2. The Art of Mesopotamia (≈10,000-300 BC)

A bit of history:

The civilizations of Mesopotamia are some of the earliest on Earth, and extend far back, beyond written history, so most of what we know about these groups of people comes from archeology. Mesopotamia consists of the land of the Middle East and Persia, specifically the fertile strip between the Mediterranean Sea and the Persian Gulf. It's where you'll find modern day Israel, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, and Iran. The people who lived here built the world's first farms, villages, and temples. The developed from the Stone Age, into the Bronze Age, and then Iron Age.

Mesopotamia was a crossroads of the ancient world. While Egypt was relatively isolated and secure, developing its society and culture independently, Mesopotamia was consisted of countless nation states and empires, constantly at war and facing invasion: from the Amorites, Hittites, Kassites, Elamites, Chaldeans, and so on. This epoch in history has an endless list of names for cultures that migrated, fought, and mixed together.

Here is a brief list of the major civilizations:

The Sumerians

The Akkadians

The Babylonians

The Assyrians

The Mitanni

Art of Mesopotamia:

Art has always been a display of wealth, and sophistication. As such, art was used in the ancient world to give a level of majesty and authority to the ruling classes - the aristocracy and the priesthood. Despite the near constant warring and political upheaval, art flourished throughout Mesopotamia, as kings built palaces, temples, and elaborate tombs. 

The underlying philosophy of this age:

How was their culture represented in other arts – music, architecture, and literature?

What made it great?

Some leading figures:

Some of the most famous sites and artworks of the time:

Göbekli Tepe - current state and artist's rendering, Şanlıurfa, southeast Turkey, ≈10,000-9,000 BC

Göbekli Tepe is one of the earliest known temple sites in existence. It's was pre-pottery stone age community of the late Neolithic era.

The Urfa Man, found in Balıklıgöl near Urfa (Ancient Edessa), in Turkey, ≈9,000 BC

An Ain Ghazal statue, near Amman, Jordan, ≈8300-6000 BC

From the Ain Ghazal site in Jordan, where numerous statues have been found.

Double-Headed Ain Ghazal statue, ≈7500 BC

Ancient site of Çatalhöyük, Turkey, world's first city, ≈7500-5700 BC

Goddess, seated, with two lionesses, Çatalhöyük, Turkey, ≈7,500-5,700 BC

Stone masks found in the Judean hills of Israel, ≈7000BC

Clay figurine, Sha'ar HaGolan, Israel, ≈6,400-6,000 BC

A pot found in Yanik Tepe, Iran, ≈3500-3000 BC

The Warka Mask, from the ancient city of Uruk, present day Iraq, ≈3,100 BC

The Guennol Lioness, made of limestone, Sumerian, ≈3,000 BC

Votive Statue from Eshnunna (present day Tell Asmar, Iraq) ≈2,900-2,550 BC

Golden Lyre (reconstruction), Sumerian, 2650-2550 BC

The Standard of Ur, 2600 BC

Gold & Lapis Lazuli Necklace Beads from the royal grave at Ur (present day Iraq) 2600-2500 BC

The Golden Helmet of King Meskalamdug, 2500 BC

Silver-Copper Vase by Entemena, king of Lagash, dedicated to the war god Ningirsu, 2400 BC

Bronze Akkadian Mask, possibly the face of Sargon, 2334-2279 BC

Statue of Puzur Ishtar, governor of Mari, 2100-2000 BC

Queen of the Night relief, 1800-1750 BC

unfinished Hittite sculpture, 1300 BC