Deck 2: Ancient Mesopotamia and Persia

Question 1

The exaggeration of the eye size on Sumerian votive sculptures likely symbolizes their ____.

A) mystical visions
B) great knowledge and wisdom
C) eternal wakefulness
D) divine nature

Answer 1

C

Question 2

The statuettes of two worshippers,from the Square Temple at Eshnunna,created by the Sumerians,were ____.

A) placed in tombs to entertain the deceased in the afterlife
B) placed in temples in thanksgiving to the deities
C) guardians of the Citadel of Sargon II
D) used as a form of currency

Answer 2

B

Question 3

The Ziggurat at Ur can best be described as a ____.

A) Sumerian burial ground
B) fortified city-state
C) palace for Naram-Sin
D) temple platform

Answer 3

D

Question 4

In his pursuit of beautifying the city of Bayblon,Nebuchadnezzar II built the ____ as one of the main entrances to the city.

A) White Temple
B) Ziggurat at Ur
C) Palace of Darius
D) Ishtar Gate

Question 5

The themes portrayed in the murals that decorated Assyrian palaces were intended to ____.

A) demonstrate the ruler's religiosity
B) exalt royal power
C) provide a glimpse into the afterlife
D) show the royal protection of the king

Question 6

What epic poem(s)recounts the exploits of a legendary king of Uruk and slayer of the monster Huwawa?

A) Iliad and Odyssey
B) Epic of Gilgamesh
C) Epic of Nimrud
D) Tale of Homer

Question 7

The rock-cut relief decorating the palace of Shapur I at Bishapur depicts ____.

A) the goddess Inanna
B) the coronation of Shapur II
C) a dying lioness
D) Shapur's capture of the Roman emperor

Question 8

Ishtar Gate,with its relief decorations of a dragon,lion,and bull,comes from the city of ____.

A) Lagash
B) Persepolis
C) Ur
D) Babylon

Question 9

Historical narrative relief can be found at the Assyrian palace of ____ at Nimrud.

A) Gudea
B) Sargon IV
C) Marduk I
D) Ashurnasirpal II

Question 10

The White Temple at Uruk is oriented to the ____.

A) Orion constellation
B) cardinal points of the compass
C) Persian Gulf
D) north

Question 11

The Mesopotamian king who codified the law and prescribed penalties for infractions was ____.

A) Urnanshe
B) Innana
C) Naram-Sin
D) Hammurabi

Question 12

What information does the victory stele of Eannatum (Stele of the Vultures)provide about the nature of the ensi,or leader?

A) The ruler is equal to the soldiers.
B) Eannatum was not a brave warrior and lost.
C) Ningirsu chose Eannatum to rule Lagash.
D) Eannatum was divine.

Question 13

Bull-headed capitals would most likely be found in ____.

A) Lascaux
B) Jericho
C) Persia
D) Israel

Question 14

Which of the following was not a significant contribution of the Sumerians:

A) Specialization of labor
B) The invention of post-and-lintel architecture
C) The advent of writing
D) The invention of the city-state

Question 15

Although largely influenced by Assyrian art,Persian art differed in the preference for ____.

A) bulging muscles
B) extremely large eyes
C) nudity
D) more rounded forms

Question 16

The new concept of godlike sovereignty can be described by the representations of ____,the king who appeared as a god in Mesopotamian Akkadian art.

A) Urnanshe
B) Naram-Sin
C) Eannatum
D) Gilgamesh

Question 17

Found on the Warka Vase,the convention of hierarchy of scale indicated ____.

A) greater importance
B) order of the gods
C) the first families
D) the power of money

Question 18

Alexander the Great razed Persepolis in 330 BCE.What prior event suggests that this was an act of revenge?

A) Destruction of Assyrian city of Nimrud
B) Birth of the Sasanian dynasty
C) Persian sack of the Athenian Acropolis
D) Persian sack of Sparta

Question 19

The statement "measuring rods and coiled rope," which connotes the ruler's capacity to build social order and render judgments,is best depicted on the ____.

A) stele of Hammurabi
B) Standard of Ur
C) victory Stele of Naram-Sin
D) victory stele of Eannatum (Stele of the Vultures)

Question 20

A central figure of the Neo-Sumerian age,____ placed many statues in temples to render his perpetual service to the gods.

A) Ashurnasirpal
B) Imhotep
C) Senenmut
D) Gudea

Question 21

Which of the following works of art was created first?

A) Standard of Ur
B) Victory stele of Eannatum (Stele of the Vultures)
C) Worshippers from the Square Temple at Eshnunna
D) Warka Vase

Question 22

Describe an architectural feature used at Persepolis that seems to have been uniquely Persian.

Question 23

Victory stele of Eannatum (Stele of the Vultures)and Victory stele of Naram-Sin ____.

A) Victory stele of Naram-Sin shows daring innovation by breaking with the compositional formula of storytelling via horizontal registers
B) Victory stele of Eannatum (Stele of the Vultures)represents the Assyrian tradition of war relief
C) each represents Sumer and Elamite workshops
D) each represents Achaemenid and Sasanian workshops

Question 24

____ is a term for the large composite creatures that guarded the gates of Assyrian royal complexes.

A) Sphinx
B) Lamassu
C) Zimri-lim
D) Ishtar

Question 25

Persepolis (royal audience hall)and Palace of Shapur I,Ctesiphon ____.

A) both represent the splendor of the Achaemenid Empire
B) both represent the influences of the Greeks
C) each define its period
D) each represent the influences of Parthian construction techniques

Question 26

The statuettes of two worshipers represent ____.

A) rulers and duty
B) deep commitment to religion and service
C) the work of Uruk
D) the canon of Assyrian sculptural tradition

Question 27

In Assyrian relief,such as the Assyrian archers pursuing enemies,the artists combine different viewpoints in the same frame and other adjustments for clarity.Which of the following phrases best describes the artists' primary goal?

A) Artistic license
B) Legible retelling of a decisive moment in king's deeds
C) Following technical codes as established by the Sasanians
D) Following technical codes as established by the Elamites

Question 28

The name for the monumental gateway to the citadel of Persepolis,that Gate of All Lands,is a reference to ____.

A) the harmony of the peoples of the Assyrian empire
B) the harmony of the peoples of the Sasanian empire
C) the harmony of the peoples of the Persian empire
D) the harmony of the peoples of the Elamite empire

Question 29

The use of polished diorite in many depictions of Gudea is significant because ____.

A) it was symbolic of death
B) it was associated with military victory
C) it was commonly found in Ur
D) it was costly and difficult to carve

Question 30

The Elamite statue of Queen Napir-Asu represents the ideal queen;in addition,there is an allusion to fertility as it relates to being queen.Which motif supports this allusion?

A) Hands crossed over the belly
B) Upright posture
C) Patterned gown
D) Inscription on queen's skirt

Question 31

The Sumerians may have been the first to use pictures to tell coherent stories.What argument makes this a valid assertion?

A) Narrative presented with haphazard figures
B) Narrative presented in registers or bands
C) Narrative presented in squares or boxes
D) Narrative presented with same-size figures

Question 32

Statuettes of two worshipers and Gudea seated,holding temple plan both represent the ____.

A) continuing tradition of depictions of royalty
B) deep commitment to religion and the gods
C) work of Sumer and Akkad
D) Assyrian tradition of royal depictions

Question 33

The statue of Queen Napir-Asu represents ____.

A) an ideal queen and serves as a votive figure
B) an ideal goddess and serves as an idol
C) the work of the Sasanian Empire
D) the work of Sumer

Question 34

Sound box of the lyre from tomb 789 ____.

A) represents the coat of arms of Naram-sin
B) can be found on the Standard of Ur
C) represents the coat of arms of Eannatum
D) represents heraldic composition

Question 35

The head of an Akkadian ruler represents ____.

A) a deity
B) an official and ruler
C) the work of Persepolis
D) a royal figure from Sumer

Question 36

The Elamite statue of Queen Napir-Asu shows its Mesopotamian heritage.Which phrase supports this assertion?

A) Square volume and strict frontality
B) Strict true profile and slim silhouette
C) Cylindrical volume and strict frontality
D) Optical profile and full silhouette

Question 37

Victory stele of Naram-Sin and Triumph of Shapur I both ____.

A) represent a military victory
B) represent deep religious commitment of both civilizations
C) represent mythological heroes
D) exhibit influences from Ancient Greece

Question 38

What was the importance of the code of Hammurabi?

Question 39

Stele with laws of Hammurabi represents the ____.

A) gods granting the right to rule
B) coronation of the ruler
C) work of Sumer and Babylon
D) gods granting the right to codify the law