Third Millennium Figurative Paintings in the Euphrates Valley. A Reassessment
Keywords:
Figurative paintings, Euphrates Valley, MesopotamiaAbstract
The paper deals with figurative paintings of the Euphrates valley, including Syria and Turkey, in the third mill. BCE. The little standardised manner of their composition and free distribution of the elements within the picture has links to the Neolithic period, but stands in strong contrast to Mesopotamia. Thus imagery and style strongly distinguish paintings from seals of the same period. These wealthy cities can be regarded as a transitional zone between Syrian and Mesopotamian traditions as exemplified by the Ninkhursag Temple and the Chapel 132 both located in Mari.
References
Abou Assaf, A. 1990. Zur Datierung des Wandgemäldes von Saal 132 im Palast von Mari. In P. Matthiae, M. van Loon and H. Weiss (eds), Resurrecting the Past. A Joint Tribute to Adnan Bounni: 1–4. Istanbul Leiden: Nederlands historisch-archaeologisch Instituut Nederlands Instituut voor het Nabije Oosten.
Dermech, S. 2016. Le Temple peint d’Urum / ʻUqair: Un exemple de décoration intérieure. In Philippe Quenet (ed.), Ana ziqquratim. Sur la piste de Babel (exhibition catalogue): 121-126. Strasbourg: Presses universitaires de Strasbourg.
Di Ludovico, A. and Ramazzotti, M. 2012. White, Red and Black: Technical Relationships and Stylistic Perceptions between Colours, Lights and Places. In R. Matthews and J. Curtis (eds), Proceedings of the 7th International Congress on the Archaeology of the Ancient Near East 2: 287-301. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz.
Di Ludovico, A. and Ramazzotti, M. 2018. Wall Painting Techniques in Early Bronze Syria. Clues of Parallelism with the Traditions of the Mediterranean and Mesopotamian Regions. In Johannes Becker, Johannes Jungfleisch and Constance von Rüden (eds), Tracing Technoscapes. The Production of Bronze Age Wall Paintings in the Eastern Mediterranean: 29-40. Leiden, Sidestone Press.
Drabsch, B. 2015. The Mysterious Wall Paintings of Teleilat Ghassul, Jordan in Context (Monographs of the Sydney University Teleilat Ghassul Project 3). Oxford: Archaeopress.
Dunham, S. 1993. A Wall Painting from Tell al-Raqāʼi, North-East Syria. Levant 25: 127–143.
Felli, C. 2015. Glyptic and Art. In U. Finkbeiner, M. Novák, F. Sakal and P. Sconzo (eds), Middle Euphrates (ARCANE IV): 203-265. Turnhout: Brepols Publishers.
Fortin, M. 1990. Rapport préliminaire sur la 3e campagne de fouilles à Tell cAtij et la 2e à Tell Gudeda, sur le Khabour (automne 1988). Syria 67/3-4: 535–577.
Fortin, M. 1993. Frammento di affresco. In O. Rouault and M. G. Masetti-Rouault (eds), L’Eufrate e il tempo. Le civiltà del medio Eufrate e della Gezira siriana 286 n. 182: 444-445. Milano: Electa.
Frangipane, M. 2004. Dal Tempio al Palazzo. Espansione del potere. Uno Stato prima della scrittura. In: M. Frangipane (ed.), Alle origini del potere. Arslantepe, la collina dei leoni. Milano: Electa.
Hansen, D. and Dales, G. 1962. The Temple of Inanna, Queen of Heaven at Nippur. Archaeology 15.2: 75-84.
Holland, T. A. 2001. Third Millennium Wall Paintings at Tell Es-Sweyhat, Syria. In J.-W. Meyer, M. Novák and A. Pruß (eds), Beiträge zur Vorderasiatischen Archäologie. Winfried Orthmann gewidmet: 170–179. Frankfurt am Main: Johann Wolfgang Goethe Universität Verlag.
Holland, T. A. 2006. Excavations at Tell es-Sweyhat, Syria, vol. 2: Archaeology of the Bronze Age, Hellenistic, and Roman Remains at an Ancient Town on the Euphrates River (OIP 125). Chicago, the University of Chicago Press.
Jans, G. and Bretschneider, J. 2011. Seals and Sealings from Tell Beydar/Nabada (Seasons 1995-2001) (Subartu 27). Turnhout: Brepols.
Lüth, F. 1981. Grabungen auf dem Tell B. In W. Orthmann (ed.), Halawa 1977–1979, (Saarbrücker Beitrage zur Altertumskunde 31): 39-48. Bonn: Rudolf Habelt Verlag.
Lüth, F. 1989. Tell Halawa B. In W. Orthmann (ed.), Halawa 1980–1986, (Saarbrücker Beitrage zur Altertumskunde 52): 85-112. Bonn: Rudolf Habelt Verlag.
Machule, D. et al. 1986. Ausgrabungen in Tall Munbāqa 1984. MDOG 118: 67-145.
Machule, D. et al. 1992. Ausgrabungen in Tall Munbāqa/Ekalte 1990. MDOG 124: 11-40.
Margueron, J.-C. 1995. Mari: A Portrait in Art of a Mesopotamian City-State. In J. Sasson (ed.), Civilizations of the Ancient Near East II: 885–899. New York; Scribner.
Margueron, J.-C. 2004. Mari. Métropole de l’Euphrate au IIIe et au début du IIe millénaire av. J.-C. Paris: Picard.
Matthews, D. M. 1997. The Early Glyptic of Tell Brak. Cylinder Seals of Third Millennium Syria (OBO SA 15). Fribourg: Vandenhoeck and Ruprecht.
Molist, M. 1998. Des représentations humaines peintes au IXe millénaire BP sur le site de Tell Halula (Vallée de l’Euphrate, Syrie). Paléorient 24/1: 81-87.
Moore, A. M. T. 2000. The Excavation of Abu Hureyra 2. In A. M. T. Moore, G. C. Hillman and A. J. Legge (eds), Village on the Euphrates. From foraging to farming at Abu Hureyra: 189-259. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Nunn, A. 2012. Magisch-religiöse Vorstellungen in der altorientalischen Wandmalerei. In H. Neumann (ed.), Wissenskultur im Alten Orient. Weltanschauung, Wissenschaften, Techniken, Technologien (Colloquien der Deutschen Orient-Gesellschaft 4): 263-282. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz.
Nunn, A. 2019. Ein Laḫmu im Raum 132 des ‘Palais Royal’ zu Mari. N.A.B.U. 1: 25-29.
Olávarri Goicoechea, E. and Valdés Pereiro, C. 2001. Excavaciones en Tell Qara Qūzāq, campañas IV-VI (1992-1994). In G. del Olmo Lete, J.-L. Montero Fenellós, and C. Valdés Pereiro (eds), Tell Qara Qūzāq – II. Campañas IV-VI (1992-1994) (Aula Orientalis-Supplementa 17): 13-76. Barcelona.
Orthmann, W. and Meyer, J.-W. 1989. Die Ausgrabungen in den Planquadraten L und M. In W. Orthmann (ed.), Halawa 1980–1986 (Saarbrücker Beitrage zur Altertumskunde 52): 63-84. Bonn: Rudolf Habelt Verlag.
Pape, W. 1984. Wandmalerei. In S. Eichler et al., Ausgrabungen in Tall Munbāqa 1983. (MDOG 116): 76-78.
Parrot, A. 1940. Les fouilles de Mari. Sixième campagne (Automne 1938). Syria 21: 1-28.
Parrot, A. 1955. Les fouilles de Mari. Dixième campagne (Automne 1954). Syria 32: 185-211.
Parrot, A. 1956. Mission Archéologique de Mari I. Le temple d’Ishtar (BAH 65). Paris: Geuthner.
Parrot, A. 1958. Mission Archéologique de Mari II. Le palais. Peintures murals (BAH 69). Paris: Geuthner.
Pinnock, F. 2012. Colours and Light in the Royal Palace G of Early Syrian Ebla. In R. Matthews and J. Curtis (eds), Proceedings of the 7th International Congress on the Archaeology of the Ancient Near East 2: 271-286. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz.
