Week Three

The Ishtar Gate –originally built in Babylonia; now on display in Germany -- is a double gateway with guard towers and crenels built with glazed bricks. In 6^th century BCE, it was the ceremonial entrance into the older part of Babylonia. The glaze depicts some patterns and images that include dragons and bulls to tie in some of the deities of the Babylonian society. To me, the gate exudes a sense of victory and arrogance, or an overall attitude of showing off and snobbery. It gives a sense that the makers or owners had mastery and control over their dominions. In other words, when I look at the gates, I feel its creator was trying to exemplify superiority. It commands your attention and flaunts the fact that the owner knows who is in control.

First of all, the main color is a very vibrant blue, and it is paired with colors from the orange family – blue’s complimentary color. Nothing says, “Hey, look at me! I am what deserves your attention,” like deep blues and oranges covering a large surface. To me, the clash and vibrancy of these colors are on the same level of self-importance as a man walking around with his chest out a little farther than most people think is humanly possible.

The depicted animals are posed with stiff lines, their strides able to express an austere military feel or that of superiority. To me, the blue bricks look like the reflective surfaces of a calm water, and bordering the edges are rows of flowers.  Combine the strut with the lazy waters and flowers, the figures look self-important and at ease, relaxed knowing that everyone around is looking at them and they are in control, but still concerned that they look their part.              

The detailing in the specific images are stylized, but accurate. You know exactly what you are looking at. From what I can tell, the figures are low relief forms painted with scales and hair, talons and tounges, and there are attempts at shadowing as well. Each figure has the same intense detailing, whether it is eye level or thirty feet above you.

The stiffness and military effect from the figures are supported by the regular and organized lines of the flowers along the edges. Meanwhile, the crenellation at the top is there as if to say, “I am prepared for battle,” but the triangle shapes of them leave the guards at the top exposed saying, “I am prepared, but if you tried to defeat me, your chances would be so low that I do not even need to protect myself much.”  Really, the gates are just pretending they might need to put up a fight, which is another way of expressing superiority.

The height of the reconstructed Ishtar Gate is nearly fifty feet, and with the Procession Way it is about one hundred feet wide. Not only does it demand your attention from afar, but it forces you to look around at it as you pass through at least those hundred feet. Also, there are two. One was not enough to show off the mastery and power it represented.

On either ends of the gates, there were brick walls glazed with blues, turquoises and gold. This would have added to the effect of water, giving the effect of serenity. Whoever was admiring the walls at the time would have felt at ease being under the guard of whoever was in control. There were striding lions with equally stiff looking strides that would have echoed the sense of order and control from the gates figures.

In conclusion, the Ishtar Gate, especially combined with its original roadway and walls, demands your attention with its color choice and vibrancy, hugeness, and depicted figures. The figures and patterns express a feeling of superiority, along with the lackadaisical flowers and crenels that are clearly more for show than function. Despite the obvious showing off of power and pretentiousness, someone walking through could also feel put at ease knowing that whoever it was that possessed the mastery over the architecture, glazing, molding also possessed a mastery over the city the gateway guarded.