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02 Mesopotamian Architecture

Mesopotamian architecture developed from 3200 BC to 300 BC and was influenced by geography, geology, climate, and religion. Characteristic features included the use of mudbricks and ziggurats, with stepped temples usually having seven layers and a shrine at the top.

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27 views67 pages

02 Mesopotamian Architecture

Mesopotamian architecture developed from 3200 BC to 300 BC and was influenced by geography, geology, climate, and religion. Characteristic features included the use of mudbricks and ziggurats, with stepped temples usually having seven layers and a shrine at the top.

Uploaded by

seifeafomiya
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Mesopotamian architecture

Prep. By EPHREM N.
Civilization ?
• What comes first ?
• City?
• Agriculture?
• Architecture?
Civilization ?
• The city is almost the defining characteristic of
civilization, and the story of architecture begins with
the first cities
• Where and when civilization started?
Civilization ?
• Urban settlement was driven on by agricultural
success and technological development.
• The first Sumerian cities differed from earlier
village settlements because their surrounding
lands were thought to be “owned” by a local
god (rather than families or clans)
Civilization ?
Mesopotamian civilization and architecture
Influences in architecture

• Geographical
• Geological
• Climate
• Religion
• Social condition
• Historical background
Geographic

• Mainly spread in the fertile lands of the two long


rivers, Tigris and Euphrates.
• Meso + potamas= middle + river
• The cradle of civilization
• The area lacks in defense boundaries
• The irregular flooding was a hazard due to
melting of snows in the two rivers
• Which leads to the development of network of
channels, dykes, and reservoirs.
Tigris river
Geological condition
• The Mesopotamian plain was mainly alluvial
(Muddy) which lead for the use of clay bricks
for building materials
• Bricks- sun-dried or kiln burnt depending on
ordinary or important works and laid in lime
mortar but often in bitumen.
• Wood and silver were brought from Anatolia
and Lebanon
• Gold and incense from Arabia
Climate

• Extreme severe hot in summer and cold in


winter
• Very small rainfall
Religion

• Magic was largely practiced


• Priests exercised immense power in society due to
the monopoly of writing
• They carried mysterious ceremonial rites, also looked
after medicine and astrology
• The Babylonian gods were associated in triads such
as SHAMASH-THE SUN god, NANNA-THE MOON
god, ISHTAR-THE god of passion and war.
• Worshipers from the ziggurat at UR
Religion

• Nippur was the religious center of Mesopotamia


• gods and humans were similar
• but gods were more powerful and immortal
• gods were the masters
• humans were the slaves
• gods were ill-tempered, unpredictable, and very
dangerous
Ea, the god of intelligence and
wisdom, puts Apsu in a trance
and then kills him.

The statue of the god Marduk


with his dragon, from a
Babylonian cylinder seal.
Marduk killed Tiamat.
• Gods were thought to reside in the height – to
approach them temples were built on
elevated platforms usually provided with holy
mountains ‘ziggurats’ with the shrine at the
top.
Social condition

• Surveying and mathematics appeared as a result


of the making of net-work canals, reservoirs
• For prediction of seasons, science of heavenly
bodies astronomy came into being
• The homes of the poor were simple with central
courtyard
• The rich had two storey with sleeping rooms,
kitchens, wash room, servants quarters and a
family room.
Social condition
• The King: he had military powers.
• The Governors: they governed the territories of the
kingdom. They were generals and judges at the same time.
• The aristocracy: they were priests and traders.
• The peasants: the people who work the land.

The King

The Governors
The Aristocracy

The Peasantry
Historical background

The ancient architecture of Mesopotamia


developed from 3200B.C. to 300 B.C.
• Early Sumerian (3000-2000B.C.)
• Old Babylonian (2016-1595B.C.)
• Neo Babylonian (626-539B.C.)
• Assyrian (1859-629B.C.)
• Persian (750-330B.C.)
Sumer, 3200-2350 B.C. Sargon’s Empire, 2350- The Dynasty of Ur,
2320 B.C. 2100-2000 B.C.

Reign of Hammurapi of Babylon,


The Amorite invasions, 2100-1900 B.C. 1792-1750 B.C.
Political organization

• City-states
• Ruled by “kings” - (lugals) who fought
more or less constantly over land and
water-rights
Characteristic features
• Walled cities
• Temple complex are focal point of a city
• Successive temples built on the same holy spot
• Major Sumerian city-states included Eridu, Ur, Nippur,
Lagash and Kish,
• The most famous and probably the largest city in the
world at that time was Uruk having a population of
40,000 to 80,000
Characteristic features
Characteristic features

Material
• Sun dried and kiln burnt bricks were the main
building materials in Sumer and Babylon
• The Persians also use stone and timber
• Flooring consisted with paved bricks or mud plaster.
• Glazed bricks were dominant for finishing materials
especially in main buildings.
• Along the river sides people used to construct their
houses with river reeds
Mudhif or reed houses
Characteristic features

ZIGGURATS
• Stepped-temples
• usually seven layers, with a shrine on top
• a “landing place” for the god/goddes
• Almost all ziggurats use buttressing as a
structural system
Characteristic features

• In Babylon, due to the absence of stone, the brick


construction led to the evolution of arch, vault and
dome.
• The arches were corbelled arches
• The main arch entrance of the palace courts was
flanked by great imposing towers about 24m to 28m
high guarded by horned dragons, the symbol of
warrior god Marduk
Characteristic features

• The Assyrians unlike the Babylonians produced mural


decoration.
• Often the gates of their palaces such as palaces of
Sargon at Khorsabad and Nimrud were flanked by
imposing towers and guarded by man-headed
winged bulls, the symbol of Adad, the god of
Thunder
• The chief form of ornamentation was lotus flowers,
buds, and band of rosettes.
Characteristic features

• Temples and houses usually had rectangular plan and


were built on high platforms to protect them from
heavy floods.
• The walls were provide with typical cresting at the
top
• The roofs were barrel vault type whereas the
Babylonian roofs were flat.
Characteristic features

Persian Architecture
• The Persian architecture was columnar.
• They used flat roofs in place of arches
• The flat, lighter timber roofs were supported by slender
columns which helped them to enlarge the rooms where
necessary
• Persian columns had a molded base, fluted shaft and
decorative capital with continuous vertical scrolls.
• The top brackets of the columns were in the form of twin
bulls or dragons.
• Double walls were common
Characteristic features

• Door-ways and windows were square-headed


• They used relief slabs for parapets and surface
• Very large and long stair ways
• Decoration for lower portions of buildings.
Typical examples

• Mudhif or reed houses


• Ziggurat of Urnamu at UR
• Palace of sargon
• Ishtar gate
• The tower of Babel
• Palace of Persepolis
• The city of Jericho
Mudhif or reed houses
Ziggurat of Urnamu at UR
Ishtar gate
Palace of Sargon
Palace of sargon
The tower of Babel
Palace of Persepolis

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