A history of art in Chaldæa & Assyria, Vol. 1 (of 2) — Story, Setting & Ideas

Materials as Structural Foundation

The authors devote considerable attention to the raw materials of Chaldæo-Assyrian architecture, treating them not merely as resources but as determinants of form. Brick, both crude and baked, dominates the discussion, with frequent references to the use of bitumen as mortar—a practice observed at sites like Mugheir and Kaleh-Shergat. The text notes that at Abou-Sharein, a building featured an upper story supported by crude brick faced with dressed sandstone, the stones held together by mortar in lower courses and bitumen above. Such details illustrate how the authors move between general principles and specific examples, grounding their analysis in the physical evidence of surviving structures.

The Staged Tower as Recurring Image

Throughout the volume, the staged tower—the ziggurat—emerges as a central architectural type. The authors attempt to reconstruct its form from ruins and textual descriptions, comparing examples from Chaldæa and Assyria. They emphasize the tower's stepped profile and its role in religious architecture, linking it to the orientation of buildings and foundation ceremonies. The recurring image of the staged tower serves as a visual anchor, allowing the authors to trace continuity and variation across regions. This focus on a single typological motif gives the work a cohesive thread, even as it ranges over diverse sites and periods.

Movement Between Text and Excavation

Perrot and Chipiez frequently shift from general analysis to specific archaeological reports, creating a dynamic between synthesis and detail. For instance, in discussing brick construction, they cite Layard's observations on the absence of mortar at Nineveh and Taylor's notes on the use of kharour at Mugheir. These citations are woven into the narrative without disrupting its flow, allowing the reader to see how evidence supports broader claims. The authors also reference earlier scholarship, such as Cavaniol's résumé of French and English explorations, positioning their work within a larger tradition of archaeological study. This movement between text and excavation gives the volume a scholarly rigor while maintaining readability.

Scene Transitions and Thematic Shifts

The volume's structure is marked by clear transitions between chapters, each addressing a distinct aspect of architecture: funerary, religious, and decorative. The authors often signal these shifts with summary statements or by posing new questions. For example, after discussing construction techniques, they turn to the column and the arch, linking these forms to broader principles of design. The final sections on orientation and foundation ceremonies provide a ritual context for the architectural forms previously described. This careful sequencing allows the reader to follow the argument from material to meaning, with each chapter building on the last without repetition.

Readers approaching this volume should attend to the interplay between text and illustration—the 452 engravings and 15 plates are integral to the authors' argument. The work rewards those who move slowly, tracing how each observation about materials or form connects to the larger narrative of Chaldæo-Assyrian art. While the volume is dense with detail, its structure offers a clear path through the evidence, making it a valuable resource for understanding the architectural achievements of these ancient civilizations.

I found myself lingering over the old plates in that Chaldæa volume—the weight of brick, the quiet rhythm of repeating scenes—and it reminded me of how a photograph holds still a similar patience. That musing led me to the Essay on art and photography — Background and Themes, where light becomes the softest kind of archaeology, pressing memory into surface.