Themes

• African Art
• Ancient American Art
• Ancient Near Eastern Art
• Arms and Armor
• Asian Art
• China
• Japan
• Korea
• South and Southeast Asia
• Byzantine Art
• Colonial Art of the Americas
• Costume
• Egyptian Art
• European Art
• European Art in the Middle Ages
• Renaissance
• Baroque and Rococo
• Nineteenth Century
• Twentieth Century
• Greek and Roman Art
• Islamic Art
• <% if incFileOrig = "Africa" or incFileOrig = "0" or incFileOrig = "1" or incFileOrig = "2" or incFileOrig = "3" then%>Modern and Contemporary Art
• style="color:#7A0026; font-weight:800;"<%end if%>>Africa
• style="color:#7A0026; font-weight:800;"<%end if%>>Americas
• style="color:#7A0026; font-weight:800;"<%end if%>>Asia
• style="color:#7A0026; font-weight:800;"<%end if%>>Europe
• style="color:#7A0026; font-weight:800;"<%end if%>>Oceania
• Musical Instruments
• Oceania, Arts of
• Photography
• Prehistory
• United States, Arts of
• Nineteenth Century
• Twentieth Century
• General Information

Ancient Near Eastern Art

• Aruz, Joan, with Ronald Wallenfels, eds. Art of the First Cities: The Third Millennium B.C. from the Mediterranean to the Indus. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2003.

  This exhibition catalogue examines the artistic achievements of the world's first city-states in both Mesopotamia and western Asia, breaking new ground through the examination of trade and interconnections from the Mediterranean to the Indus. Includes examples from the most famous sites of the ancient world, with lavish illustrations of more than 500 works of art. Includes maps, a chronology, bibliography, and index.

• Boardman, John. Persia and the West: An Archaeological Investigation of the Genesis of Achaemenid Art. New York: Thames & Hudson, 2000.

  Professor Boardman reveals the unique qualities of monumental Persian art, its sources in the countries conquered by the Persians, and the subsequent interchange of culture and techniques in all the countries under Persian domination. This complex subject is elucidated with the nonexpert in mind. Includes many illustrations, index, and bibliographic references.

• Postgate, J. N. Early Mesopotamia: Society and Economy at the Dawn of History. New York: Routledge, 1992.

  Focusing on 3000 to 1500 B.C., Postgate integrates archaeology and historical data with the beginning student in mind. Includes an index, bibliography, and translations from original cuneiform texts.

• Roaf, Michael. Cultural Atlas of Mesopotamia and the Ancient Near East. New York: Facts on File, 1990.

  This atlas systematically surveys the major sites and important topics concerning the early civilizations surrounding the Tigris and Euphrates over the course of 12,000 years. Includes many maps and color illustrations.

• Van de Mieroop, Marc. The Ancient Mesopotamian City. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999.

  This very readable and engaging text offers a fresh approach to the history of life (economics, politics, society, and culture) in ancient Mesopotamia from 3000 to 300 B.C. Includes bibliographic references and an index.

• Walker, C. B. F. Cuneiform. Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1987.

  Provides a brief but comprehensive and clearly written overview of the origins, development, decipherment, and implementation of this ancient writing system utilized for 2,500 years in the ancient Near East.