The civilization of Babylonia and Assyria

Its remains, language, history, religion, commerce, law, art, and literature

by Morris Jastrow | 1915 | 168,585 words

This work attempts to present a study of the unprecedented civilizations that flourished in the Tigris-Euphrates Valley many thousands of years ago. Spreading northward into present-day Turkey and Iran, the land known by the Greeks as Mesopotamia flourished until just before the Christian era....

Besides human figures, we have specimens of animals sculptured in the round, as well as some curious hybrid figures that are the forerunners of the huge winged creatures the human faces with the body of an animal which were placed at the entrances to large halls in Assyrian edifices. [1]

An unusually good piece of work is a crouching dog carved out of steatite. The body is admirably drawn, the legs are in an easy position and true to nature, while the face is so carefully reproduced as to enable us to specify the breed of mastiff to which it belongs. It bears an inscription on its side, indicating that the object was a votive offering on the part of King Sumulailu, (c. 2211-2176 B.C.), to the goddess Nin-Isin, "lady of Isin". [2]

Attached to the back is a cylindrical-shaped vase, but it is more than likely that this attachment which spoils the effect is of later date. At Telloh also a large number of heads of lions have been found serving as mace heads or as decorations on bowls, or supports for thrones (Plate LII) . While some show greater perfection than others, they all testify to the skill displayed in representing the majesty and fierceness of the animal 's features. It is only when we come to the mane that we encounter the influence of conventionalism, though considerably less in some specimens than in others. In the combination, however, of the human with the animal, neither Babylonians nor Assyrians were ever able to overcome the impression of grotesqueness which is the natural result.

We have nothing in Babylonian or Assyrian art that can be placed by the side of the remarkably harmonious combination of a human body with an animal head which we encounter in Egyptian art. In the case of the crouching bull with the human head, of which the Louvre has several specimens, the grotesqueness is heightened by the lack of proportion between the animal body and the human body. The head framed in by a mighty beard suggests that the symbolism is to be traced to Semitic influences.

The features too are distinctly Semitic, while the strands of the beard ending in curls suggest the typical arrangement in the case of representations of Assyrian monarchs, merely somewhat simpler than the later more elaborate and more conventionalized style. The head, however, looks as though it had been stuck on the body as an after thought (see Plate LIII).

One of the two specimens of this hybrid figure is an interesting illustration of inlay work, of which the Babylonian artists were exceedingly fond. The inlaying was done with yellow shells inserted into the black steatite so as to give the effect of a streaked bull. The result is again a grotesqueness which reflects on the good taste of the artist. Because of the subject and manner of execution, mention may here be made of a steatite vase with strange mythical monsters, the effect of which is heightened by the incrusted little shells to represent the scaled backs of the winged serpents with scorpions' tails and talons resembling those of eagles.

Like the human-headed bull, there is a latent symbolism, though perhaps of a different order. The serpent is no doubt to be regarded as the emblem of the god Ningishzida to whom, as the accompanying inscription shows, the vase is dedicated by Gudea, the famous ruler of Lagash.

PLATE LIII

Figs. 1 and 2, Humand-headed Bulls

The repetition of the symbol is for the sake of symmetry. Each of the serpents holds a hilted weapon, also encountered on other monuments. The other two serpents, more true to nature, entwined around a pole appear to serve merely decorative purposes, the mouths of the two serpents meeting at the edge of the vase, which evidently was a cult object, used in pouring out libations to the god to whom the vase is dedicated. The bodies of these serpents are likewise incrustated, and in contrast to the very grotesque mythical beings, the two entwined serpents are remarkably realistic. The whole object, unique in its design and original in its execution, ranks among the best specimens of Babylonian sculpture, and illustrates the wide range of that art. (See PL 71, Fig. 2.)

It may of course be an accident that we have not found nearly so many specimens of sculpture in the round as of bas-reliefs, but it is perhaps not unreasonable to conjecture that the difficulties involved may account for the fact. Custom, too, which is so large a factor in the development of art, may have led to the stele with a sculptured design as the type of the monument of an individual, having the advantage of more space for the accompanying inscriptions which was a chief motive with those who set up such monuments of themselves, or who had votive offerings prepared for themselves.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

See Plate V, Fig. 1.

[2]:

See above, Plate LI, Fig. 2.

Like what you read? Consider supporting this website: