URBANISM
ART EXPLANATION
Ur was an ancient city in southern Mesopotamia, located near the mouth (at the time) of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers on the Persian Gulf and close to Eridu. It is considered to be one of the earliest known civilizations in world history. The word Urbanism is led from this city. The image shows a map of the ancientcity.

OK

I've been reading a lot (I mean a lot) to find out about "sculpture". It can be interpreted in many ways. I was looking to find out:

1. What's the link between Sculpture and Architecture (cause it credits)
2. What't the main difference between sculpture and Written Record
3. What does it have to do with Tyranny (cause it reduces the effect)
4. What kind of Sculpture does fit our game.

Here is the main part of what I've found.

Sculpture as an art form goes back to Prehistoric times. Most Stone Age statuettes were made of ivory or soft stone, however some clay human and animal figures have been found. Small female statues known as Venus figurines have been found mainly in central Europe. Venus figurines is an umbrella term for a number of prehistoric items in statuette form, of women (whether obese or pregnant is disputed) from the Aurignacian or Gravettian period of the upper Palaeolithic, found from Spain to Siberia. (20.000 -30.000 BC)


This may be the oldest form of sculpture, and hard to imagine this goes back 30.000 years, but this is not the kind of sculpture our game is about. We start around 8000 BC.





Later, in the Near East, (the area between the Tigris and the Euphrates Rivers), the Sumerian, Akkadian, and Babylonian kingdoms flourished. Materials used for sculpture during this time included basalt, diorite (a type of dark, coarse-grained stone), sandstone, and alabaster. Copper, gold, silver, shells, and a variety of precious stones were used for high quality sculpture and inlays. Clay was used for pottery and terra cotta sculpture. Stone was generally rare and had to be imported from other locations.
Sculptures from the Sumerian and Akkadian period generally had large, staring eyes, and long beards on the men. Votive stone sculptures of this type from 2700 BC were discovered at Tell Asmar. Many masterpieces have also been found at the Royal Cemetery at Ur (2650 BC). Among them are a wooden harp with gold and mosaic inlay with a black-bearded golden bull's head.


This could be an option. But I don't see a connection to Architecture and Tyranny. So at first I was looking to Architecture and found this.



Bas relief has existed in all civilizations creating stone sculpture from ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, India, and China

It is most commonly used for the architectural adornment of building surfaces, both inside and outside, where the stone is part of the building, rather than as a free-standing piece of art to be hung on a wall.

The Sumerian word lama, which is rendered in Akkadian as lamassu, refers to a beneficient protective female deity. The corresponding male deity was called alad, in Hebrew šed (שד) or in Akkadian, šêdu.[1]
In art they were depicted as winged bulls and lions; both forms had the heads of human males.

To protect houses the shedu were engraved in clay tablets, which were buried under the door's threshold[citation needed]. At the entrance of palaces often placed as a pair. At the entrance of cities they were sculpted in colossal size, and placed as a pair, one at each side of the door of the city, that generally had buttdoors in the surrounding wall, each one looking towards one of the cardinal points


This 40 ton statue was one of a two flanking the entrance to the throne room of King Sargon II. A protective spirit known as a lamassu, it is shown as a composite being with he head of a human, the body and ears of a bull, and the wings of a bird. When viewed from the side, the creature appears to be walking; when viewed from the front, to be standing still. Thus it is actually represented with five, rather than four legs.


Good thing is, that these shedu, or an example of this is both used on the original card "Sculpture" and the original playing pieces for Assyria.






There are several pieces of these shedu found. And the two pieces I found best to use for a guide is this one:


and this one:





Still I cannot find anything about why Sculpture would reduce the effect of Tyranny. I've read some things about Tyranny. Here's what I've found.


Tyranny
The word derives from Latin tyrannus, and from Greek τύραννος tyrannos, meaning "illegitimate ruler".

The heyday of the classical Hellenic tyrants came in the early 6th century BC, when Cleisthenes ruled Sicyon in the Peloponnesus, and Polycrates ruled Samos. During this time, revolts overthrew many governments in the Aegean world. Simultaneously Persia first started making inroads into Greece, and many tyrants sought Persian help against forces seeking to remove them.
The word "tyrant" carried no ethical censure; it simply referred to anyone who illegally seized executive power in a polis to engage in autocratic, though perhaps benevolent, government, or leadership in a crisis. Support for the tyrants came from the growing class of business people and from the peasants who had no land or were in debt to the wealthy land owners. It is true that they had no legal right to rule, but the people preferred them over kings or the aristocracy. The Greek tyrants stayed in power by using mercenary soldiers from outside of their respective city state.


Well. I cannot see the link between Tyranny and Sculpture, but I believe the people would love their tyrant more when he provides them with beautiful arts like sculpture who might even protect them.
Anyone?

1. What's the link between Sculpture and Architecture (cause it credits)

2. What't the main difference between sculpture and Written Record
Sculpture has either or both art and religious reasons over only telling a story. Allthough these can mix.
3. What does it have to do with Tyranny (cause it reduces the effect)
Still doubting.
4. What kind of Sculpture does fit our game.
After reading a lot about these subjects, I still think the Shedu is the best option for this card.

SCULPTURE
ART EXPLANATION
Bas relief has existed in all civilizations. It is most commonly used for the architectural adornment of building surfaces, both inside and outside.
This 40 ton statue was one of a two flanking the entrance to the throne room of King Sargon II. A protective spirit known as a lamassu, it is shown as a composite being with he head of a human, the body and ears of a bull, and the wings of a bird.

MONARCHY
ART EXPLANATION
A Monarchy, from the Greek μονος, "one", and αρχειν, "to rule", is a form of government in which a monarch, usually a single person, is the head of state. In most monarchies, the monarch holds control and their position for life.

Monarchy is one of the oldest forms of government, with echoes in the leadership of tribal chiefs. Many monarchs once claimed to rule by divine right, or at least by divine grace, ruling either by the will of the god(s) or even claiming to be (incarnated) gods themselves; cfr. theocracy.

The Crown is the most common known symbol for Monarchy. The first crown appears to have been only a band, in which the horns were set. From the idea of power contained in the "horn," even subordinate rulers seem to have worn a circlet adorned with a single horn, in token of their derived authority.

As stated on the previous page:

AGRICULTURE
ART EXPLANATION
Full dependency on domestic crops and animals did not occur until the Bronze Age, by which time wild resources contributed a nutritionally insignificant component to the usual diet. If the operative definition of agriculture includes large scale intensive cultivation of land, mono-cropping, organized irrigation, and use of a specialized labour force, the title "inventors of agriculture" would fall to the Sumerians, starting ca. 5,500 BC.

MONUMENT
ART EXPLANATION
A monument is a statue, building, or other edifice created to commemorate a person, event or as an artistic object. An obelisk is a tall, narrow, four-sided, tapering monument which ends in a pyramidal top. The earliest temple obelisk still in its original position is the 68 ft. high red granite obelisk of Senusret I of the XIIth Dynasty at Heliopolis. (1972-1928 B.C.)

I've redone Mining finally. I was looking for an image to fit more into the rest of my drawings. I believe this one is fine.



MINING
ART EXPLANATION
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth. Mines in Hungary are believed to be sites where Neanderthals may have mined flint for weapons and tools. 4100 BC

Back again!

been reading some on Democracy. Man, that's tough. Esepcially to find out a good symbol for Democracy. Historically important and early in the meaning of Democracy. Here's some review of what I've found.




I've never thought that the invention of Pottery would lead to the invention of Democracy.
Wikipedia:


Wikipedia:

Well, Because Democracy is a higher advance in our game I chose not to go for the Sumerian form, but the later Greek form of Democracy. This form is the most important in history and a goal to reach. I mean How many of us have been playing the original Avalon Hill Civilization (without advanced) where Democracy is the final goal to be reached.

Wikipedia:




I was looking for something about this ecclesia, but I believe a building is not the right thing to symbolize democracy. Besided that, it's been destoyed. Not much of what was inside has remained. Anyway, this is a reconstruction of the buildig on the hill of pnyx:


Later I found something about the way of voting in Ostracism:
Wikipedia:

The best option for the art for Democracy to me is one or more ballots.
Wikipedia:







Down here I place some images of these ballots. The disks were used in a late time. I believe the pieces of pottery are the best option.
I've never thought that the invention of Pottery would lead to the invention of Democracy.

One thing that keeps me busy is the antikythera mechanism.

I've been reading a lot about it. before and after I drew my image for "astronomy"

It is believed to be a highly developped form of clockwork used to indicate and predict the sun, moon and stars.
All clockwork has in some way their roots in this device and therefore this device is the base for all machinary nowadays and even our computer.



In 2006 a new model of the whole device is build. The reconstruction of 1980 has gained a lot of criticism.
I think I'm redoing the art for this card, taking some image of this newest reconstruction as a guide.




It's become more clear to me that this IS the device to be used. Sorry for that.



Anyone played the PC-game INDIANA JONES AND THE FATE OF ATLANTIS. The game is all about this device and the highly devellopped machinery of a culture that has dissappeared (Atlantis)

Look at the rightbottom corner of the picture to see the wheel I'm talking about.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indiana_Jones_and_the_Fate_of_Atlantis

Here's a new one



TRADE ROUTES
ART EXPLANATION
What should I say about this one. A bunch of camels. Oh yeah. I think the 4th one is a lama or it turned out to look like one. Wiki: Trade routes are logistical networks identified as a series of pathways and stoppages used for the commercial transport of cargo. Allowing goods to reach distant markets, a single trade route contains long distance arteries which may further be connected to several smaller networks of commercial and non commercial transportation. I decided to take a picture with beasts of burden but without any wagon. Just to go for the basic form.


Wikipedia:

MUSIC
ART EXPLANATION
The history of music predates the written word and is tied to the development of each unique human culture. A range of paleolithic sites have yielded bones in which lateral holes have been pierced: these are usually considered to be flutes. The earliest written records of musical expression are to be found in 4,000 year old cuneiform from Ur.
Frame drums are one of the most ancient types of musical instruments. They have a simple structure with strong spiritual and entertaining effects.

Let's share what I've found about "Trade Empire" and "metalworking". Because in my opinion these two are very important to eachother.

Here's what I've found on wikiepdia about those subjects.




Then what's the difference between "Trade Routes" and "Trade Empire"?
Well. I think (correct me if i'm wrong):
The development of Trade routes are the base of the later Bronze-trade Empire.
You see. The Minoan Empire was a important culture which had a highly developed Trade-system for prodcuing Bronze. So I think "Bronze" is the most important issue for an image on this card.

(The Minoan civilization was a bronze age civilization which arose on Crete, an island in the Aegean Sea. The Minoan culture flourished from approximately 2700 to 1450 BC; afterwards, Mycenaean Greek culture became dominant on Crete.)



And when it comes to Metalworking, I believe it's about Bronzeworking. Just because this lay the roots for Ironworking.

I think we should use an image of bronze weaponry for the Metalworking-image and I'm going to look for the right subject on bronze for "Trade Empire"

been on holiday for a few days

anyone still reading this topic?

I'm still reading it and enjoying your artwork. When you're done, I'll have a special request for you.

well. You don't have to wait till when I'm done?

shoot!