Figural images are common in the ancient art of West and Central Asia. In successive ancient powers, regional art included figures and conveyed glorious acts of war and bravery. The Assyrian kingdom, in present-day Iraq, rose to power in the 25th century BC and collapsed around 612 BC. Assyrian art was was known for detailed views of kings and warriors. Many were of massive size and mounted on palaces. The figures were usually in profile (from the side) and portrayed as frozen larger-than-life reflections of power. Hair and faces are the same on each figure. You would never mistake them for renderings of real peoplekristalqq.
Much the same was true of the Sasanian Empire in Persia, where massive reliefs adorned official buildings and were carved into mountains. Hunting and wars were common scenes. There’s more movement, and more figures, but they are still in profile and formulaic–none of them look like individual people with real personalitieskristalqq.
