Art Question Question 1 – Outline the mythology of religion in ancient Mesopotamia

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Chapter 2, Question 1 – Outline the mythology of religion in ancient Mesopotamia and describe the relationship between religion and art.”

Cited images: White Temple, Uruk (modern day Warka, Iraq) and Statuettes of Two Worshippers (modern Tell Asmar, Iraq ca. 2900-2750 BCE), Bull-Headed Harp with inlaid Soundbox (Modern Tell Muqayyar, Iraq 2550 BCE.)

The ziggurat was a Sumerian invention and one of the first structures that housed many people in the ancient city of Uruk. The temple, made out of mud bricks, was at the top of the city’s ziggurat (called a Kullaba) and shows not only the importance and prominence of religion in Sumerian society but also indicates that they believed their gods resided in the highest elevations yet still were approachable. This particular temple was probably dedicated to their god Anu, the god of the sky.

Other ways they indicated religion through art was with the votive statuettes they would place in the temples as offerings to the gods. Some statuettes were even designed in the likeness of the worshipper.

The ancient lyre or harp shown in Chapter 2, was found in a the royal tomb of king Meskalamdug. The first image on the sound box shows an image of a deceased king in heraldic composition (symmetrical)

Other symbols on the harp’s soundbox are said to represent the legend of Gilgamesh because there are symbols on the soundbox are similar to the symbols found in the epic poem about an ancient Sumerian King who visits the underworld. Gilgamesh is one of the oldest epic poems in the world and tells a tale about a king who visits the underworld. This gives us insight into the Sumerian religion and their belief in a heaven and hell or what happens to people when they die.