West Asian Art

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Very soon after, the Persians conquered the Babylonians. They took over some Assyrian art ideas and also some Babylonian ones. This is a Persian version of the Babylonian clay reliefs.

And this is a Persian version of a stone relief (from Persepolis). Greek sculptors came to Persepolis to work on this relief alongside Persian sculptors.

Here is a clay Persian lion; I think it looks almost Chinese. The Persians traded with East Asia, and I think it shows in some of their art.

After the Persians, Alexander the Great conquered West Asia in 331 BC, and Greek art became popular in West Asia (especially with the many Greeks who came to live in West Asia at this time). Some objects look totally Greek, others look more Asian, and some are a mixture of styles.

From the synagogue at Dura-Europos
in Roman territory (see the togas?)

Then around the 100's BC the Romans took over the Mediterranean coast of West Asia, while the Parthians took over the rest of West Asia. Both left many important artworks.

A Parthian aristocrat
(note he has the same beard as Darius'
archers on the Persian frieze)

Finally, the whole area was taken over by the Islamic empire in the 600's AD.

For more information about West Asian art, check out these books from Amazon.com or from your library:

Hands-On Ancient People, Volume 1: Art Activities about Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Islam, by Yvonne Merrill and Mary Simpson. Art projects for kids, though the directions are really aimed at teachers or parents.

Mesopotamia, by Julian Reade (1991). Good pictures of objects in the British Museum.

Assyrian Sculpture, by Julian Reade (1983). Also things from the British Museum.

The Art and Architecture of the Ancient Orient, by Henri Frankfort (5th edition 1997). The standard for college art history classes.

Main West Asian page
Islamic Art page
Egyptian Art page
Main Art page

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