208 dominik bonatz
ivory carvings) were closely intertwined with the ideology linked to the
king and the local élite. the assyrians, who were primarily responsible
for the political subjugation of the aramaeans, were apparently the main
factor in preventing the development of regionally or locally independent
art forms. On the other hand, as early as the 9th century and above all in
the 8th century, the assyrian conquests paved the way for new methods
and markets for disseminating art objects and styles. this resulted in an
ongoing synthesis of artistic vernaculars that will be described in detail
in this chapter. the synthesis did not come to an abrupt end when the
aramaean city-states lost their political and cultural autonomy. It contin-
ued until the end of the Iron age within the context of an international-
ization of culture and a rapidly growing aramaic oikoumene.11
In section 2, “Monumental art in architecture,” the sculptural works
(orthostat reliefs and portal figures) are treated on the basis of where
they were found in order to identify the commonalities and differences
between the sites where they were erected. In section 3, “Free-standing
sculptures,” the statues and stelae from these and other sites are exam-
ined in relation to the different functions they performed—whether as
religious dedication monuments, royal monuments, or funerary monu-
ments. the survey concludes in section 4 with a discussion of seals and
minor arts that can be plausibly related to the aramaic koine.
2. Monumental Art in Architecture
a characteristic feature of the Luwian and aramaean cities was the design
of public space using monumental sculptural works. the outer faces of
the walls along the central urban axes were decorated with carved orthos-
tats and the gates were flanked with portal figures. By portraying religious
and mythical themes, war, the hunt, court ceremonies, and everyday life,
the urban élite were able to communicate their ideology to the public. the
introduction of new visual themes and the use of different central areas
of the city for visual propaganda were highly dynamic processes. Older
sculptural works were seldom replaced by new ones. rather, they often
stood for generations at their original sites, creating sites of remembrance
that strengthened collective identity.
11 cf. Mazzoni 2000a: 55 and Dion 1995c: 1292f.