The Near East
In the Near Eastern Room, objects are assembled from several cultures in the region between Turkey and Iran. Early civilizations arose out of this region about 3500 B.C. Due mainly to natural circumstances. The two rivers which cross the present-day Iraq, the Euphrates and the Tigris, had to be used for irrigating the arid soil; central organization was necessary to accomplish this collosal task. Writing was developed and a monarchy was formed with an elaborate bureaucracy, all in the Sumerian period. The Sumerians were a people who penetrated Mesopotamia from the South. Their culture strongly influenced all later civilizations in this region: Many invaders were expelled or were assimilated in the original population. The several city-states which ruled subsequently were strikingly uniform in culture. Assyria derived from Assur and Babylonia from Babylon, are well-known examples of such cities.
The power of Assur and Babylon slowly declined after the 17th century B.C., when a relatively new people, the Hittites, expanded their territory from Anatolia into Mesopotamia. The Hittites were mainly influenced by the Assyrians. Extending into the west their territory served as an intermediary for Mesopotamian cultural influence in , for example, Greece. When the Hittite Empire was weakened by the influx of a somewhat obscure population, the so-called Peoples of the Sea, the Assyrians took the opportunity to re-establish their power. This lasted until the 7th century B.C., when the Persians defeated them. After suffering a heavy blow from the Greeks in 479 B.C., when they tried to take Greece. The Persians were then subjected to Alexander the Great and were utterly defeated. The largest part of his empire fell later to Rome and in the end to Byzantium.
The regions from where the objects originate are far apart, and in spite
of the unifying effect of the large empires to which they belonged, the
local differences remained considerable. Mesopotamia is the home of clay
tablets in cuneiform writing and beautifully carv
ed cylinder seals, producing imprints
for labelling and sealing purposes at the same time. Iran is represented
with 
a pottery
collection from Amlash, from 1350-1000 B.C. A main characteristic of this
pottery is its very thin walls. The motives are inspired by animals like
birds, sheep or deer. The Museum is also has Iranian golden
jewellery, set with carnelian and lapis lazuli. From Luristan come
bronze weaponry, jewellery and studs for harnesses, from Anatolia bronze
toggle-pins and stone and terracotta idols. The University of Amsterdam
conducted excavations in the 1970's in Selenkahiye, a settlement from 2400-1900
B.C. in Syria. A part of these finds, terracotta idols, jewellery and pottery,
has been allotted by the Syrian authorities to the University and is exhibited
in the Museum.
