Ancient Near East Architecture (Mesopotamian Architecture)

Chapter V Architecture in the Ancient Near East (Mesopotamian Architecture) Circa 5,000 BC-AD 641 A.GEOGRAPHICAL The Ancient Near East or the West Asiatic Architecture flourished and developed the twin Rivers of Tigris and Euphrates, also known as Mesopotamia. It refers to Persia, Assy...

Chapter V Architecture in the Ancient Near East (Mesopotamian Architecture) Circa 5,000 BC-AD 641 A.GEOGRAPHICAL The Ancient Near East or the West Asiatic Architecture flourished and developed the twin Rivers of Tigris and Euphrates, also known as Mesopotamia. It refers to Persia, Assyria and Babylon. At present, major part of Mesopotamia is the location of Iraq. The Kingdom of Babylonia and Assyria A number of ancient civilizations flourished in the region that once was Mesopotamia. In the 6th century BC Cyrus the Great established the Persian Empire, and Mesopotamia came under Persian rule. The empire ruled by persia eventually became the largest empire in the world had yet known. Darius I established the capital at Persepolis in the late 6th century BC primarily as a residence and a place for large receptions. The business of government was carried out elsewhere, chiefly at Susa and Ecbatana. Babylonia was one of the first civilizations in the world. It formed around the region where the Tigris and Euphrates rivers flow in relatively parallel courses toward the Persian Gulf. The region is also part of what is known as the Fertile Crescent, so named because the people who lived in this crescent-shaped area developed rich, irrigated farmlands. Assyria flourished in the region the ancient Greeks called Mesopotamia. An Assyrian king established what was probably the first centrally organized empire in the Middle East, Between 1813 and 1780 BC. In the ancient Middle East for being relentless and ruthless warriors. B.GEOLOGICAL ❖Due to floods and heavy rains, the earthen is converted into clay to produced bricks in Assyria and Babylon. ❖Due to rare experience of rain in Persia, they have timber and coloured limestones for their construction materials. C. CLIMATIC Mesopotamia experiences floods and heavy rains which have resulted in building of “ZIGGURATS”. In Persia, they have dry and hot climate which resulted in the open type temples. D. RELIGIOUS Mesopotamians were superstitious, believers of symbolism and also believers of genies and demons. Persians were believers of good and evil. They believed that the good usually triumphs in the ends. E. SOCIAL AND POLITICAL Babylonians among the three were considered extraordinary because they achieved the highest degree of civilization. Assyrians and Persians believed in military superiority thus manifested in their buildings. HAMMURABI- King of Babylon, united the diverse tribes in Mesopotamia by strategically conquering territory in the region. During his rule (circa 1792 to 1750 BC), he proved to be as able an administrator as general. The code of Hammurabi, a set of laws for the conduct of individuals and society that he codified, is one of the first bodies of written law. DARIUS I “DARIUS THE GREAT” This stone carving depicts Darius I, right, also known as Darius the Great, and his son and successor Xerxes I. Darius I ruled the Persian Empire from 522 to 486 BC. He secured the outer borders of the empire and reformed its internal organization, built highways, encouraged commerce, and organized a postal system. Darius allowed freedom of worship among the many different ethnic groups in the vast empire, earning their respect and goodwill. Darius the Great, successor of Cyrus the Great, founded Persepolis as the ceremonial center and administrative capital of the Persian Empire. Persepolis as the ceremonial Center XERXES I-Persian King, inherited his throne after the death of his father Darius I. his ambitious plans to expand the Persian Empire into Europe never materialized. The huge naval fleet he assembled for the invasion lost s decisive battle at the bay of Salamis in 480 BC, forcing Xerxes to retreat. NEBUCHADNEZZAR II- During his 43 years reign (605-562 BC), Nebuchadnezzar II expanded the Kingdom of Babylonia by conquering much of southwestern Asia. He also captured Jerusalem, taking many of the captive Jews to Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar is best known for his ambitious building projects, which made Babylon into one of the magnificent cities of the ancient world. SARGON II- right, ruled the Assyrian Empire for 17 years beginning in 722 BC. During his reign the power and extent of the Assyrian Empire greatly increased. This carving in low relief is from Sargon’s palace at Khorsabad in present day Iraq. ASHURNASIRPAL II- reigned in the 9th century BC and was one of the most influential Assyrian rulers. Under his rule the Assyrian borders were extended and the capital was moved from Ashur to the restored city of Calah. CYRUS THE GREAT- In the 6th century BC Cyrus the great overthrew the ruling Median Kingdom and established the Chaemenid Dynasty of the Persian Empire. Stretching from the Indus River t the Mediterranean Sea and across Egypt, Cyrus’s empire was the most powerful state the world had yet known. F. HISTORICAL Records were written in the cuneiform tablet (Clay Tablet) G. ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER 1. MASSIVENESS 2. MONUMENTALITY 3. GRANDEUR CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES: PERSIAN ARCHITECTURE- Columnar and Trabeated with flat timber roof, sometimes domed. Persian palaces and tombs were derived from old civilization. ASSYRIAN ARCHITECTURE- Arcuated type of construction; arch and vault and flat strips, Buttresses with glazed adornment. Palaces are the chief structures. Temples were with or without Ziggurats. BABYLONIAN ARCHITECTURE- Arcuated type of construction; Arch and Vault and Flat strips, Buttresses with glazed adornment. Ziggurat is the most important structure and the orientation of the four corners of ziggurat are towards the cardinal point. EXAMPLES OF STRUCTURES: BABYLON 1. ZIGGURATS or Holy Mountains-the chief building structure, square or rectangle in plan with steeply battered sides and an open platform on top. PARTS OF ZIGGURAT THREE TYPES OF ZIGGURATS A. ARCHAIC ZIGGURAT- Usually have one flat top rectangular mound carrying the upper temple. White Temple and ziggurat, Uruk B. TWO OR MORE STAGES ZIGGURAT- rectangular in plan, designed with several piers or stages. e.g. The Ziggurat, Nimrud, Tower of Babel Ziggurat of Urnammu C. ASSYRIAN TYPE: SEVEN STAGES SQUARE BASE ZIGGURAT-e.g. Palace of Nebuchadnezzar- has the famous Hanging Garden of Babylon. Ziggurat at Bursippa-seven stage pyramid dedicated to seven heavenly planets 2. THE CITY OF BABYLON- with 250 towers and 100 Bronze gates 3. TEMPLE OF MARDUK-grandest of all Babylonian Temples B. ASSYRIA 1. PALACE OF SARGON, KHORSABAD- Entrance and portals flanked with statues of headed winged bulls and lions. It contained 700 rooms. statues of headed winged bulls and lions IMPORTANT PARTS OF THE PALACE A. SERAGLIO- Palace proper which includes the king’s residence, halls, men’s apartment and reception courts. B. HAREM- Usually designed with a private family apartments C. KHAN- service chambers; in Muslim, inn for travelers prototype in Persian, Turkey temple. PERSIA 1. PALACE PLATFORM, PERSEPOLIS- occupies 1,500 and 1,000 ft. and is elevated 40 ft.; built by Darius I. GUARDIAN BULLS-huge stone bulls flank the western entrance to the gate of Xerxes, the ceremonial entryway to the citadel of the achaemenid capital of Persepolis. GUARDIAN MAN- BULLS- A pair of winged man-bulls guard the east door of the gate of Xerxes. The human- headed creatures, with their stylized hair and beards, are reminiscent of Assyrian sculpture. CARVED STAIRWAY OF PERSEPOLIS THE PALACE CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING: A. PALACE OF DARIUS B. PALACE OF XERXES C. HYPOSTYLE HALL OF XERXES D. HALL OF HUNDRED COLUMNS E.PROPYLAEA- Entrance to hall designed by Xerxes REMNANTS OF THE APADANA, PERSEPOLIS Stone doorways and 13 of the 72 massive stone columns that originally supported the Apadana, or audience hall, at Persepolis are still standing today. Each column was 20 m (66ft) tall and was topped by an elaborate capital. The double- headed animals at the top of the capitals once supported wooden roof beams. Persepolis is located in the mountainous region of southwestern Iran. The dry climate preserved much of the architecture, and archaeologists have uncovered and restored many of the ruins. COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS: PLAN: Babylonian palaces and temples were built on artificial platform 30’ above the plain. Ziggurats which grow in several tiers had their angles to the cardinal points, same with the Assyrians and Persians. WALLS: Babylonian walls are normally made of sun dried bricks finished with kiln burnt. Assyrian walls are also made of sun-dried bricks finished with polychrome. Persian walls are also made of bricks and followed the Assyrian style. OPENINGS: Babylonian and Assyrian doors are usually spanned by semi-circular while Persian doors are spanned by lintels. WINDOWS: Babylonian and Assyrian windows are not in use while Persian windows are also spanned by lintels. ROOFS: Roofs are flat and externally and also in some cases tunnel vaults and domes are used. COLUMNS: Babylonians and Assyrians have no columns. Persians column features high moulded base, flatted shafts, bracket form of the topmost capitals were of twin bulls, dragons or sometimes human head. DOUBLE BULL CAPITAL MOULDINGS: Babylonians and Assyrians mouldings were of little use. Persian adopted mouldings from the Egyptians. ORNAMENTS: Assyrian and Persian ornaments have monster planking entrance portals, mural decoration by polychrome bricks of blue, white, yellow and green low relief of slabs.  DECORATIVE RELIEF Many of the relief sculptures at Persepolis represent plant life, such as this highly stylized floral representation from the east stairs of the Apadana. The relief is bordered by a row of 12 petaled rosettes, an ancient symbol of sun, spring, and fertility.  ARCHERS OF DARIUS These colorful bricks were discovered in the 1880s by a French archaeological excavation of Susa, the ancient Elamite capital that Darius renovated and improved before founding Persepolis. Persian noblemen in military garb appear to climb the steps of the Council Hall on their way to the chambers within. A lion attacks a bull in this highly detailed relief from the walls along the east stairs of the Apadana. The Apadana is adorned with sculptural reliefs on both its east and its north stairs. The sculptures of each side mirror those of the almost exactly, but the north stairs have been exposed for centuries and its reliefs are severely damaged. The reliefs of the east stairs, on the other hand, were not excavated until the 1930s and are in near-perfect condition.  PROCESSION OF GIFT-BEAERS This detail from the elaborately carved relief along the Apadana’s east stairway shows two delegations of foreign tributaries as they march bearing gifts for the king. In the center of this 2nd-century BC Roman floor mosaic, Persian king Darius III Flees in defeat from Alexander the great at the battle of Issus in 333 BC. Two years later Alexander again defeated Darius III, this time at the Battle of Gaugamela. Having decisively triumphed over the Persians, Alexander finally stormed Persepolis in 330 BC, Plundered its treasures, and burned the citadel to the ground in a drunken binge. TERMINOLOGIES MEGARON- the principal hall of the Mycenean Palace Piano Nobile- an upper suite or reception Labyrinths- a Maze of twisting passageway Dromos- Mycenean beehive END