What is the Standard of Ur?

The Standard of Ur is an ancient artifact from Mesopotamia, featuring ornate decorations and scenes that depict both peace and warfare.

Who discovered the Standard of Ur?

The Standard of Ur was excavated in the 1920s and early 1930s by Leonard Woolley.

What are the two main themes depicted on the Standard of Ur?

The two main themes are scenes of peace and prosperity on one side, and scenes of warfare on the other.

What materials were used in the decoration of the Standard of Ur?

The artifact is decorated with materials such as lapis lazuli, shells, and redstone, indicating long-distance trade.

How is society organized in the depiction on the Standard of Ur?

The depiction shows a hierarchy with the wealthiest figures at the top and common laborers at the bottom.

What do the scenes of warfare represent on the artifact?

The warfare scenes illustrate military organization and the concept of victory, featuring chariots and soldiers in battle.

What stylistic conventions are used in the depiction of figures?

Figures are shown in profile, maintaining a rigid posture, which is characteristic of ancient Egyptian art.

What does the Standard of Ur tell us about ancient civilization?

It reveals insights into the social structure, trade, and cultural practices of early Mesopotamian civilizations.

What is the significance of the Standard of Ur in relation to modern society?

The artifact prompts reflections on how societal organization and storytelling have persisted from ancient times to the present.

What does the Standard of Ur indicate about trade in ancient Mesopotamia?

It demonstrates that the civilization was engaged in long-distance trade, as evidenced by the materials used in the artifact's decoration.

War and peace on the Standard of Ur

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWl6eolbQ2g

Résumé

TLDRThe video presents the Standard of Ur, an ancient Mesopotamian artifact discovered in the 1920s by Leonard Woolley. This small yet intricately decorated object features two sides; one depicts scenes of peace and prosperity, while the other portrays warfare. The artifact's detailed imagery illustrates the social hierarchy of its time, showcasing the roles of rulers, laborers, and soldiers. Through materials like lapis lazuli and shells, the Standard of Ur reflects the extensive trade networks of early civilization. Ultimately, it serves as a poignant reminder of how societal organization and storytelling have evolved yet remained consistent throughout history.

A retenir

🦅 The Standard of Ur features both peace and warfare scenes.
🕵️‍♂️ Discovered by Leonard Woolley in the 1920s.
🧵 It showcases Mesopotamian artistry and trade.
📜 Hierarchical organization is depicted in the imagery.
🤴 The upper register features kings and rulers larger than others.
🚜 The artifact illustrates agricultural prosperity.
🛡️ Warfare scenes depict military organization.
🎨 Stylistic elements reflect ancient Egyptian influences.
🌍 Long-distance trade is evident through materials used.
📖 It highlights the continuity of storytelling through centuries.

Chronologie

00:00:00 - 00:07:22
The video discusses the Standard of Ur, an artifact from ancient Mesopotamia, specifically from the city-state of Ur, present-day Iraq, known as the birthplace of civilization. The Standard features two scenes: one representing peace with depictions of abundance and trade, and another depicting warfare. The object suggests a complex society where agriculture allowed for specialization of roles, evidenced by figures in three registers showing a hierarchy from laborers to the king. It highlights the wealth and trade relationships of the time, showcasing luxury materials from distant lands. Additionally, the warfare scene demonstrates elements of naturalism and symbolic representation of conflict, with a prominent display of military order and the king's victory over enemies. The styles and conventions in the artwork reflect aspects of storytelling and societal organization that resonate even in contemporary times.

Carte mentale

Vidéo Q&R

What is the Standard of Ur?
The Standard of Ur is an ancient artifact from Mesopotamia, featuring ornate decorations and scenes that depict both peace and warfare.
Who discovered the Standard of Ur?
The Standard of Ur was excavated in the 1920s and early 1930s by Leonard Woolley.
What are the two main themes depicted on the Standard of Ur?
The two main themes are scenes of peace and prosperity on one side, and scenes of warfare on the other.
What materials were used in the decoration of the Standard of Ur?
The artifact is decorated with materials such as lapis lazuli, shells, and redstone, indicating long-distance trade.
How is society organized in the depiction on the Standard of Ur?
The depiction shows a hierarchy with the wealthiest figures at the top and common laborers at the bottom.
What do the scenes of warfare represent on the artifact?
The warfare scenes illustrate military organization and the concept of victory, featuring chariots and soldiers in battle.
What stylistic conventions are used in the depiction of figures?
Figures are shown in profile, maintaining a rigid posture, which is characteristic of ancient Egyptian art.
What does the Standard of Ur tell us about ancient civilization?
It reveals insights into the social structure, trade, and cultural practices of early Mesopotamian civilizations.
What is the significance of the Standard of Ur in relation to modern society?
The artifact prompts reflections on how societal organization and storytelling have persisted from ancient times to the present.
What does the Standard of Ur indicate about trade in ancient Mesopotamia?
It demonstrates that the civilization was engaged in long-distance trade, as evidenced by the materials used in the artifact's decoration.

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[Music]
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on the back of a U.S dollar bill there's
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an emblem of an eagle in its Talons you
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have arrows the symbol of War but on the
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other side you have an olive branch a
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symbol of peace that's how
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that's not that we're looking at that's
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new that's 45
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which comes
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city state of ore which is present-day
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Iraq or is one of the early cities in
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Mesopotamia the birthplace of
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civilization and the word standard is a
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little misleading because the standard
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is really a flag that's often brought
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into battle and the original excavator
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of this hypothesized that perhaps this
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was on a pole originally and was brought
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into battle but in truth we have no idea
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here we're looking at objects that were
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part of what seems to have been
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elaborate burial ritual these were
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excavated in the 20s in the early 30s by
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a man named Leonard Wooley who
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discovered about 16 tombs that he called
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royal tombs again we don't know but what
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we do know is we see fabulously
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expensive objects and one of those
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valuable objects was the object we call
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today the standard of ore which is small
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but elaborately decorated historians
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have thought that perhaps this is a
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sound box for a musical instrument
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others have thought it might have
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contained something important perhaps
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even the currency that was used to pay
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for Warfare one of the wonderful things
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about this object is that it tells us so
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much and at the same time it tells us so
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little this object is small enough so
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that it could easily be carried one long
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side seems to represent the scene of
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peace and prosperity it's divided into
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three registers and it's framed with
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beautiful pieces of shell now this is
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important because it really does show us
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the long distance trade that this
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culture was involved with you've got
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blue lapis lazuli that came from mines
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in Afghanistan you have a redstone that
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would have come from India and you've
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got shells which would have come from
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the Gulf just to the south of what is
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now Iraq and it reminds us that these
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first great cities were possible because
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agriculture had been successful in the
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river valley between the Tigris and the
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Euphrates it was possible to grow a
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surplus of food that allowed for an
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organization of society where not
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everybody had to be in the fields all
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the time once there was enough food some
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people could devote their lives to being
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rulers and some to becoming artists or
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Artisans and some to priests you had a
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whole organization of society with
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different people performing different
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roles that was suddenly possible and you
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can see that organization represented in
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the three registers the wealthiest most
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powerful figures or towards the top and
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then the common laborers down at the
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bottom and it's typical for us to see
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scenes divided into registers so let's
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start down at the bottom and move up I
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see a human figure airing a heavy bag
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and that's what we have along the entire
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bottom register we see animals figures
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carrying things across their shoulders
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or on their backs just above that you
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can see a number of people leading more
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clearly identifiable animals you can see
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somebody hurting along what looks like a
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sheep or a ram you see a bull in front
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of that being led by two people and then
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perhaps goats perhaps sheep ahead of
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that and another bull these are people
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that might be bringing these animals to
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sacrifice they might be bringing them as
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a taxation but people have hypothesized
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that this is showing a collection
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perhaps for the king for the city the
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register at the top shows one figure
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that's more important than the rest the
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king is larger in fact so large that his
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head breaks into the pictorial frame and
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he also wears different clothing that
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helps to identify him he's Seated on a
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chair that's got three straight legs and
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one leg that seems to be the leg of an
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animal some of the objects that we see
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here are objects that were also found in
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the burials but I don't think they found
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a chair that resembles that one of the
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objects that has been found however are
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the cops that so many of the figures are
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holding and so these figures are joining
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the king in some libation there's some
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kind of celebration going on perhaps a
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religious ceremony the figures who are
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seated but are not the king are larger
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than the servants that surround them
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that are standing and so even within the
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register you have a hierarchy that shows
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the relative importance of three levels
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of society and then we have two figures
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at the far end who seem to be
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entertaining the seated figures who are
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drinking one is playing a harp and
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another figure on the far right perhaps
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singing let's go to the other side it's
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a very different story so again we have
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a scene divided into three registers but
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here we see scenes of violence we see a
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rendering of warfare there are four
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chariots that are pulled by what seems
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to be four male donkeys on the back of
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each Chariot seem to be a driver as well
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as a warrior the figure towards the rear
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is holding either a spear or an ax and
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then being trampled by the donkeys are
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the enemy and there are more Spears in
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the Chariots look at one of the men that
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has been found under the donkey you can
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see his wounds you can see blood flowing
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and if you look closely you can notice
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the mechanism of the wheels of the
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Chariots there's a specific engineering
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that's being rendered here one of the
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most interesting things about the bottom
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panel is a kind of naturalism in the
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battle taking place you seem to move
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from a walk to a Canter to a full Gallop
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on the other hand some elements are
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symbolic like the failed enemies I don't
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think we're meant to assume that they
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were just four people who died in this
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battle that's symbolic of many more the
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middle register shows a line of soldiers
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readied for battle they are in full garb
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they're wearing helmets and these
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helmets have again been found in the
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so-called Royal tombs what's wonderful
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about these soldiers is their regular
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placement gives you a real sense of an
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army that's marching along well you get
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a sense of order you get a sense of
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structure you get a sense of real
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discipline but towards the middle of
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that register you see the battle taking
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place and you see these soldiers
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Victorious slaying their enemies on the
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right side of that middle register you
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see soldiers that are perhaps being
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captured NRI in the top register goes
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immediately to the large figure at the
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center which is the king his head again
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breaks the decorative border along the
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top on the left a chariot and soldiers
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and on the right other soldiers or
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attendants bringing to the king
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prisoners of War we can tell that these
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are prisoners of War because they're
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naked they've been stripped and they're
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wounded and bleeding so there's a sense
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of their humiliation their enslavement
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and the Victory of the king it's
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interesting to look closely at the
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stylistic conventions of the rendering
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of the figures just about everybody is
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seen in perfect profile we see one eye
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not so much looking forward as looking
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out in a way that is familiar from
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Egyptian art we see the shoulders
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squared with the picture plane and we
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see feet pushing in One Direction rather
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than being seen in perspective so we can
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use our visual detect active work but
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there's still so much that's a mystery
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what it does tell us is that the way
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that we tell a story over time the way
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that we organize our society even now in
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the 21st century has a lot in common
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with the third millennium BCE
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[Music]