Chapter 2 deals with art in the region of the ancient world that used to be called "The Cradle of Civilization." By now, we know that the civilizing impulse expressed in art can be seen thousands of years earlier in prehistoric painting and carving. What we do encounter for the first time is the art of civilizations that left us not only their works of art, but also a written record--the beginning of the "historic period."

We also encounter for the first time art produced by great centers of political and economic power. The history of the Ancient Near East is a history of successive controlling states. Because we have a fairly reliable chronology and can associate individual works of art with particular state powers, we are also able to begin to see the evolution of artistic styles as a succession of innovations based on inheritances from the past.

Goals for this chapter include:

• See the Ancient Near East as a place in which certain attitudes about art and architecture emerge early and remain viable for about three thousand years.

• Observe that the region has a history of successive controlling states. The controlling powers would mold their artistic inheritance to meet their own needs.

• Grasp a sense of the chronological development of political history in the region.

• Associate certain stylistic characteristics with each of the historical periods.

• See the close relationship among political, religious, and artistic impulses in the Near East.