Friday, December 06, 2024

The Ancients

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Ancient Sumerian Cylinder Seals

Video shared by on in Ancient Sumeria


I hope you are as excited to learn more about the ancient avian history as I am to teach it! Today we begin with a look at the earliest periods of cylinder seal creation. We will cover the Protoliterate Period (before 3000 BC) and the three Early Dynastic periods (3000 BC to 2400 BC)

The Protoliterate Period, also called the Ukuk period, describes the seals created prior to 3000 BC contain a striking amount of detail that never existed in the period just previous (the Al Ubaid after an excavation site near the city of Ur). This means we have no record of how the ancient peoples of the Tigris and Euphrates area near the Persian Gulf came to learn how to create such works. It was during this period, about 3300 BC, that cylinder seals and human writing, make an appearance on the world stage for the very first time.

This first plate shows a long-haired female sitting on a short piece of furniture with her hands raised towards a structure, possibly a temple and possibly in worship. Besides the structure stands the known symbol for Inanna, the rod and ring.

The second plate comes from the Early Dynastic period (I)

The Early Dynastic period shows a change in the style of artwork depicted on the seals. In the early phases (I) there is no enrichment of the subject matter and much of the artwork is geometric in nature, sometimes with animals included in the design. Human figures were rarely shown in this early stage.

In the second phase (II) the trends form the previous stage were continued, except now the artwork took up the whole seal from top to bottom, even if the figures were a mixture of standing and sitting. (Perspective was not practiced!) The main themes during this time period were heroes and animals.

This plate shows an early banquet scene with an alter in the middle, upon which stands an unknown circular object. Two people sit back to back against the altar and on both sides worshippers come towards them

 

This plate comes from the Early Dynastic III period (approximately 3000-2340 BC.) and shows five figures that have bird-like heads. One bird-man offers a cup to a seated deity which wears the double-horned headgear. Double-horned headgear in the ancient near-east is thought to be a symbol of divinity. The figure to the right of the seated deity has an exceptionally long reach and appears to be fighting a skirted figure that has elaborate bird-like features including feathers on the head and a long protruding beak. This skirted figure is also containing a smaller skirted figure, which also appears to be fighting the warrior with the long arm.


 

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I am the Fourth Sibling of Clutch 144. I currently live in the Band and my passion is ancient history. I grew up in the Eastern Utopias.

Comments

  • Ashur
    Ashur Monday, 06 August 2012

    It's lovely Esta

    Is it just me, or is it very hard to be mean to Esta? :o

    Reply Cancel
  • Sera
    Sera Monday, 06 August 2012

    Esta is a gem among worthless rocks...

    Besides Junco of course. :p

    Reply Cancel
  • Lucan
    Lucan Monday, 06 August 2012

    What happened to the quiz

    you promised her? Hmmm? This is typical Esta, don't count on Sera for anything.

    Reply Cancel
  • Sera
    Sera Monday, 06 August 2012

    We decided to wait until she has

    more material, not that I owe you any sort of explanation.

  • Tier
    Tier Monday, 06 August 2012

    Yer such an asskisser

    Junco cannot be swayed with pretty words...(Believe me, I've tried...)

    Reply Cancel
  • Lucan
    Lucan Monday, 06 August 2012

    Tier, ass kisser

    is two words or it must be hyphenated.

  • Gideon
    Gideon Monday, 06 August 2012

    Seriously, why

    are you here? You say nothing. Ever.

    Reply Cancel
  • Isten
    Isten Monday, 06 August 2012

    We can make fun of her for dating

    That stupid piker, Ryse? Right? I mean he's still on the table...

    Reply Cancel
  • Esta
    Esta Monday, 06 August 2012

    You can try

    but I'll just tell all your secrets Isten...so be careful there honey! I know of several girls right now who might be interested in knowing...

    Reply Cancel
  • Isten
    Isten Monday, 06 August 2012

    Esta, have I mentioned

    what a great guy Ryse is? He's fucking spectacular as a brother...I can't even describe how awesome he is! :):):):):):):)

    Reply Cancel
  • Ashur
    Ashur Monday, 06 August 2012

    Wait, Isten has

    five girlfriends right now? Does that include that Shelley chick from last night?

  • Isten
    Isten Monday, 06 August 2012

    Who the fuck

    is Shelley? I thought her name was Sandy?

    Reply Cancel
  • Snowbird
    Snowbird Monday, 06 August 2012

    It was Sandy...

    Ashur, behave.

  • Tier
    Tier Monday, 06 August 2012

    hahahahah

    yeah, I know of two as well, but I don't think they are the same two...let's compare notes, Esta! :)

    Reply Cancel
  • Isten
    Isten Monday, 06 August 2012

    Let's all zip it

    up now, fun is over. Nothing to see here. Move along...

  • Gideon
    Gideon Monday, 06 August 2012

    Yeah, how the hell did Ryse

    get out of blogging anyway? He's a much higher rank that you are, Isten.

    Reply Cancel
  • Esta
    Esta Monday, 06 August 2012

    He's working

    unlike most of you lazy men...

    Reply Cancel
  • Lucan
    Lucan Monday, 06 August 2012

    I take all the credit

    for Esta's exceptional attitude and demeanor. She was the first Sibling to come to the band and she was treated like royalty.

  • Esta
    Esta Monday, 06 August 2012

    Oh for Fuck's sake, Lucan

    you made me an Aves clutch mother! :::shudder::: I can't think of a worse job anywhere...

    Reply Cancel
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