyaremadeaccordingtoaconven<on.Thiswayallpharaohswilllookthesame,wearthesameclothesandheaddress,havethesamebeard,standwithonefootforward,handsclenched,etc.Ordinarily,itisquitehierarchical,meaningthemostimportantperson(inthiscasethepharaoh)iseitherlargerorplacedinahigherposi<on.
MenkaureandKhamerernebty(?),fromGizeh,Egypt,DynastyIV,ca.2490–2472BCE.Graywacke,approx.4’61/2”high.
Thequeentoohasherownconven<onalwayofbeingrepresented.(no<cetheinvertedtrianglevisiblethroughherdress.)Styliza<onwasdonewiththeartworktobesureeveryonewouldknowexactlywhothesepeoplewere.Sincefeweverreallysawthepharaoh,thestatuewouldnotbemistakenforanordinaryperson.ItcanonlybeaPharaoh.
MenkaureandKhamerernebty(?),fromGizeh,Egypt,DynastyIV,ca.2490–2472BCE.Graywacke,approx.4’61/2”high.
Someotherconven<onsinEgyp<anArthavetodowithskincolor.Omenthemaleisdepictedwithbrownskintoneandthefemalewithwhite.Thesetwostatuestotherightofaprinceandprincesswerefoundintheirtombs.Inthetombpain<ngbelowthemale(pharaoh)ismuchlargerthanthetwofemales,eventhoughtheyallhavedarkerskin.
PrinceRahotepandPrincessNofret,fromDashur,c.2580BCE(OldKingdom,Dynasty4)
OneofthemostimportantEgyp<angoddesseswasNut.Nutisthepersonifica<onoftheskyandheavens.Personifica<onhappensinartalot.Itiswhenanideaispresentedinhumanform.Theideaoftheskyisrepresentedbyafemale.
OnthisscrollsheisdepictedwithGeb.Togethertheyaretheskyandearth.She’sarchingaboveashereclinesbelow.Theirunioncreatesallthings.Thisisfromabookofthedead.
InonemythshegivesbirthtotheSungodeverydayanditpassesoverherbodyun<lswallowedatnight,toberebornthenextday.
ThegoddessAusetwasthedaughterofNutandGebshewasworshipedastheidealwifeandmother.AusetwasthoughttobeavirginmotherhavinghadspiritualintercoursetoproduceHeru.Sheisalsosymbolicofregenera<onandthepromiseofeternallife.Heresheisthedivinemothersisngonalionthrone(missing).Herwigiscoveredwithavultureheaddress,surmountedbythecobracrown,withcowshornsandsolardisc.SheisofferingherbreasttohersonHeru,whowasbornaKing,seatedonherlap.Hereisanotherversionofthistheme.
StatueofAusetSucklingHeru,664-332BCE,Egyp<anMuseum,Cairo
ManygodsandgoddessesinEgyptarerepresentedasparthumanandpartanimal.ThisreliefsceneshowsKingTaharqoasachildbeingnursedbythegoddessBastet.Showingkingsthiswayimpliedtheirdivinestatus.Wewillseethisomeninart.Placingasecularrulerincloseproximitytoadeityemphasizedtheirgod-likestatus.Thegoddessofwarfarebeforetheunifica<onofEgypt,Bastetwasworshipedasearlyas2890BCE.Originallyalionesswarriorgoddessofthesunshewaslaterrepresentedasacat.Defenderofthepharaoh,sheisalsoadivinemotherwhohadaspectsofIsis,anothergoddessweseelater.
MenatofTaharqo:TheKingbeingNursedbytheLionheadedGoddessBastet 690-664BCE
ManygodsandgoddessesinEgyptarerepresentedasparthumanandpartanimal.ThegoddessSekhmetmeansthePowerfulOne.Anotherwarriorgoddesssheisalsoworshipedforhealing.Depictedasalionessbecausethelionesswasthoughttobethemostfiercehunter.Shewearsthesundisc
BustoftheGoddessSakhmet,ca.1390-1352BCE,BrooklynMuseum
becauseshe’salsoasolardeity,calledthedaughterofRa.ThisstatueoftheGoddessSakhmetisfromca.1390-1352.It’sintheMetMuseum.
Taweretisaprotec<veancientEgyp<angoddessofchildbirthandfer<lity.Sheisusuallydepictedasahumanfemale,withtwolegsandlongbreasts,withfelineheadandcrocodileback.VeryearlyversionsincludedaspectsoftheHippopotamus.
Tawaret,Nubia,c.623-595BCE,BostonMuseum.
Herfierceimagewasthoughttofrightenawaydemons.ThisstatueoftheGoddessTaweretisfromca.332-30BCE.It’sintheMetMuseum.Itoncehadasundisconthehead.
Isis—OneofthemostimportantDei<esinAncientEgypt.ShewaslaterworshipedintheGreco-RomanEmpireaswell.Worshipedastheidealmotherandwifeaswellaspatronessofnatureandmagic.Sheisalsoknownastheprotectorofthedeadandgoddessofchildren.ShemarriedherbrotherOsiris,whichledtoanimportantmyth.NefertariwasthemainwifeofthepharaohRamsesII.Thegoddessisontheright.Thisimageindicatesthequeen’shighstatusassheis‘allowed’tointeractwithdei<eswithouthim.ThisimagedepictsthegoddessIsisleadingtheQueenNefertaribythehand.
NefertariledbyIsis,watercolorofawallpain<ngfromthetombofQueenNefertari,1270-1213BCE.AlsointheMetMuseum
Isiswasoriginallypicturedasawomanwithacrowninthehieroglyphicsignforathrone.Latershesitsonathronewithaheaddressthatlookslikeasolardisc.Herearlierassocia<onwiththecowgoddesshasherretainingthehorns.Some<messheisalsodepictedwithacowhead.Sheisomenseenholdingtheankh(thesignforlife).Inthisimagetotheright,sheplacestheankhinthekingsmouth.
ThegoddessIsisBlessingandgivingAnkh(life)toKingSePI,AbdosTemple.
TherearemanymorefemaleEgyp<angoddesses.Theseareafewthatcon<nuesomeofthethemeswesawearlierandoneswewillseecon<nuinglater.
ThisisanIsis/Aphroditeimage.AswemoveintotheClassicalperiodnextweek,somegoddessesjusttakeonnewforms.
IndusValley–IndusRiver,NorthernIndia,about2600-1900BCE.Oneoftheworld’searliesturbanciviliza<ons.Therootsofourownciviliza<oncanbeseenintheseearlyones,especiallyMesopotamiaandIndusValley.Weseeevidencetheseciviliza<onsinteractedwitheachotherallowingforcross-culturalconnec<ons.
MainlylocatedinwhatisnowpartsofIndia,AfghanistanandIran.TothelemisasealfromHarappa.OnthelemsideistheoriginalStampsealandontherightistheimpressionmadeinclay.
Asyoucansee,thedates2600-1900BCEforthisciviliza<onareshorterthantheotherswe’velookedatthusfar.Generally,atthis<meperiodweseefemalefigures,knownasgoddessfiguresandsealsthatpredatethedevelopmentoftheHinduReligion.
IndusValleypeoplealso worshipedaMotheror Fer<litygoddess.
Proto-Hindumothergoddesses,MohenjoDaro,3000BCE
Proto-Hindumothergoddesses,MohenjoDaro,2000BCE
TheIndusValleyCiviliza<onseemstohavehadahighregardfornatureandtheenvironment.Manyanimalsareseeninthesealsexcavatedfromthis<me.Sealswerepiecesofclaywithtextandimagestampedintothem.
DancingGirl,MohenjoDaro,2500BCE
ThisoneiscalledPashupa<nath(orLordoftheAnimals)from2500BCE.ThefigurehereisthoughttobetheearlyprototypeforthelaterHindugodShiva.
Thisearlyciviliza<onprovidesuswiththeseedsofimageandideathatlaterformtheHindupantheonofgodsandgoddesses.Similarlytootherciviliza<onswe’velookedat,acoreneedofhumanlifeisfer<lity.
GendercouldalsobeflexibleasseeninthismuchlaterversionofthegodShiva.Inthisformheishalfmaleandhalffemale.PartShivaandpartgoddessShak<.Note:notdatesfrommuchlater.
Lotus Headed Fertility Goddess such as these were first found in Indus Valley Seals. But the ones here are from much later, 1-3rd Century.
Thisweekwelookedatthreeciviliza<onsthatformedthebasisofideasandimagesthatwillcon<nuetodevelopinWesternCiviliza<on.Perhapsyoucanalreadyseesomethathavecon<nuedun<lnow.Vocabularywords.Knowthesewordsfromthisweek’slecture:VisualHierarchyPersonifica<onStyliza<on(orstylized)Deity
SeatedGoddess,Greece,400BCE
Foryourannota<onofthislecture:1. Readcarefully.2. Bewillingtoscrollbackandforth.3. Noteimportantpointsaboutthe
imagesandideasofeachciviliza<on.4. Answerques<onsasyougo.5. No<cedatesofstatuesandimages.
Whatdothedatestellus?6. Readthetextandtake<metoread
theimage.
NextweekwelookatartworkfromGreeceandRome.Theseclassicalciviliza<onshadmanygodsandgoddessestoo.
SeatedGoddess,Greece,400BCE