AKKADIAN ART

CA 2334 2279 BC
Glory of the Kings

AKKAD
Akkad was the north western half of ancient Mesopotamia. The inhabitants of Akkad, had their own Akkadian language which eventually came to replace Sumerian over the centuries before and after 2000 BCE. In the 23rd and 24th centuries BCE, Akkad had emerged as the strongest of Mesopotamia Around 2330 BCE, the Akkadian Empire rose to the strongest in the region and probably also in the world at that time.

AKKAD

The heartland of Akkad was where the Euphrates and Tigris rivers are at their closest.

AKKADIAN WRITING
By about 2500 BCE, the Akkadian started using cuneiform to write their own language. However, it was ascendancy of the Akkadian dynasty in 2300 BCE that positioned Akkadian over the Sumerian as the primary language of Mesopotamia.

Sumerian and Akkadian are vastly different languages. Akkadian was inflectional, meaning that it was basic form of a word, called a root.

Notable features

Number of symbols: between 200 and 400 symbols were used to Akkadian, though in some texts many more appear.
Many of the symbols had multiple pronunciations

AKKADIAN WRITING

Cuneiform

AKKADIAN WEAPONRY
Composite Bow The composite bow was one of the major inventions of the Akkadians. Its pull was 2-3 times that of the simple bow and it was able to efficiently penetrate leather armor and some of the early bronze armors at up to100 yards. Used throughout the next fifteen hundred years.

AKKADIAN WEAPONRY
Spear Was used for mid range. It was primarily a thrusting weapon and was used to deliver fatal puncture wounds. Mace The Mace was used for fighting in short range. It was a piece of wood covered in metal studs which enabled extra power for bone breaking.

AKKADIAN WEAPONRY
Armor Copper helmets were used to protect soldiers from strong bows to the head. They also had armored cloaks that covered the body with metal disks lined with leather

AKKAD
Akkad had one of the most sophisticated armies of the Bronze Age Sargon The Great, who ruled for 56 years, was the Akkadian military leader and was considered founder of Mesopotamian military tradition that runs through Mesopotamian history. He conquered Sumer and built the Akkadian empire which stretched over most of the Sumerian city states. Sargon launched a campaign of military conquest to unite all of Mesopotamia He also conquered all of southern Mesopotamia as well as parts of Syria, Anatolia, and Elam (western Iran) He then became king over all of southern Mesopotamia

AKKADIAN ART
Sargon profoundly affected his people through art, politics and language which is why the most famous sculpture left behind was one believed to be Sargon himself

AKKADIAN ART
The Akkadians used art as a form of indication The rulers used it to stay in power, while the people used it to show gratitude

The Akkadian kings wanted art to remind the conquered people how important, impressive and powerful the kings were in hopes they wouldnt revolt
When the enemies attacked they carried away and destroyed whatever art they could

AKKADIAN ART
Victory Stele of Naram-Sin

AKKADIAN ART
Lost Wax

AKKADIAN ART
Tall al-Asmar Mask of Sargon

AKKADIAN ARCHITECTURE
One would indeed expect a similar change to be apparent in the character of contemporary architecture, and the fact that this is not so may be due to the paucity of excavated examples. It is known that the Sargonid dynasty had a hand in the reconstruction and extension of many Sumerian temples and that they built palaces with practical amenities and powerful fortresses on their lines of imperial communication. The ruins of their buildings, however, are insufficient to suggest either

AKKADIAN GOVT.

SARGON
THE GREAT
The first ruler of Akkad He conquered the Sumerians in 233 BCE He unified Mesopotamia and spread his culture all through the fertile Crescent Was one of the earliest of the world's great empire builders, conquering all of southern Mesopotamia as well as parts of Syria, Anatolia, and Elam (western Iran). He established the region's first Semitic dynasty and was considered the founder of the Mesopotamian military.

SARGON
THE GREAT
Sargon, the mighty king, king of Agade, am I.MY mother was a changeling, my father I knew not.The brothers of my father loved the hills.My city is Azupiranu, which is situated on the banks of the Euphrates.My changeling mother conceived me, in secret she bore me.She set me in a basket of rushes, with bitumen she sealed My lid.She cast me into the river which rose not over me,The river bore me up and carried me to Akki, the drawer of water.Akki, the drawer of water lifted me out as he dipped his ewer.Akki, the drawer of water, took me as his son and reared me.

AKKADIAN GOVT.

Akkad was the first Nation to ever rule with dynasties before this the new king had to be elected by the rich in each city

AKKAD
Though the kingdom of Akkad didnt last long, only 3 generations the idea of passing the throne down father to son was used for thousands of years afterwards. Because he created such a vast empire bound together by roads he spread the idea of dynasties as well as many other ideas throughout the whole fertile crescent