| The history of art, in its various forms, is incomplete | | | | cotta plaques' with the inscriptions of the daily chores |
| unless it includes the chapters of the classic art of the | | | | of a common Babylonian. The archeologists also found |
| Ancient Babylonia (now Southern Iraq). Lying between | | | | a sculpture at Susa (1792-50 BC, Louvre) that many |
| the rivers Tigris and Euphrates, Babylonia was a state | | | | believe to be of Hammurabi himself. |
| in Lower Mesopotamia with Babylon as its capital. | | | | The Ancient Near East's Babylonian Art possessed |
| Babylonia was amongst the first civilizations in the | | | | not only remarkable antiquity and opulence, but also |
| world to have developed a centralized Government | | | | great diversity. It featured art forms, such as carpentry, |
| with taxation rules in place and a well-defined law | | | | glass making, gem cutting, tapestry, and specialized tool |
| & order system in as early as 2000 BC. | | | | making. The paucity of stones made the Babylonian |
| The golden age of this civilization started in the | | | | artisans see opportunity in the abundant clay, which |
| eighteenth century BC, under the four-decade long rule | | | | was turned into bricks for use in architectural designs. |
| of Hammurabi, and lasted until the sixth century BC. | | | | This innovative use of 'clay bricks' became instrumental |
| Hammurabi's death however, led to a breakup of the | | | | in the development of pilaster (a pseudo-pillar), column, |
| empire and Babylonia suffered invasions from various | | | | frescoes, and enameled tiles. |
| countries, eventually leading to the Assyrians ruling on | | | | Babylonian temples were voluptuous structures with |
| the state for several years. The year 626 BC | | | | colored walls adorned with bronze, gold, tiles, and |
| witnessed the crowning of Nabopolassar, whose | | | | painted terra-cotta cones entrenched in the plaster. |
| leadership helped Babylonia to become an independent | | | | The legendary 'Ishtar Gates' of Babylonia constructed |
| state in its own right. His son Nebuchadnezzar | | | | in the sixth century BC, in the honor of |
| continued to move on his father's footsteps. He took | | | | Nebuchadnezzar II, contain 575 elaborate reliefs of |
| Babylonia to the pinnacle of success, resurrecting it as | | | | lions, dragons, and bulls. The relief of a lion is put to |
| the most authoritative supreme rule in the Ancient near | | | | display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New |
| East region. Under Nabopolassar's rule, a new form of | | | | York. Masterpieces, such as "The Mari Gods' |
| art was born, which included 'polychrome-glazed brick | | | | Sculpture," "The Tower of Babel," "the King's Palace," |
| walls,' modeled in relief. | | | | "the Royal Processional Roads," and the highly rated, |
| The knowledge of such a sophisticated civilization | | | | one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, the |
| went into oblivion however, with the passage of time. It | | | | "Hanging Gardens of Babylon," glorify the artistic and |
| was only in the nineteenth century that archeologists | | | | the architectural brilliance of the civilization of the |
| rediscovered the lost treasures of the great | | | | Ancient near East, Babylonia. |
| Mesopotamian Civilization. Excavations revealed 'terra | | | | |