Mesopotamian Architecture Mesopotamian Architecture Introduction It is generally

Mesopotamian Architecture

Mesopotamian Architecture – Introduction • It is generally accepted that Mesopotamia is the cradle of civilization; cradle and tomb of nations and empires • Mesos= middle • Patamos= river • Mesos + Patamos = between the rivers (Tigris and Euphrates) • Middle Eastern civilization • Prehistory to the 6 th century b. c.

Mesopotamian Architecture – Introduction • Mesopotamia, located in a region that included parts of what is now eastern Syria, south-eastern Turkey, and most of Iraq, lay between two rivers, the Tigris and the Euphrates

Mesopotamian Architecture – Introduction

Mesopotamian Architecture – Basic Materials • • most fertile land on earth; the ‘fertile crescent’ network of irrigation channels Alluvial district of thick mud clay – mud brick Walls were faced with burnt bricks and glazed bricks of different colors • Stone was rare but imported – basalt, sandstone • Metals – fine sculpture

General Architecture • • • Massive towered fortifications Earliest – temple (commercial and religious) Later - palace Temples Palaces – Assyrian/ Persian • Buildings raised on huge platforms due to torrential rain and frequent flood • Bitumen, pitch, mortar of calcareous earth (slime) - used as cementing material • Buildings of all types arranged round large and small courts • Rooms were narrow, long, rectangular form and thick walled carrying brick barrel vaults or domes

Mesopotamian Architecture • • • Chief temples had sacred ziggurats (artificial mountains made of tiered rectangular stages (1 to 7) Burnt bricks used for facings White washed walls Ziggurat – colour painted Arcuated architectural style (true arch with radiating voussoirs)

Historical periods Early civilization flourished here: 1. Sumerian - Ur of the Chaldees BC 4000 – 1275

Historical periods • 2. Assyrian (1275 – 538) • Cities include – Nimrud, Khorsabad and Nineveh • Kings: • Ashur-nasir-pal (885 -860) • Sargon (722 -705) • Senna. Cherib (705681) • Esharhaadon • Asur-beni-pal

Historical periods • 3. Persian Period (BC 538333) • Susa, Perspolis, • Cyrus, Darius, Xerxes • Alexander the great – W. Asia became a Greek province

Early Mesopotamian (Sumerian) Ziggurats

Early Mesopotamian (Sumerian) Ziggurats • • Temple tower Terraced pyramid with successive receding stories Sumerians, Babylonians, Assyrians Top of the ziggurat is flat Core – sun baked bricks Facing – fired bricks Facing – glazed in different colours

Early Mesopotamian (Sumerian) Ziggurats- Ziggurat of Urnammu, Ur • • • Located in the centre of villages 1 -7 tiers Ziggurat (205 x 141 ft) base Shrine or temple at the summit above 70’ Access to the shrine – Series of ramps on one side of the ziggurat – Spiral ramp • No internal chambers Not for public worship or ceremonies • Only for priests • Dwelling place for gods • Core – sun baked bricks • 8’ thick skin of burnt brick and bitumen

Assyrian Architecture

Assyrian • Polychrome ornamental glazed brickwork • Use of high plinths carved with low relief sculpture • Temples with and without ziggurats • Palaces – numerous • City of Nimrud • City of Khorsabad • City of Nineveh

Assyrian – City of Khorsabad • Khorsabad (BC 722 – 705) • Excavated in AD 864 – provides the best idea of Assyrian Palaces • Built by Sargon II • Square planned with a defensive perimeter • 1 sq. mile • Palace for the king’s brother, temple, official buildings, Palace of Sargon

Assyrian – City of Khorsabad – Palace of Sargon • Complex of large and small courts • Corridors and rooms • 23 acres • Raised upon a terrace – 15 m high • a platform of sun dried brick faced with stone • 700 rooms (300 x 400 m) • Approached by broad ramps

Assyrian – City of Khorsabad – Palace of Sargon • Main entrance to the palace grand court flanked by great towers and guarded by man headed winged bulls (12’ 6”high) • This bull supports a semicircular arch • Decorated with brilliantly coloured glazed bricks

Assyrian – City of Khorsabad – Palace of Sargon Private and residential apartments • Palaces had 3 main parts – each abutting the grand court • Left – 6 temples (3 small and 3 big) ziggurat • Right – service quarters and administrative houses • Opposite – private and the residential apartments temples Service quarters and administrative houses

Assyrian – City of Khorsabad – Palace of Sargon • Around the state court – dado slabs (7’ high) – reliefs of the king and his courtiers • Flat timber ceiling for the apartments • Winding ramped ziggurat associated with palace temples (148’ side)

Assyrian – City of Khorsabad – Palace of Sargon

Persian Architecture

Persian Architecture – Palace of Persepolis • 518 b. c. • By Darius I, Xerxes I, Artaxerxes I • On a platform faced with local stone

Persian Architecture – Palace of Persepolis • 1500 x 900 ft • Rising 50’ above the plain • 22’ wide steps on the NW side • Shallow enough for the horses to ascend • had mud brick walls faced with polychrome bricks • Front and rear portals guarded by stone bulls

Persian Architecture – Palace of Persepolis Throne room Apadana Tripylon Palace of Darius Palace of Xerxes Harem Treasury

Persian Architecture – Palace of Persepolis

Persian Architecture – Palace of Persepolis

Persian Architecture – Palace of Persepolis • Apadana • A grand audience hall • On its own terrace 10’ high • 250’ square • With 36 columns

Persian Architecture – Palace of Persepolis • Apadana

Persian Architecture – Palace of Persepolis • Tripylon • terraced • Lay centrally among the buildings • Acts as a reception chamber and guard room for the more private quarters of the palace group

Persian Architecture – Palace of Persepolis • Treasury • SE angle of the site • Double walled administrative and store house building • With columned halls of different sizes • Only a single doorway

Persian Architecture – Palace of Persepolis • Palace of Xerxes and Harem • Near the SW angle of the site • Connects with an Lshaped building (harem) • Harem – Women’s quarters

Persian Architecture – Palace of Persepolis • Throne Room - Hall of 100 columns • • Throne Hall 225’ square Flat cedar roof Portico faced a forecourt

Persian Architecture – Palace of Persepolis – Hall of Hundred Columns