Pre-Classical West Asiatic Architecture PDF

PRE-CLASSICAL ARCHITECTURE A. West Asiatic Architecture B. Egyptian Architecture WEST ASIATIC ARCHITECTURE A. Geographical Influence The ancient Architecture of West-Asiatic Developed from 3000BC to 330 BC in the following Period. a. Early Sumerian (3000 – 2000 BC)...

PRE-CLASSICAL ARCHITECTURE A. West Asiatic Architecture B. Egyptian Architecture WEST ASIATIC ARCHITECTURE A. Geographical Influence The ancient Architecture of West-Asiatic Developed from 3000BC to 330 BC in the following Period. a. Early Sumerian (3000 – 2000 BC) b. Old Babylonian (2016 – 1595 BC) – Neo Babylonian (626-539 BC) c. Assyrian (1859 -626 BC) d. Persian (750 – 330 BC) Flourished and developed in the Twin rivers of Tigris and Euphrates also known as Mesopotamia or “Land between two rivers”. It refers to Persia, Assyria and Babylon. B. Geological Influence Due to heavy floods and rain, it resulted in the conversion of its earthen clay to produce “bricks” in Assyria and Babylon, due to the seldom rain in Persia, they use timber and colored limestone. C. Climatic Influence Because of heavy rains and floods in Mesopotamia they built the “Ziggurats” and in Persia they have open type of temples because of dry and hot climate. D. Religious Influence Mesopotamians were superstitious, believers of symbolism, genies, and demons. Persian believed in good and evil but usually trusted that good triumphs in the end. E. Social and Political Influence Babylonians were considered extraordinary because they achieved the highest degree of civilization. Assyrian and Persians believed in military superiority thus manifested in their buildings. F. Historical Influence a. Babylonian Period b. Assyrian Period c. Neo-Babylonian Period d. Persian Period G. Architectural Character a. Massiveness b. Monumentality c. Grandeur H. Characteristic Features a. Persian Architecture – Columnar and Trabeated with flat timber roof sometimes domed. b. Assyrian and Babylonian Architecture – Arcuated type of construction (Arch, vault and flat strips, buttresses with glazed tile adornment) EXAMPLES OF STRUCTURES A. BABYLON 1. Ziggurats or “Holy Mountains” – chief building structure, square or rectangle in plan with steeply battered sides and an open platform on top containing the “Fire Altar”. The Ziggurat is thought to be the home of the Moon God Nanna. At the top of the structure there is a shrine were woman each night would stay with the god. Great Ziggurat (Ur) Ur was a Sumerian city located near the mouth of the Euphrates River. It was constructed of mud bricks reinforced with thin layers of matting and cables twisted reeds. The great ziggurat was located as part of a temple complex. Ziggurats were a form of temple common to the Sumerians, Babylonians and Assyrians of ancient Mesopotamia. The earliest examples of the ziggurat date from the end of the third millennium BCE and the latest date from the 6th century BCE. Most of what is known about what exists on top of the ziggurat is projection. Three Types of Ziggurats a. Archaic ziggurat – usually have one flat top rectangular mound carrying the upper temple. b. Two or more stages ziggurat – rectangular in plan, designed with several tiers or stages. Ex. The ziggurat, Nimrod; Tower of Babel Ziggurat at Buspar, seven stage pyramid dedicated to seven heavenly planets. c. Seven stages square base ziggurats Ex. Palace of Nebuchadnezzar, it has the “Hanging Garden of Babylon”. i. The capital, old Babylon was enlarged and heavily fortified and magnificent new buildings were built. ii. Nebuchadnezzar II - was a king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, who reigned c. 605 BC – c. 562 BC. Both the construction of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon and the destruction of Jerusalem's temple are ascribed to him. He is featured in the Book of Daniel and is mentioned in several other books of the Bible. iii. traditional style of Mesopotamian building reached its peak during the period iv. traditional building was enhanced by a new form of façade ornament consisting of figures designed in colored glazed brick work. v. Nebuchadnezzar’s Palace covered a land area of 900 feet by 600 feet. vi. it had administrative offices, barracks, the King’s harem, private apartment all arranged around five courtyards. vii. the palace is also praised for its legendary hanging garden. 2. CITY OF BABYLON a. Babylon is the most famous city from ancient Mesopotamia whose ruins lie in modern-day Iraq 59 miles (94 kilometres) southwest of Baghdad b. the name is thought to derive from bav-il or bav-ilim which, in the Akkadian language of the time, meant 'Gate of God' or `Gate of the Gods' and `Babylon' coming from Greek. c. The city was surrounded by a fortification of double walls  d. these had defensive towers that project well above the walls e. the walls also had a large moat in front, which was also used for navigation. The length of the wall and moat is about five and a quarter miles. The city had a palace located on its Northern side on the outer wall. Moat - a deep, wide ditch surrounding a castle, fort, or town, typically filled with water and intended as a defense against attack. Ishtar Gate was the eighth gate to the inner city of Babylon It was constructed in about 575 BC by order of King Nebuchadnezzar II on the north side of the city. It was excavated in the early 20th century and a reconstruction using original bricks is now shown in the Pergamon Museum, Berlin. All the facades of gates and adjoining streets were faced with blue-glazed bricks and ornamented with figures of Heraldic animals-lions, bulls, and dragons. None of the buildings of old Babylon has survived to the present age. B. ASSYRIA Palace of Sargon, Khorbad – entrance portals flanked with statues of headed winged bulls and lions. It contains 700 rooms. Important Parts of Palace a. Seraglio – palace proper which includes the kings residence, men’s apartments and reception courts. b. Harem – usually designed with a private family apartments or women’s quarter. c. Khan – service chambers, Khan is a Moslem “inn” for travelers. The great Palace of Sargon at Khorsabad incorporated many repeated motifs such as arches, winged lions and bulls with humanoid heads, gigantic reedings, and two-stepped crenelations, although columns were little used: it stood on a vast brick plinth and was reached by ramps and stairs. Assyrian temple-platforms resembled flat topped stepped pyramids, with the ‘steps’ formed of a continuous ramp that led around the square plan to reach the summit. Vaulting and even domed construction were apparently known to the Assyrians. The principal cities of Assyria were Nineveh, Dun, Khorsabad, Nimrudand Assur. C. PERSIA Persian art and architecture, works of art and structures produced in the region of Asia traditionally known as Persia and now called Iran. bounded by fierce mountains and deserts, the high plateau of Iran has seen the flow of many migrations and the development of many cultures, all of which have added distinctive features to the many styles of Persian art and architecture. there are excellent collections of Persian art in Tehran; the Metropolitan Museum; the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; and the Victoria and Albert Museum. Palace of Persepolis Persian architecture achieved its greatest monumentality at Persepolis and was constructed as anew capital for Persian Empire. Palace Platform Persepolis – occupies 1500 and 1000ft. And elevated 40 ft. It contains the following: Palace of Darius Place of Xerxes Hypostyle Hall of Xerxes Halls of Hundred columns Propylaea – entrance to the hall designed by Xerxes. The palace has three parts: An approach of monumental staircases, gateways and avenues. Two great state halls towards the center of the platform. The palace of Xerxes, the Harem, and other living quarters at the south end of the site.