Compare And Contrast The Standard Of Ur And Battle Of Issus

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Standard of Ur vs. Battle of Issus The Standard of Ur and Battle of Issus are two forms of ancient art that display pictures of war, holding a few similarities and differences. The Standard of Ur is a wooden box decorated with lapis lazuli, shell, and stone. It was found in a tomb at the Royal Cemetery in Ur, Iraq by Leonard Woolley in 2600 BCE. This piece of art was made during the Sumerian period, which is easily reflected in the painting. The Battle of Issus (Alexander Mosaic) is a tessera mosaic constructed by Helen of Egypt during the late classical period. The piece is made with tesserae, which are small pieces of glass or tiny stones that can be made into preferable shapes and sizes. It was found at the House of Faun in Pompeii, Italy in 310 BCE. These are both …show more content…

The Standard of Ur encompasses geometric shapes and simple figures, unlike the Battle of Issus, that embellishes actual people with a very detailed picture. This variation is due to the styles that were popular during the periods the artwork was being created. The Standard of Ur (War side) is a narrative including three rows, read from left to right, and bottom to top. On the bottom, the chariots run over their enemies, while the middle shows soldiers gather and lead their captured prisoners. At the top, the soldiers bring the captured prisoners to the king, who is displayed in the center. The size of the figures correlates to ranking in social class and society. Therefore, the larger the figure, the higher rank in social class. On the other hand, the Battle of Issus is a narrative that can be understood directly from its visuals. For instance, the picture shows Alexander the Great and king Darius III leading their soldiers into battle. Alexander the Great forces king Darius to retreat, which is clearly illustrated in the painting. Reflections, shadows, and earthly objects can be portrayed in this painting as well. Although they are both telling stories about