This list includes sculptures, architecture, and other forms of art that were created in Mesopotamia upto 6,000 years ago. Let's take a look (pictures are at the end):
1) The Standard of Ur
The Standard of Ur was created around 4,500 years ago, with historians saying its origins were somewhere in Ur (southern Iraq). It is a wooden box with shell, red limestone, and lapis lazuli mosaic detailing. There are four panels, the largest of the two depicting war and peace. In the war panel, the figures represent the Sumerian army at war with chariots, donkeys, and soldiers carrying spears. The peace panel shows fish, animals, and other goods being presented to what looks like the Queen of Ur. The peace panel also depicts guests at a royal banquet, seated and well-dressed in fringe skirts and coats. The side panels have assorted images of animals and objects. The Standard of Ur can now be found in the British Museum in London.
2) Lamassu
Lamassu is an ancient protective Sumerian deity. They have a human head, bird wings, and the body
of a bull or lion. The gender of Lamassu is a mystery, with many writings depicting them as female. The artwork is meant to be presented in a pair of Lamassu, one on each side of an entryway, accompanied by warriors holding weapons or lions (also on each side). Multiple statues were made around 883-859 B.C during the Assyrian period. They now reside in many famous museums including the Louvre in Paris, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and the British Museum in London. It is believed that Lamassu was created in either Syria or Iraq. Lamassu also appears on cylindrical seals, most notably in Iraq and the UK. They were used to protect royalty, as their placement was usually framing the entryway of throne rooms. The Lamassu were made out of Syrian limestone.
3) The Stele of Ushumgal
The Stele of Ushumgal is one of the earliest written documents from Mesopotamia. The inscription on the stele records a transaction between various properties and some livestock. It was created around 2900-2700 B.C and was found in Oman. The priest, Ushumgal, is placed in the middle, allegedly showing that he is involved in the transaction (either buying, selling, or blessing the properties). The daughter of Ushumgal can also be seen throughout the artwork. The Stele of Ushumgal currently resides in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The main theme detected by historians is a transfer of land ownership, which shows that private land ownership could have originated during this time. The stele was made out of gypsum alabaster.
4) Ram in a Thicket
Ram in a Thicket is a pair of figures found in the Royal Burial Pits in Ur, which were made around 2600-2400 B.C. The statues are identical, with a decorated goat standing on its hind legs framed by branches of a flowering plant. They were made with a wooden core with applied gold and silver. One stands in the British Museum in London, while the other stands in the University of Pennsylvania Museum in Philadelphia. The figures stand on a rectangular base, decorated with a mosaic of lapis lazuli, copper shell, and red limestone. The statues have been heavily reconstructed because they were in a terrible state when they were first found.
Gallery:
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| Peace Panel of The Standard of Ur |
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| War Panel of The Standard of Ur |
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| Lamassu in the Louvre |
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| The Stele of Ushmugal (Main Front Panel) |
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| Ram in a Thicket in the British Museum (Standard of Ur can be seen in the back) |
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