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#6322
Guy Gaswint
Participant

The social stratification in the Ancient Near East is depicted on many works of art from that period. The Warka Vase is an excellent example of social hierarchy, starting at the bottom of the vase there are 5 bands, one of which is blank. Starting at the bottom there are crops in the first band, then livestock on the second band. The 3rd band is blank but could have had paintings on it. The fourth band has the workers/slaves and the last has the gods and politicians. This is very much the same as art and social hierarchy throughout history. I see the correlation of the peasants/slaves working the fields and raising livestock (doing the work) to offer to the gods/church and kings/politicians so they can live in privilege. The material used on the vase is alabaster which was a very prized material and most likely portrayed wealth.

This whole assignment has really reminded me that history repeats itself. The social hierarchy is and always has been alive and well. Whether we are discussing Mesopotamia or modern day we still have the rich getting richer and the poor being suppressed. Mesopotamia had kings and gods, we have politicians and churches and the peasants have to follow the hierarchy.

Guy