Sumerian Statuettes Found In Temple Floors Represent What

The hoard was found during the 1933 34 excavation season at tell asmar beneath the floor of a temple dedicated to the god abu.

Sumerian statuettes found in temple floors represent what. A central figure of the neo sumerian age placed many statues in temples to render his perpetual service to the gods. The statuettes represent sumerian religious beliefs. In the modern world paper and various electronic devices is the medium on which writing is. The worshipers is a woman and man with hands folded represent prayer.

With their heads tilted upward the figures represented in these statuettes wait in the sumerian waiting room for the divinity to appear. The texts inscribed on some statuettes are specific prayers to the deity on the owner s behalf. I ve selected an image of the two largest ones since those are the most recognizable ones. The statuettes of two worshipers figure 2 5 represent.

Mesopotamian art and architecture mesopotamian art and architecture sumerian period. Ziggurat designs ranged from simple bases upon which a temple sat to marvels of mathematics and construction which spanned several terraced stories and were topped with a temple. The beginnings of monumental architecture in mesopotamia are usually considered to have been contemporary with the founding of the sumerian cities and the invention of writing about 3100 bce. The statuettes are made of gypsum shell and black limestone.

The asmar statues are twelve statues found by archaeologist henri frankfort in the early dynastic temple of tell asmar at the site of asmar in present day iraq. The statuettes are located in the national museum of iraq baghdad. An example of a simple ziggurat is the white temple of uruk in ancient sumer. This language was written in a script known as cuneiform which was later adapted by other languages that emerged in mesopotamia and its neighboring regions including akkadian elamite and hittite.

The sumerian language was developed in ancient mesopotamia and is the oldest known written language. The statues were neatly stacked in an oblong cavity beside an altar in the sanctuary. The statuettes represent wealthy mortals with inscriptions written on them. Among the most well known and best preserved objects are the twelve statues known collectively as the tell asmar hoard.

2900 bce are. These statues found buried beneath the floor of a temple at eshnunna modern tell asmar reveal a lot about the religious beliefs of sumerians. They ranged in size from under 1 foot to 30 inches. Conscious attempts at architectural design during this so called protoliterate period c.

Start studying art history chapter 2 ancient mesopotamia and persia. The statuettes of two worshipers found in the square temple at eshnunna buried beneath the floor. The statues were carved and modeled from alabaster a hard form of the mineral gypsum at least 4500 years ago and buried intact in a single deposit very unusual for votive hoards. Facial characteristics offer little variation from one statue to the next.

There is a wide stylistic range in the hundreds of dedicatory statues found here. Learn vocabulary terms and more with flashcards games and other study tools. Votive statuettes carved of gypsum.