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Hind Al-Hamed

200816115

Mesopotamian jewelry

Research paper on

Mesopotamian jewelry

Art 319 Zayed University

Hind Al-Hamed

200816115

Mesopotamian jewelry

The history of western costume and jewelry it self- begins in Mesopotamia. Numerous city-states flourished along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers and their tributaries. Sometimes these city-states were self-governing; sometimes they were organized into an empire by one dominant city. People in these cities created the earliest civilization by developing writing, organizing businesses, initiating scientific and religious inquiry, and codifying laws. Sumerians, Acadians. Babylonians, Assyrians and Persians, among others, established empires centered in Mesopotamia. Some civilization that once flourished in Mesopotamia left behind abundant remains that show how they dressed and adorned themselves with jewelries. These remains prove that the Mesopotamian civilization lived form 3500 BCE till 300 BCE. For other civilizations, only too few art objects survived to document their costume. Part of the reasons that prevented the survival of such art objects is because of the natural disasters and the constant warfare that plagued Mesopotamia during the first millennia of recorded history. Catastrophic floods ravaged the region as recorded in the Mesopotamian famous war Epic of Gilgamesh and the story of Noah in Genesis. Floods also ruined the archaeological soil strata. Political life at that time could be another reason. The cities sought for their independence and control by either destroying or absorbing the cultures of those who had preceded them in power. Despite the ruin caused by warfare, floods and political conflicts, a wide variety of artifacts remains that shows how people adorned themselves with jewelries and accessories thousands of years ago. Because actual fabrics of ancient Mesopotamia have not been found, only the surface designs and trims can be studied in sculpture. Literary and visual records suggest extensive use of wool, fabrics, as well as some linen. Mesopotamian used gold semiprecious stones formed rings, necklaces, bracelets, earrings and coronets, all with plant, animal or human motifs such as cuttlefish and starfish and insects such as butterflies and bees. People from all of these civilizations wore rich jewelry; archaeologists have retrieved hoards of jewelry from mostly graves or crumbling buildings.

Hind Al-Hamed

200816115

Mesopotamian jewelry

In this research paper I will introduce some of the Mesopotamian jewelry pieces and I will give my opinion on each of them. One of the most spectacular archaeological finds in the Near East was the discovery, beginning in 1988, of more than a thousand pieces of gold jewelry weighing more than 125 pounds; they were found in three Assyrian royal tombs at Nimrud. Much of the information about Mesopotamian jewelry comes from the royal graves of Ur. In one grave archaeologists found the body of queen named Pu Abi. When the queen died the favorite servants, who could serve her in the afterlife, accompanied her to her tomb. The tomb was filled with all the things the queen need for the afterlife. In the tomb there were the skeletons of the queen and her servants wearing a fortune in jewelry including gold earrings, pins, necklaces, bracelets, armbands, ankle bracelets, rings and headdresses.

Headdress: it was made from coils of gold ribbons topped with gold leaves, flowers and semiprecious stone. It was decorated with lapis lazuli and carnelian and with three rows of sheet gold leaves. Crowning the headdress was a tall comb of gold ending in seven rosettes.

Pair of bracelets: Reveals inlays of tigers-eye, turquoise, malachite, and lapis lazuli. It was set with precious agate-stone and inlaid with enamel. Gold winged genies hold buckets and pinecones.

Hind Al-Hamed

200816115

Mesopotamian jewelry

Gold crown: 3.5 inch-wide appliqued with three rows of rosettes, was made for a child.

Gold necklace: with 28 pendants, with clasp of intertwined animal heads.

Gold earrings: formed by cones dangling from half-moons.

The royal diadem: one inch wide with plaits of flexible gold mesh, woven in herringbone pattern and set with precious stones, the losse fringed 10 inch length would have fallen ribbon like down the back of the head.

Granulated Gold earrings: frames an exquisite palm tree mosaic of semiprecious stones set in lapis lazuli. Perhaps symbolizing the sacred tree often depicted in Mesopotamian art.

Hind Al-Hamed

200816115

Mesopotamian jewelry

In the tomb of Ur there is also Gold hair rings engraved fastener and finger-ring with lapis lazuli inlay as well as amulets worn by the queen Pu abi.

Gold necklace was reconstructed from more than 200 pieces. Its seven pendants represent deities: the crescent moon stands for Sin, the moon good and the rayed disk figurines depict the protective goddess Lama, and the forked lightning represents Adad, the storm god.

A golden necklace: the decoration on the disks was made with tiny gold granules and the three-section band was made by coiling.

Hind Al-Hamed

200816115

Mesopotamian jewelry

Gold pin. Probably used to hold Pu-abi's hair at the back of her head.

Gold pin. Probably used to hold Pu-abi's hair at the back of her head.

The third bead pendant used to hold amulet would have held a shaft that amulet would have served as a handle a damp clay tablet, like the cylinder

Pu-abi's cylinder seals: The bottom went through the cylinder seal. The when rotating the cylinder seal across seal and handle.

Gold headband. It wasn't found in a royal tomb, but in a simple burial (PG 153) of a single body.

Hind Al-Hamed

200816115

Mesopotamian jewelry

A testament to the astonishing reach of early Assyrias trading caravans, the magnificent necklaces below are imported from distant areas.

This necklace includes blue cylinders of lapis lazuli imported from Afghanistan and the orange carnelian beads from India.

The blue semiprecious stone was minded in Afghanistan. The long brown carnelian beads were imported.

Diaderm of gold , carnelian and lapis lazuli, worn by a child.

Beads and pendants of gold, carnelian and lapis lazuli.

Hind Al-Hamed

200816115

Mesopotamian jewelry

Jewelries of the royal families:

The helmet on the tomb of Kind Meskalamdug: was made of electrum (alloy of gold and silver) by hammering from the inside, with the details added later. The finely fashioned hair is held in place by a diadem suggesting a royal owner.

Golden pectoral: it came from one of the intact tombs. It is decorated with the images og the Egyptian hawk-god Horus but details show that it was made locally. Width 20.5 cm.

Gold roundel of a winged lion griffon with four loops on the back. Garments with gold decorations sewn on them were worn by the Mesopotamian kings and by the statues of gods.

Golden bracelet: the hollow spaced would have contained inlays of glass or semiprecious stones; Width 11.5 cm.

Hind Al-Hamed

200816115

Mesopotamian jewelry

The base of the hammered electrum tumbler from Puabi's death pit features a decorative eight-petal rosette surrounded by a series of arcs or concentric circles.

The pan-Mesopotamian rosette is a symbol connected to the Tree of Life, and is connected to the Sun god Shamash. The standard Sumerian rosette design has only eight spoke-like leaves.

Assyrian Tree of Life (Sacred Tree) Necklace and Assyrian Flower Broche (Silver).

Babylonian necklace. It was made 1,000 years after the Royal Tombs. Note how the swirl patterns and the shape of the gold beads continue the Sumerian tradition of jewelry.

Hind Al-Hamed

200816115

Mesopotamian jewelry

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Bracelets: The initial instances of jewelry bracelets were discovered with the Sumerians of Mesopotamia where the females used the bracelets to broadcast the money of their partners. Sumerian ring and coil money. The silver was cut to length as needed.

Hind Al-Hamed

200816115

Mesopotamian jewelry

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Hind Al-Hamed

200816115

Mesopotamian jewelry

12

To sum up, by about 4,000 years ago, jewelry making had become a significant craft in the Mesopotamian cities of Sumer and Akkad, in what is now Iraq. Until this day there are brands and designers are inspired by the Mesopotamian jewelry designs.

Yossi Harari: Yossi Harari's work harkens back to the jeweler of ancient Anatolia and Mesopotamia, but with an added contemporary flare. Yossi also operates a jewelry gallery in Tel Aviv. http://yossiharari.com/

Pandora: is another jewelry company, which produces mainly beads bracelets and necklaces, inspired by the Mesopotamian designs. http://www.pandora.net/

My Babylonia The crafted pieces convey expression and emotion through signs and symbols. Company BABYLONIA handmade silver jewelry is an infusion of the ancient elegance and modern rawness of Babylonia. http://www.mybabylonia.com

Aykat Telkari handcrafting is an art that has been implemented in the Mesopotamian plain since 3000 BC. Products are finish with cleaning and polishing.. http://aykatkuyumculuk.com/Anasayfa/ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlFvADsPGvI&feature=related

Hind Al-Hamed

200816115

Mesopotamian jewelry

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Example of appropriating from Mesopotamian jewelry:

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