Art of the Ancient Near East
Art of the Ancient Near East
The collection consists of over two thousand objects spanning more than four thousand years and an area extending from the eastern Mediterranean to Pakistan, with a particular focus on Iran. Holdings—including cylinder seals, pottery, bronze horse-trappings, silver vessels, and a group of large Assyrian stone reliefs—bear witness to some of the major cultural achievements and historical events associated with the ancient Near East.
Iran, Luristan
Persepolis Reconstruction
This virtual reconstruction, realized by two German architects, Kourosh Afhami & Wolfgang Gambke, is based on the documentation obtained from the archaeological excavations at the site, especially from the work of the architect Friedrich Krefter, who produced a wealth of reconstruction drawings & two scale models of the great terraces of the Achaemenid palaces, including the great entrance vestibules & interiors. The present reconstruction makes it possible to see LACMA's two fragments in their original context, decorating the outer face of the monumental staircases at Persepolis. This video was made possible by funds provided by the Farhang Foundation, the Art of the Middle East Council, and Karl Loring.
A Short but Elaborate Journey
Our European galleries continue to reopen in phases—the Dutch collection opened a few months ago, and the Northern Italian and Spanish galleries have just gone on view, with the rest of the collection to open in the summer. It’s been a complicated process as we overhaul the flow of the space on the Ahmanson Building’s third floor...
Video
