Assyrian artwork project
Since the beginning of time and first civilizations, there was interaction between people, cultures and intermixing with each other. Mix could be seen in daily habits, religion, cuisine, linguistics etc. Many don't know that palaces in antique times were some kind of marketing of the ruling elites. Mostly decorated with mythological creatures and a lot of symbols, to differentiate roles in society. So simple, but yet so deep message.
The Epic of Gilgamesh is an epic poem from ancient Mesopotamia, regarded as the earliest surviving notable literature.
The story discusses Gilgamesh, king of Uruk, and Enkidu, a wild man created by the gods to stop Gilgamesh from oppressing the people of Uruk.
My interests in Mesopotamian myths, pushed me to illustrate and envision these two characters in simple illustration.
This is illustrated Assyrian (as well and Mesopothamian) mythological creature of Apkallu, demi gods whose role was to cherish and protect knowledge. It's depicted while picking up the fruits of knowledge from hypothetical tree of Life.
The Lamassu is a celestial being from ancient Mesopotamian religion bearing a human head, bull's body, sometimes with the horns and the ears of a bull, and wings. It appears frequently in Mesopotamian art.
The Lamassu was household protective spirit of the common people, becoming associated later as royal protectors, and were placed as sentinels at entrances.
Illustration of an original presentation of Assurbanipal II, the King of Assyria.
Ⓡ Assurbanipal II in hunt: scene from Nineveh, 7th century BC, the British Museum
Extraordinary results and experience to work on, so much detailed original presentation made me challenges.
