Classroom Visuals
Themes and Topics
- Maps of Mesopotamia and the Near East
- Maps of Egypt and Nubia
- Satellite and Aerial Photographs of Western Asia and Egypt
- Historiography and Methods
- Land and Environment: Western Asia
- Land and Environment: Egypt
- Creation Mythologies and Cosmologies
- Language and Writing
- Mesopotamian Architecture
- Mesopotamian Society, Laws, and Social Structure
- Egyptian Society and Social Structure
- Ubaid and Proto-Literate Periods
- Sumerians: Early Dynastic Period and Ur III (Neo-Sumerian Empire)
- Akkadians: Sargon, Agade and Akkadian Empire
- Old Babylonians and Old Assyrians: The Old Babylonian Empire
- Middle Babylonians, Assyrians, Mitanni and the Hittites
- Neo-Assyrians: Neo-Assyrian Empire
- Neo-Babylonians, Neo-Babylonian Empire
- Persians: Persian Empire
- Egyptian History: Predynastic and Archaic Periods
- Egyptian History: Old Kingdom and 1st Intermediate Period
- Egyptian History: Middle Kingdom, Nubia, and 2nd Intermediate Period
- Egyptian History: New Kingdom (Incl. Amarna Period)
- Egyptian History: Post-New Kingdom
MAPS OF MESOPOTAMIA AND THE NEAR EAST
- Map: Ancient Near East (color)
- Map: Ancient Near East (II) (color)
- Map: The Ancient Near East (black and white; for printing). Instructions:
copy file to disk; open file in any drawing program; in "Page
Setup"-commmand, set page to "Landscape"-orientation; print file with
command, "fit to page."
- Map: Ancient Near East with Precipitation Scale (color)
- Map: Mesopotamia and Ancient Western Asia (color)
- Map: The Fertile Crescent and Ancient Near East (color)
- RELIEF Map: Western Asia: Political and Topographical (color)
- Animated Map: Sumer and Elam, 4th millennium B.C. (showing both ancient and modern coastlines) (color)
- Map: Southern Mesopotamia (Roux)
- O.I. Map: Southern Mesopotamia (colorized)
- O.I. Map: Southern Mesopotamia (for printing). Instructions:
copy file to disk; open file in any drawing program; in "Page
Setup"-commmand, set page to "Landscape"-orientation; print file with
command, "fit to page."
- Map: Modern Syria and Tell Hamukar (color)
- Map: Northern Mesopotamia (Upper Khabur Basin, NE Syria), 3rd Millennium urban sites & survey areas (color)
- Progressive Maps: Akkadian Empire from Sargon I through successors (color)
- Map: Mesopotamia, Persian Gulf, and Indus River Valley (Meluhha) Trade Contacts (color)
- Map: Neo-Sumerian Empire (Ur III, Third Dynasty of Ur)
- Map: Assyrian Empire
- Map: Babylonian Empire
MAPS OF EGYPT AND NUBIA
- Map of Egypt (black & white--for printing)
- Map of Egypt (color)
- Map of Modern Egypt (CIA)
- Reconstruction: Egyptian world view (color)
- Reconstruction: Egyptian world view--with Egyptian place names (color)
- Map: The nomes of Upper and Lower Egypt Nome boundaries conjectured and standardized.
- Map: The nomes of the Delta (Lower Egypt) Exact nome boundaries are conjectured.
- Map: Pyramid-temple estates of King Snefru Locations of estates (pious foundations) throughout the country in relation to the pyramid and temple at Dahshur
- Maps: Predynastic Egypt, Distribution of Sites across Periods
- Map: Three Proto-kingdoms of Upper Egypt Prior to the political consolidation of Upper Egypt under Hierakonpolis
- Map: Egyptian Delta Old Coastline (Reconstruction)
- Map: Egyptian Delta 7 Branches of the Nile River
- Map: Egyptian Delta in the Middle Kingdom
- Map: Ancient Nubia (color, reduced)
- Map: Ancient Nubia (black & white, detail)
- Map: Second Cataract Region: The Forts of Amenemhat I
- Map: Second Cataract Region: The Forts of Sesostris III
- Map: Second Intermediate Period Political Kingdoms along the Nile River
- Map: Egyptian Empire, New Kingdom
- Map: Invasion routes of the Sea People through the Near East
SATELLITE AND AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS OF WESTERN ASIA AND EGYPT
- Photo: The Black Sea
- Photo: The Black Sea: Hypothetical reconstruction of lake before alleged flooding (river courses conjectured)
- Satellite Photo: Ruins of Babylon (whole city)
- Satellite Photo: Ruins of Babylon and Modern Hillah, Main section of city
- Satellite Photo: Ruins of Babylon, North section of city and palace area
- Satellite Photo: Ruins of Babylon, North section of city, Hanging Gardens area, Gate of Ishtar, and Ninmah temple
- Satellite Photo: Ruins of Babylon, central section, remains of Etemenanki (ziggurat of Marduk= "Tower of Babel")
- Satellite Photo: Ruins of Babylon, north section, U.S. Army base, helicopter landing pad (located near or over the Gate of Sin [=Nanna])
- Photo: Aerial Photograph of Ur, Temple and Ziggurat Precinct
- Photo: Views of the Nile Delta, Egypt, from Space
- Photo: Satellite Photograph of Step Pyramid Complex of Djoser
- Photo: Satellite Photograph of Pyramid Complex of Unas
HISTORIOGRAPHY AND METHODS
- Chart: Sources, Methods and Disciplines in Ancient Near Eastern Studies (traditional)
- Chart: Sources, Methods and Disciplines in Ancient Near Eastern Studies (anthropological)
LAND AND ENVIRONMENT: WESTERN ASIA
- Chart: Mesopotamia: Topographical Features and Geographical Zones
- List: Sumerian Cities of the 4th and 3rd Millennia B.C.
- Index-map of Photographs of Archaeological Sites and Topography of Mesopotamia (Oriental Institute web site)
- Oriental Institute: The Lost Treasures of Iraq, Iraq Museum Database
- Schematic Drawing: Plan of Sumerian Agricultural and Irrigation System
- Photo: Present Topography of Southern Mesopotamia: the Road to Eridu
- Photo: The Tigris River near Samarra (north of Baghdad)
- Photo: Sandstorm in Central Mesopotamia
- Photo: Khafajah (east of Baghdad). Accumulation of natural salts on surface of land due to deforestation, over-watering and over-production of agriculture
- Photo: Abu Salabikh Leaching of salts through wet ground from over-irrigation and over-production
- Drawing: Archaeological Stratigraphy: Nine Levels of Troy
LAND AND ENVIRONMENT: EGYPT
- Drawing: Climatic Phases of the Sahara Desert, 120,000 B.C. - present
- Drawing: Topographical Cross-section of the Nile
- Photo: Partially Collapsed Pyramid of Medum (and the Edge of the Cultivation)
- Photo (Quicktime): West Bank of Thebes
- Photo: Panorama of West Bank of Thebes
- Photo: Middle Egypt Lush Oasis
- Schematic Plan: Overview of Basin irrigation system: basins and canals (color)
- Plan and Section: Nile Flood Plain, 1500 B.C. (color)
- Reconstruction: Basin irrigation system--low water prior to inundation (color)
- Reconstruction: Basin irrigation system--opening the feeder canals (color)
- Reconstruction: Basin irrigation system--high water level (color)
- Animation: Basin System at Work (P. Piccione)
- Photo: Irrigation scene with shaduf: tomb of Ipuy (W. Thebes)
- Aerial Photo: Nile Inundation at Giza
- Photo: Nile Inundation near Giza Pyramids
- Aerial Photo: Nile Inundation at Dahshur (with island-village)
CREATION MYTHOLOGIES AND COSMOLOGIES
- The Syncretism of Sumero-Akkadian Deities (HTML-format)
- Photo (composite): Shabaka Stone: Memphite Theology
- Photo: Wall Painting of Ra in boat (tomb of Sennedjem)
- Photo: Statuette of Tutankhamun as Nefertem
- Photo: Statuette of Ptah (Tutankhamun)
- Drawing: Egyptian Conception of Cosmos (plan)
LANGUAGE AND WRITING
- Chart: Afro-Asiatic Languages
- Map: Distribution of Afro-Asiatic Languages
- Chart: Stemma of Semitic Languages
- Rosetta Stone, Ptolemy IV Epiphanes, 196 BC
- First Egyptian Hieroglyphs: Ivory Tags, Abydos, Dynasty 0, Tomb of King Scorpion (ca. 3200 BC)
MESOPOTAMIAN ARCHITECTURE
- List: Sumerian Cities of the 4th and 3rd Millennia B.C.
- Drawing: Reconstruction of Ubaid Period Temple Oval at Khafaje [Tutub], Ubaid Period
- Drawing: Reconstruction of White Temple at Uruk, Ubaid Period
- Drawing: Reconstruction of Temple of Eridu (niched facade architecture), Ubaid Period
- Photo: Marsh Arabs Meeting House, interior (viz. Sumerian architecture)
- Drawing: Cylinder sealing depicting possible ziggurat (or an altar?), Early Dynastic III period (by P. Amiet)
- List: Important Ziggurats of Mesopotamia and Elam
- Plan of the City Ur, ca. 2100 B.C.
- Street Plan of the City of Ur, ca. 2100 B.C.
- Photo: City of Ur, Ziggurat and Priest Quarter
- Photo: Ziggurat of Ur (Etemenigur), built by Ur-Nammu or Shulgi, prior to excavation
- Photo: Ziggurat of Ur (Etemenigur) after modern reconstruction
- Drawing: Reconstruction of the Ziggurat at Ur, combined views (by Sir Leonard Woolley)
- Animation: Ziggurat of Ur: Then and Now (by P. Piccione)
- Plan: City of Babylon, ca. sixth century B.C.
- Drawing: Reconstruction of City of Babylon from west, including temple and ziggurat (color)
- Drawing: Reconstruction of City of Babylon from north, Gate of Ishtar (color)
- Photo: Modern Babylon, Processional Road (fenced in) along Reconstructed Walls of Palace Complex, view northward
- Photo: Gate of Ishtar (original) re-erected, Berlin Museum
- Photo: Gate of Ishtar (smaller reconstructed copy), Babylon
- Drawing: Reconstruction of the ziggurat of Babylon, Etemenanki, view from south (profile)
- Photo: Reconstructed Model of the ziggurat of Babylon, Etemenanki, view from southwest (O.I. Museum)
- Photo: Model of the temple-complex of Marduk at Babylon, Esagila, view from east
- Power Point Presentation: Palace of Nebuchadnezzar at Babylon (U.S. Marines) (click to download; file needs Power Point to run). Object lesson: how ancient sites and history take on modern meanings.
MESOPOTAMIAN SOCIETY, LAWS, AND SOCIAL STRUCTURE
- LOST TREASURES FROM IRAQ (homepage): Oriental Institute IRAQ MUSEUM Database | PHOTOS of archaeological sites in Iraq
- Assyrian Winged Bull (Lamassu), Khorsabad, Palace of Sargon II (721-705 B.C.). Oriental Institute Museum
- Photo: Stela of Hammurabi and the Code of Hammurabi
- Photo: Bronze Statue of Ur-nammu Hauling Dirt for a Temple-Foundation Ceremony (from Nippur)
EGYPTIAN SOCIETY AND SOCIAL STRUCTURE
- Diagram: Structure of Egyptian society: King as focus of society, around whom orbit the social classes
- Graph: Population of the Nile Valley, 5000 BC - AD 1000 (hypothetical)
- Chart: Hypothetical Demographic Development in Ancient Egypt (by Region), 4000 BC - 150 BC
UBAID AND PROTO-LITERATE PERIODS
- Photo: Tell Hamoukar, northern Mesopotamia (c. 4500 BC), sloping trench with stratigraphic levels (from bottom)
- Photo: Tell Hamoukar, northern Mesopotamia (c. 4500 BC), sloping trench with stratigraphic levels (from top)
- Drawing: Reconstruction of Ubaid Period Temple Oval at Khafaje [Tutub], Ubaid Period
- Drawing: Reconstruction of White Temple at Uruk, Ubaid Period
- Drawing: Reconstruction of Temple of Eridu (niched facade architecture with recessed panels), Ubaid Period
- Mesopotamian Bulla with Tokens
- Jemdet Nasr Tablet (BM) and Hieroglyphic/Cuneiform Chart
- Samples: Protoliterate and Sumerian Tablets
- Drawing: Jemdet Nasr Influences on Egypt: Ivory Knife-handle, Gebel el-Arak, Egypt. Mesopotamian motives: master of animals (= Sumerian en) preying animal-motif, and Mesopotamian-style ships with upraised prows and sterns
- Drawing: Jemdet Nasr Influences on Egypt: Ivory Knife-handle, Gebel el-Tarif, Egypt. Mesopotamian motives: entwined serpents, rosettes, winged griffin, and preying animals
- Drawing: Jemdet Nasr Influences on Egypt: Narmer Palette, Hierakonpolis. Right side (verso) serpent-necked panthers, entwined.
- Drawing: Jemdet Nasr Influences on Egypt: Reconstruction of mastaba of King Djet, Saqqara, Dynasty 1
SUMERIAN HISTORY: EARLY DYNASTIC PERIOD AND UR III (NEO-SUMERIAN EMPIRE)
- List: Sumerian Cities of the 4th and 3rd Millennia B.C.
- List: Important Ziggurats of Mesopotamia and Elam
- Drawing: Cylinder sealing depicting possible ziggurat, Early Dynastic III period (by P. Amiet)
- Photo: Aerial Photograph of Ur, Temple and Ziggurat Precinct
- Photo: City of Ur, Ziggurat and Priest Quarter
- Photo: Ziggurat of Ur (Etemenigur), built by Ur-Nammu or Shulgi, prior to excavation
- Photo: Ziggurat of Ur (Etemenigur) after modern reconstruction
- Drawing: Reconstruction of the ziggurat of Ur [combined views] (by Sir Leonard Woolley)
- Animation: Ziggurat of Ur: Then and Now (by P. Piccione)
- Standard of Ur: Face of Peace
- Standard of Ur: Face of War
- Standard of Ur: Presentation of prisoners to king
- Standard of Ur: Slaughter of prisoners
- Standard of Ur: Line of infantry soldiers
- Standard of Ur: Earliest chariots in battle
- Vulture Stela: Lagash victory inscription against Umma (reconstruction, front and back)
- Vulture Stela: Phalanx of Lagash infantry led by King E-Annatum
- Photo: Statue of Sumerian priestess
- Photo: Statue of Gudea, king of Lagash
AKKADIANS: SARGON, AGADE AND AKKADIAN EMPIRE
- Photo: Bronze statue of Akkadian ruler, name uncertain
- Photo: Bronze statue of Akkadian king, probably Naram-sin
OLD BABYLONIANS AND OLD ASSYRIANS: THE OLD BABYLONIAN EMPIRE
- Photo: Stela of Hammurabi and the Code of Hammurabi
MIDDLE BABYLONIANS, ASSYRIANS, MITANNI AND THE HITTITES
NEO-ASSYRIANS: NEO-ASSYRIAN EMPIRE
- Prism of Sennacherib (c. 704-681 B.C.)
- Wall Frieze: King Sennacherib at the siege of Lachish (Israel), 7th century B.C.
- Wall Frieze: Assyrian siege engine demolishing the walls of a city
- Wall Frieze: Assyrian conquest of Egypt, besieging an Egyptian fort
- Wall Frieze: Assyrian siege of Egyptian fort, marching off Egyptian/Kushite prisoners of war
- Wall Frieze: Assyrian siege of Egyptian fort, Kushite-Nubian prisoners of war
- Wall Frieze: King Assurbanipal Hunting on Horseback (c. 668-630 B.C.)
NEO-BABYLONIANS, NEO-BABYLONIAN EMPIRE
PERSIANS: PERSIAN EMPIRE
EGYPTIAN HISTORY: PREDYNASTIC AND ARCHAIC PERIODS
- Drawing: Ivory Knife-handle, Gebel el-Arak, Egypt. Mesopotamian motives: master of animals (= Sumerian en) and preying animals, and Mesopotamian-like ships with upraised prows and sterns
- Drawing: Ivory Knife-handle, Gebel el-Tarif, Egypt. Mesopotamian motives: entwined serpents, rosettes, winged griffin, and preying animals
- Drawing: Scorpion Macehead, Hierakonpolis. Relief depicting King Scorpion of Hierakonpolis in the ritual of cutting open a dike or canal; dead rekhyt-birds on standards represent defeated people of the Delta-region.
- Drawing: Narmer Palette, Hierakonpolis.
Left side depicts Narmer as King of Upper Egypt performing the ritual
execution of a Lower Egyptian captive. The right side depicts him as
King of Lower Egypt inspecting ten decapitated corpses.
- Drawing: Reconstruction of mastaba of King Djet, Saqqara, Dynasty 1
- Photo: Funerary Enclosure of Khasekhem, Hierakonpolis, Dynasty 2
- Photo: Funerary Enclosure of Khasekhem, Hierakonpolis, detail of niched-brick panelled facade
- Photo: Funerary Enclosure of Khasekhem, Abydos, Dynasty 2
- Photo: Boat-graves of Khasekhemwy, Abydos, Dynasty 2
- Drawing: Reconstruction of mastaba of Queen Merneit, Saqqara, Dynasty 1
EGYPTIAN HISTORY: OLD KINGDOM AND 1ST INTERMEDIATE PERIOD
- Drawing: 3-D Reconstruction of simplified Old Kingdom mastaba (color)
- Drawing: Evolution of Pyramid Architecture from mastaba through step pyramid to true pyramid (Dynasties 1-4)
- Photo: Step Pyramid of King Djoser, Saqqara, Dynasty 3: view from northwest (color)
- Plan: Step Pyramid Complex of King Djoser, Saqqara, Dynasty 3
- Photo: Satellite Photograph of Step Pyramid Complex of Djoser
- Photo: Step Pyramid Complex of Djoser, enclosure wall and main entrance
- Drawing: Section of Step Pyramid of King Djoser with five building phases (color)
- Photo: Partially Collapsed Pyramid of Medum
- Photo: Pyramid of Huni at Medum
- Drawing: Section of Pyramid of Huni at Medum, Dynasty 3-4: detailing alteration from step pyramid to true pyramid (b/w)
- Photo: Bent Pyramid of Snefru at Dahshur, Dynasty 4
- Photo: Statuette of King Khufu (Louvre)
- Photo: Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops) at Giza (photo by Francis Frith)
- Composite Aerial Photo: Comparison of Khufu's Great Pyramid and College of Charleston campus
- Photo: Giza, Pyramids of Khufu's Queens and Boat-graves
- Photo: Giza, mastabas of the Old Kingdom (from top of Khufu's pyramid)
- Photo: Giza, Pyramid of Khafre and mortuary temple (from top of Khufu's pyramid)
- Drawing: Reconstruction of the Pyramids of Abu Sir, Dynasty 5 (color)
- Drawing: Reconstruction of the sun-temple of King Neuserre at Abu Ghurob (Dynasty 5) with benben as cult-focus (color)
- Drawing: 3-D Reconstruction of pyramid and pyramid temple of King Unas, Saqqara, Dynasty 5 (color)
- Photo: Satellite Photograph of Pyramid Complex of Unas
- Photo: Mortuary temples of Nebhepetre Mentuhotep II and Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari (Dynasty 11, Western Thebes)
- Plan and reconstruction of the mortuary temple of Nebhepetre Mentuhotep II at Deir el-Bahari (Dynasty 11, Western Thebes)
EGYPTIAN HISTORY: MIDDLE KINGDOM, NUBIA, AND 2ND INTERMEDIATE PERIOD
- Photo: Statue of King Amenemhat (Karnak temple)
- Map: Forts of the Middle Kingdom: Faras through the Second Cataract Region
- Map: Nubia, Second Cataract Region: The Forts of Amenemhat I
- Map: Nubia, Second Cataract Region: The Forts of Sesostris III
- Plan: Nubia, Fort of Buhen, Outer Fortifications and Citadel
- Plan: Nubia, Fort of Buhen-Detail of Citadel
- Composite Aerial Photo: Comparison of Buhen Fort and College of Charleston campus
- Composite Aerial Photo: Comparison of Buhen Fort and College of Charleston campus: Detail, Citadel
- Photo: Nubia, Ruins of Fort of Buhen (colorized)
- Composite Photos: Fort of Buhen (color)
- Photo: 3-Dimensional Reconstruction Buhen from the East (river)
- Photo: Ruins of Shalfak from the East (1962)
- Drawing: Plan and Reconstruction, Fort of Shalfak
- Photo & Sketch: "The Gate of Semna" (1898)
- Drawing: Nubia, Semna and Kumma Forts (color)
- Photo: View of Semna and Kumma from South (1898)
- Photo: View of Semna across to Kumma from West (1898)
- Photo: View of Kumma from West Bank (1898)
- Map: Second Intermediate Period Political Kingdoms along the Nile River
- Photo: head of the mummy of King Seqenenre Tao II (Thebes, Dyn. 17)
- Photo: Second Stela of Kamose (Dyn. 17)
EGYPTIAN HISTORY: NEW KINGDOM (INCL. AMARNA PERIOD)
- Photo: Statuette of Queen Ahmes-Nefertari
- Genealogical Chart: 18th Dynasty Royal Family (color)
- Photo: Statue of Amenhotep I
- Photo: Statue of Thutmose I
- Photo: Statue of Queen Hatshepsut
- Photo: Statue of Thutmose III
- Map: Egyptian Empire, New Kingdom
- Photo: Statue of Amenhotep II
- Photos: Statues of Akhenaten and Nefertiti
- Plan: Temple of Amun-Ra at Karnak
- Drawing: Reconstruction of Temple of Amun-Ra at Karnak (color)
- Photo: First Pylon-gateway of the Temple of Amun-Ra at Karnak
- Photo: Temple of Amun-Ra at Karnak from above First Court
- Photo: Temple of Amun-Ra at Karnak from Sacred Lake
- Animation: Plan of the Battle of Kadesh
- Flat Aerial Photo: Mound of Tell Nebi Mend, Syria (Kadesh). Google Earth
- Oblique Aerial Photo: Mound of Tell Nebi Mend, Syria (Kadesh). Google Earth
- Aerial Photo: Mound of Tell Nebi Mend, Syria (Kadesh), oblique view, West to East. Google Earth
- Drawing: Battle of Kadesh (Karnak Temple)
- Photo: Detail, Ramesses II at Battle of Kadesh (Karnak Temple)
- Table: Sea People Confederations (Merneptah and Ramesses III)
- Map: Invasion routes of the Sea People through the Near East
- Photo: Medinet Habu Temple pylon
- Drawing: Medinet Habu Temple plan and section
- Drawing: Overall view, Egyptian land battle against the Sea People in Canaan
- Drawing: Detail, Egyptian land battle against the Sea People
- Drawing: Egyptian land battle against the Sea People in Canaan
- Photo: Relief of Egyptian naval battle against Sea People (Medinet Habu)
- Drawing: Overall view, Egyptian naval battle against Sea People (Medinet Habu)
- Drawing: Detail, Relief of Egyptian naval battle against Sea People (Medinet Habu)
EGYPTIAN HISTORY: POST-NEW KINGDOM
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