Mesopotamia: Ancient Art and Architecture

by BAHRANI ZAINAB

This captivating book by Zainab Bahrani is the sole comprehensive exploration in print of ancient Mesopotamia's art and architecture. It delves into the stunning images and structures of this Near Eastern region, spanning modern Iraq, northeast Syria, and southeast Turkey. As you read, you'll discover the art of the legendary civilizations that thrived between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, and understand how it was created and perceived. The book also addresses the current state of these lands and the ongoing threat of violence to Mesopotamia's rich cultural heritage. Chapter-opening maps and overviews guide you through the geography and timeline of Mesopotamia, visiting ancient cities like Ur, Babylon, Nineveh, Hatra, and Seleucia on the Tigris. It includes a glossary defining all art-historical and technical terms.

Genres: History, Art, Nonfiction, Art History, Architecture, Ancient History

376 pages, Hardcover

Published February 2, 2017

Reviews

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a delightful book this is! The problem of Art History books tends to be that while the art analysis and high resolution photographs are excellent, they can be rather sparse in describing the historical events, people, and philosophical movements that inspired the original artists. I supplemented this text with Marc Van De Mieroop’s “A History of the Ancient Near East, ca. 3000-323 BC”.
The text starts in Uruk, and weaves it way through Assyria, Ur, and Babylon, through to eventually the Parthians. The photographs are amazing, and as for the content and analysis, Bahrani’s summation of the archaeological insights that have been found are thoroughly stunning. If you are at all curious about the cultures of lost civilizations, this book vividly brings them to life. I’ll close my endorsement by noting that I bought at least four other books while reading this because each chapter left me wishing to know more!

[O LCB · Rating 3 out of 5]

★★★½

It has significant information from the first settlement in Mesopotamia, explaining why it is the cradle of art, and it concludes with the Persian and Greek conquests, marking the end of Mesopotamia.

However, towards the end, includes a concern that the US has used these ancient areas as military bases, destroying a significant portion of the historical heritage of the origin of the world. This not only violates human rights laws but also cultural heritage and should be stopped.

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super helpful during my praxis course!