The Lives of Sumerian Sculpture : An Archaeology of the Early Dynastic Temple

This book examines the sculptures created during the Early Dynastic period (2900–2350 BC) of Sumer, a region corresponding to present-day southern Iraq. Featured almost exclusively in temple complexes, some 550 Early Dynastic stone statues of human figures carved in an abstract style have survived. Chronicling the intellectual history of ancient Near Eastern art history and archaeology at the intersection of sculpture and aesthetics, this book argues that the early modern reception of Sumer still influences ideas about these sculptures. Engaging also with the archaeology of the Early Dynastic temple, the book ultimately considers what a stone statue of a human figure has signified, both in modern times and in antiquity. Cover 1 THE LIVES OF SUMERIAN SCULPTURE 3 Title 5 Copyright 6 CONTENTS 7 ILLUSTRATIONS 9 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 13 INTRODUCTION 15 A NOTE ON ANCIENT LANGUAGES 27 A NOTE ON UNPUBLISHED SOURCES FOR THIS STUDY 27 ONE SUMERIAN ORIGINS, 1850–1930: MAKING THE BODY VISIBLE 29 INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF SUMER, 1850–1930 29 PHILOLOGY AND THE SUMERIAN PROBLEM 33 VISUALIZING THE TERRAIN OF HUMAN TAXONOMY 35 BEAUTIFUL SKULLS: APOLLO BELVEDERE, CRANIOMETRY, AND THE RECONSTITUTION OF AN IDEAL 38 ARCHAEOLOGY, GUDEA, AND THE EXAMINATION OF MONUMENTS 44 “SUMERIAN” SKELETAL REMAINS 49 BIBLICAL, ETHNOGRAPHIC, AND CIVILIZED TIME IN SUMER 51 CONCLUSION: SCULPTING THE SUMERIAN BODY 55 TWO ART HISTORY, ETHNOGRAPHY, AND BEAUTIFUL SCULPTURE 60 INTRODUCTION: THE 1930S AS A TRANSITIONAL PERIOD IN THE STUDY OF SUMERIAN SCULPTURE 60 HENRI FRANKFORT, THE ORIENTAL INSTITUTE, AND PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 64 SCULPTURE, ORNAMENT, AND THE ORIGINS OF ART 70 SUMER, “PRIMITIVE” ART, AND MODERN ART 75 CONCLUSION: IDEALS OF SCULPTURE 83 THREE SEEING THE DIVINE: SANCTUARY, SCULPTURE, AND DISPLAY 90 INTRODUCTION: THE EARLY DYNASTIC TEMPLE AS MUSEUM 90 CONSTRUCTING SCULPTURE DISPLAY IN ISHTAR TEMPLE G 95 SCULPTURE DISPLAY IN THE DIYALA TEMPLES AND THE EARLY DYNASTIC ALTAR 102 STATUES, ACCESS, AND THE DIVINE 111 CONCLUSION: SEEING AS A CULTURAL CONSTRUCTION 121 FOUR THE EARLY DYNASTIC LIFE OF SCULPTURE 125 INTRODUCTION: APPROACHING EARLY DYNASTIC SCULPTURE 125 DEDICATION IN THE EARLY DYNASTIC TEMPLE INSTITUTION 130 MATERIALS AND METHODS OF MANUFACTURING EARLY DYNASTIC SCULPTURE 137 THE SUBJECTS AND OBJECTS OF RITUAL IN THE LIFE OF SCULPTURE 145 THE DEATH OF SCULPTURE? 151 CONCLUSION: CORPOREAL AESTHETICS AND EARLY DYNASTIC TEMPLE SCULPTURE 157 FIVE BECOMING TEMPLE SCULPTURE: THE ASMAR HOARD 160 INTRODUCTION TO THE ASMAR HOARD 160 LOCATING THE ASMAR HOARD 162 ACTORS, AGENCY, AND RITUALS OF LIBATION 166 TRADITION, HEIRLOOMS, AND DIYALA SCULPTURE 173 BECOMING HUMAN: STYLE, IDENTITY, AND THE ASMAR HOARD 181 CONCLUSION: MODELS FOR THE HUMAN DONOR IN TEMPLE SCULPTURE 188 SIX GENDER AND IDENTITY IN EARLY DYNASTIC TEMPLE STATUES 193 INTRODUCTION: THE DONOR AS A SOCIAL PERSONA 193 MALE DONORS, OCCUPATION, AND IDENTITY 194 FEMALE DONORS: GENDER, BANQUETING, AND CULTIC PRACTICES 202 DEPOSITIONAL PATTERNS AT NIPPUR 205 FEMALE DONORS AND THE INANA TEMPLE 209 CONCLUSION: COLLECTIVE IDENTITY AND EARLY DYNASTIC SCULPTURE 214 CONCLUSION: MATERIALITY, ABSTRACTION, AND EARLY DYNASTIC SCULPTURE 217 NOTES 223 Introduction 223 Chapter One. Sumerian Origins, 1850–1930: Making the Body Visible 223 Chapter Two. Art History, Ethnography, and Beautiful Sculpture 230 Chapter Three. Seeing the Divine: Sanctuary, Sculpture, and Display 236 Chapter Four. The Early Dynastic Life of Sculpture 243 Chapter Five. Becoming Temple Sculpture: The Asmar Hoard 250 Chapter Six. Gender and Identity in Early Dynastic Temple Statues 255 Conclusion: Materiality, Abstraction, and Early Dynastic Sculpture 258 BIBLIOGRAPHY 259 INDEX 287 "This book examines the sculptures created during the Early Dynastic period (2900-2350 BC) of Sumer, a region corresponding to present-day southern Iraq. Featured almost exclusively in temple complexes, some 550 Early Dynastic stone statues of human figures carved in an abstract style have survived. Chronicling the intellectual history of ancient Near Eastern art history and archaeology at the intersection of sculpture and aesthetics, this book argues that the early modern reception of Sumer still influences ideas about these sculptures. Engaging also with the archaeology of the Early Dynastic temple, the book ultimately considers what a stone statue of a human figure has signified, both in modern times and in antiquity"-- Provided by publisher Examines both the early modern reception and the ancient context of the Sumerian temple sculptures created during the Early Dynastic period.