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How were bronze bands on the gates at Balawat decorated?
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Mesopotamian art and architecture
Ziggurat at Ur (modern Tall al-Muqayyar, Iraq), constructed c. 2100 bce.
The bronze bands decorating the gates at Balawat were created using a repoussé process, a technique in which the relief is hammered out from the back of the metal.1
These horizontal bands, which measured 11 inches (28 centimeters) in height, featured a double register of narrative scenes. The subjects depicted on these bands were similar to those found in Assyrian stone reliefsâprimarily focusing on military conquests and historical achievementsâbut the artists demonstrated significant ingenuity in adapting these complex designs to fit the confined space of the metal bands.1