ABOUT THIS CPD EVENT
The art of the ancient Near East occupies a peculiar position, in that it brought into being many of the artistic categories which we take for granted. When, in Egypt or Mesopotamia, men built monumental temples or erected statues, or steles, they discovered modes of expression without precedent. These innovations in the field of art constitute but one aspect of a change by which prehistoric cultures were transformed into the first great civilizations.
For untold centuries the ancient Near East, like the rest of Asia, Europe, and North Africa, sustained a sparse population of farmers. They dwelt in small villages or homesteads which were self-supporting, self-contained, and practically unchanging. The crafts of agriculture and stockbreeding, spinning and weaving, flintknapping and pot-making were known, and art consisted in the adornment of man's person, or of his tools and chattels. But between 3500 and 3000 B.C. two societies of an entirely different order emerged within this vast continuum of prehistoric village cultures.
The Mesopotamians congregated in cities, the Egyptians united under the rule of a single divine king. Writing was invented, copper was employed for implements instead of stone, and trade with foreign countries assumed unprecedented proportions. It was then that monumental architecture and sculpture made their appearance. The change took place almost simultaneously in Mesopotamia and Egypt, Mesopotamia starting a little earlier. It is certain that the two countries were in contact, and that Egypt was stimulated by the Mesopotamian example. Yet there is no question of slavish imitation. In fact it is characteristic of this pre-classical world that it possessed, at all times, two distinct centres. Egypt and Mesopotamia were the focal points of civilization from about 3000 until 500 B.c., when Greece took the lead. But from the very first the two centres showed different, and often contrasting, mentalities.
The other countries of the ancient Near East - Asia Minor, Syria, Palestine, and Persia - lack cultural continuity. Their art shows a succession of more or less promising starts which lead nowhere. Yet their adaptations and combinations of borrowed themes show sufficient originality to be of interest, so much more since the peripheral regions served as transmitters of the Near Eastern repertoire to Greece.
Against this backroud this event will explore the architecture and the art of the Ancient Orient.
PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCY
• Architectural history, theory, and precedent.
DURATION AND CPD:
The event is available as a pre-recordingwith a duration of ± 7.5 hours. You may stop and continue later. On the last day of every month a list of those who have succesfully completed the event will be extracted from the system and CPD certificates genereate - these certificates will be available on the e-Portal with the first two weeks of the next month.
It is validated for 0.75 CPD Category 1 points for SACAP registered professionals.
PRESENTER:
Frans Dekker is the Managing Director of SAIAT and since 2008 has been involved in presenting CPD workshops for SAIAT.
COSTS:
- SAIAT members = R 675.00
- Other professionals / Guests = R 750.00
- Students = R 75.00
(All inclusive of VAT)
Please note that SAIAT offers a 4-month payment plan. Please complete the Instalment Agreement and DebiCheck manadate here.
