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Dick Osseman | all galleries >> Ankara pictures >> Ankara Anatolian Civilizations Museum >> Urartian objects > Ankara 08092012_3529.jpg
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08-Sep-2012 Dick Osseman

Ankara 08092012_3529.jpg

A belt in bronze.

Urartian, 8th – early 7th century.
Relief work produced by hammering mould on rear of metal with incised lines.
The whole surface of the belt is covered with (amongst others) winged lions, rosettes and soldiers, surrounded by dots, small palmettes and waves. The holes along the edges were made to sew the belt onto luxury clothing (as decoration) or onto leather or felt (as military equipment).

Urartu (corresponding to the biblical ‘Kingdom of Ararat’ or ‘Kingdom of Van’) was an Iron Age kingdom centred around Lake Van in Eastern Anatolia. Assyrian inscriptions of Shalmaneser I (c. 1274 BC) first mention Uruartri as one of the states of Nairi – a loose confederation of small kingdoms and tribal states in so-called ‘Armenian Highland’, which he conquered. Uruartri itself was in the region around Lake Van. In the 13th to 9th centuries BC the Nairi states were repeatedly subjected to further attacks and invasions by the Assyrians.

Urartu re-emerged in Assyrian inscriptions in the 9th century BC as a powerful northern rival of Assyria. The Nairi states and tribes became a unified kingdom under king Aramu (c. 860 – 843 BC). His son Sarduri I (c. 832 – 820 BC) successfully resisted the Assyrian attacks from the south. The temporary eclipse of Assyria in the first half of the 8th century BC, helped Urartu's further growth, as it became the largest and most powerful state in the Near East, until it was conquered by Tiglath Pileser III of Assyria (in 745 BC). In 714 BC, the Urartu kingdom suffered heavily from Cimmerian raids and the campaigns of Sargon II, who crushed the Urartian forces at Lake Urmia (West Iran). Urartian king Rusa I subsequently committed suicide in shame.

Rusa's son Argishti II (714 – 685 BC) restored Urartu's position against the Cimmerians, although it was no longer a threat to Assyria and peace was made with Assyria in 705 BC. This in turn helped Urartu enter a long period of development and prosperity, the country exporting cattle, horses, wine, iron and finished metal products such as large kettles. After 645 BC however, the Urartu grew weaker under constant attacks from Cimmerian and Scythian invaders. As a result it became dependent on Assyria, as evidenced by king Sardur III (645–635 BC) referring to the Assyrian king Ashurbanipal as his ‘father’.
After the annihilation of Assyria (612 BC), Urartu fell to a local Armenian dynasty (later to be called the Orontids) and was conquered by Media during the reign of Median king Astyages (585– 550 BC).

Correspondent: J.M.Criel, Antwerpen.
Sources: ‘Urartu, vergeten cultuur uit het bergland Armenië’ – Cataloog Tentoonstelling Gent okt ’82-jan ’83.
& Wikipedia.

Nikon D4
1/100s f/6.3 at 70.0mm iso4000 full exif

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