ANCIENT RIVER VALLEY CIVILIZATION

BODY PARAGRAPH 1 (art) From the beginning of civilization, the empire of summer’s main usage of art was for temple decoration and ornaments. Often the temples were ornate with skillfully crafted interiors. One of Sumer’s greatest displays of art and architecture came from the ziggurat, a huge rectangular pyramids formed with mud prick in the shape of steps. An example of one of the greatest Sumerian ziggurats would have been the Nanna Temple of Ur, with its blue enamel tiles, invaluable cedar and cypress panels inlayed with precious materials such as alabaster, onyx, agate, and gold. Other examples of Sumerian art not found in architecture are the Cylinder Seal, Copper work, and jewelry. The Cylinder seal of the Sumerians would have been used as a form of identification for documents or other important items. These seal often were passed down from family members and were engraved with animals, legendary figures, scenes, or other sentimental symbols. The copper work of the Sumerians would often be found of the royal tombs of Ur. The metal smiths of this time became proficient in new techniques of casting and shaping copper, which put them ahead of the world around them. Finally, the Sumerian jewelry was often not just decorative pieces of metal or stone but they often carried or displayed precious metals and rocks. This form of jewelry became a stepping-stone into the way jewelry is formed today. Egyptian art, unlike Sumerian art, was meant to be used for the importance of religion and to allow the upper class citizens to have beautiful houses. While the Egyptian art was accessible to every one who could afford it Sumerian art was meant mainly for public structures. The Egyptian art was often painted to represent life after death and this form of panting remained the main for of art for Egypt through out its existence. Examples of Egyptian art can often be found in the Egyptian pyramids. In the burial chamber, the Egyptian people would put great works of art and