There have been many interglacial periods in the history of planet Earth. During these times ice melts and areas that had been desert become verdant grasslands. During one such time, Homo Erectus migrated north into Eurasia and evolved into Neanderthals and Denisivans. In another such period 50,000 years ago, grasslands covered the Sahara Desert, making that area a northern gateway out of East Africa.
Ancient Near East: Migrations 50,000 Years Ago
LiDoña Wagner 2017
The Rising by LiDoña Wagner 2017
In addition to the circle these pre-historic cultures of the Ancient Near East also created the crescent and the wheel.
Following grazing herds moving north along the Nile River, Homo Sapiens were able to enter Northern Egypt, Northern Arabia, and the Levant (Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq). From there they went further east into present-day Iran and north into present-day Turkey. Because the Middle East has played a critical role during major periods of history, as it is once again today, I decided to give each major contemporary country its own painting except for grouping many of those once known as the Levant (Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria).
Egypt: Nile Delta Opens Path to Northern Migrations
LiDoña Wagner 2017
Homo Sapiens in Arabia became such efficient hunters and trappers that they eradicated the Iranian gazelle. Satellite imaging is revealing underground evidence of the multiple migrations that passed through Arabia. Similar to the Sahara Desert, the Arabian peninsula is green during interglacial periods.
Arabia: Multiple Migrations of Hunters Become Trappers
LiDoña Wagner 2017
Levant is an ancient word meaning The Rising. It is a term meaning where the sun rises and connotes the many innovations that occurred in this region and its centuries-long role as a trading crossroads.
Levant (Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria): Harvesting Naturally Growing Grains
LiDoña Wagner 2017
Since this is the region of the world that pioneered the use of clay, I decided to make major icons out of a media known as paper-clay.
Iraq: Using Clay Tablets for Record Keeping
LiDoña Wagner 2017
Feminine fertility figures in Egypt, Levant, and Iran indicate the awe and mystery early Homo Sapiens associated with nature and with the procreative power of females.
Iran: Domesticating Goats and Sheep
LiDoña Wagner 2017
By the time Homo Sapiens became nomads in Iran they had learned that domesticating some of the animals was a better way to secure an ongoing supply of meat, milk, and resources other than hides. Homo sapiens in Iran learned to make cloth from wool harvested from their domesticated animals. Therefore I have used muslin cloth to shape some of the mountainous terrain of Iran and Turkey.
Turkey: Gobekli Tepe – Oldest Known Ceremonial Site
LiDoña Wagner 2017
As Homo Sapiens became aware of their ‘power over nature’ veneration of the bull and the masculine replaced former honoring of the feminine as a representative of Mother Nature. To put my personal touch on this region I used cloth from some of my own favorite pants for the bull in Turkey.
To view the process of creation click the link to Recent Work. Ancient Near East In Process