- Stele of Naram-Sin
The first object that caught my eye is “Steele of Naram-Sin” made in the year between 2254-2218 BCE. I found this piece interesting because there is a hierarchical system and it made me curious the way artists portrayed about this system. This stele was made by Mesopotamian artists to praise their ruler, Naram-Sin. When creating this stele, artists used a symbolic language to describe the current politic situation and their leader. On the stele Naram-Sin is boldly shaped and bigger than other which shows like he is towering over his enemy and troops and all eyes gaze up toward him. Naram-Sin’s under left side is his army. They pose like their ruler marching towards the right side where their enemies take place. The enemies look like they’re begging for mercy from Naram-Sin but they are being thrown from the mountain-shaped stele.
- Head of a Man
This is a life-size bronze head of an Akkadian ruler, possibly Sargon. It was made in the year between 2300-2200 BCE. Mesopotamians have been revolutionary in many different ways including low-wax casting life-size statues. This particular sculpture is interesting because the face has vandalized which dishonor the ruler it once characterized. The sculptures ears were mutilated, the eyes gouged out, and the ears and part of the beard broken off. Even though the facial parts were distorted, still parts of the rulers face have symbolic meanings. For instance, the facial gestures aren’t unique, it is a general facial feature of the strong men back then. Also, his curled beard and braided hair show that he is a royal man and because of his bushy beard, it shows he is experienced.
