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The Statue of Gilgamesh (The University of Sydney, Camperdown)

(Adjacent to The Old Teacher’s College along Western Avenue)

Context

Gilgamesh is a fictional eponymous character derived from (The Epic of Gilgamesh), an ancient Sumerian text originating from Mesopotamia written c2150-1400 BC and the oldest discovered piece of epic western writing, which most famously describes his journey to find immortality. As a demi-god and son of the goddess Ninsun, Gilgamesh was the Assyrian King of Uruk (modern day Iraq) who reigned during the Third Millenium B.C. His story was tabulated in 2000 B.C. In the 19th Century, the clay tablets recounting The Epic of Gilgamesh were found. The statue of Gilgamesh of The University of Sydney was created by Lewis Batros on behalf of the Assyrian community (Stone ,2012), and donated by the Cultural Centre on behalf of the Assyrian community, celebrating The University of Sydney’s 150th anniversary (2000).

Stature of Gilgamesh full view

The statue is inspired by the Epic of Gilgamesh, an ancient Sumerian text originating from Mesopotamia written c2150-1400 BC which is the oldest discovered piece of epic western writing (the Iliad was written c760-710 BC). Gilgamesh is the first recorded human hero to be ascribed God-like status. He lived around 2700 BC and ruled as the 5th King of Uruk, according to the legend, for 126 years. He was also reputed to have built the walls of Uruk by himself. The Gilgamesh Cultural Centre, on behalf of the Assyrian community, presented the statue to the University to commemorate its sesquicentenary. The statue was unveiled by Dame Leonie Kramer, A.C., and D.B.E., on 15th Oct 2000. It is located in the Camperdown/Darlington Campus of The University of Sydney between the Old Teachers College Building and the Women's Sports Centre and it is facing towards the Charles Perkins Centre. (Sydney, 2015)

Purpose

The statue has multiple purposes, mainly epideictic. It serves to educate the community and commemorate The Epic of Gilgamesh and how its universal themes have had an immense impact on myths, legends and tales both in ancient times and modern day contexts, as it is the oldest epic ever discovered by historians. Moreover, it serves to highlight to rich culture of the Assyrians and promote and glorify the Assyrian community in an attempt to gain recognition and prestige. Finally, it is a reflection of the prestige of The University of Sydney and attempts to promote its rich and diverse range of cultures that it incorporates. This monument is educational and informative, or epideictic, to use Aristotelian terminology. It both valorises and honours the story of Gilgamesh, a famous warrior king of great strength. an emotional level the story of Gilgamesh, connects with the audience, and in doing so helps to preserve. It inspires those academics working in this field. Gilgamesh is the university’s honorary hero. The statue also encourages anyone who sees it to explore the legend in greater depth.

There is also a deliberative component that seeks to influence the thoughts of both the audience and Gilgamesh. The legend of Gilgamesh is about a man who unsuccessfully seeks immortality and as a consequence learns to focus more on his present life. His experiences persuade him to rethink, and they also influence the audience. He is encouraged by Siduri, the barmaid, to “take pleasure every day” by leading a wholesome life. This is the essential theme that is hinted at when we see the statue and read the inscription. Both Gilgamesh and the audience are encouraged to come to a future conclusion. For those unfamiliar with the legend, the plaque underneath it states He sets out on a quest to seek immortality. In the course of his quest he finds compassion, friendship, courage, love and peace.

Judicial rhetoric is also present, as the statue and the epic both criticise Gilgamesh’s attitude. They reflect on his past in order to persuade him that he should not seek immortality, and that he should live more in the present and enjoy himself. The epic both valorises Gilgamesh as a great warrior and king, and deprecates his way of life. The forensic approach used in the epic to analyse what’s wrong with Gilgamesh’s life eventually leads him to greater contentment and happiness. It convinces him and the reader that he was wrong.

lower angle view of the back of the Gilgamesh statue

Author

Artist: Lewis Batros Unveiled by the chancellor of the university Emeritus Professor Dame Leone Kramer. 15th October 2000. The statue was sculpted by Lewis Batros, who is famous for a number of prominent works in several cities, and for many awards. He has done many Assyrian inspired works, some of which have been controversial upon unveiling (Aina.org, 2015) including a 4.5m high monument for Assyrian victims of genocide commissioned by Fairfield council. He obtained a degree in fine art in 1986 and migrated to Australia in 1990. Inspiration is taken from “anything, whatever comes to me”.

Waist up view of Gilgamesh the side

Inscription of the story of Gilgamesh on the statue

Audience

There are two intended audiences. One audience, the Culture Centre and by extension, the Assyrian Community, whose aim is to promote Assyrian Culture and share it with the community, as both a means of educating the community and fostering a sense of respect and appreciation for Assyrian culture. The University of Sydney is the other audience, who wish to maximise the number of people enrolled in their educational system in order to maximise profits. Part of the way in which they achieve this is through emphasising their wealth and stature through constantly creating more buildings and statues on campus. This amplifies their acceptance of many cultures and diversity, whilst also allowing for a wide range of facilities to cater for everyone’s needs. The general public may have been a secondary audience, with (hopefully) a willingness to learn from their surroundings and appreciate the beauty of art, history and mythology. Potential other audiences may have been certain clubs and societies associated with the university such as those who focus around art, history, mythology or Assyrian or Mesopotamian culture. Whether the author was aware of this secondary audience is hard to say. Due to the simplicity of the written text, probably not. Lewis Barton would have been more focused on the demands of the university and Assyrian community. The author is appealing to the values inscribed on the plaque; ‘compassion, friendship, courage, love and peace’, but also the notion that universal values carried on through texts transcend temporal bounds.

The statue is large and imposing, making a visual statement which communicates strongly to the audience, which includes members of the Assyrian community, sightseers, university students, administrators and academics. (There is a lot of interest in Assyriology at Sydney University). Via the internet the statue can be viewed by scholars and others around the world, as is the case with all notable works of art.

The audience may not immediately deduce the message of Gilgamesh, i.e. the acceptance of mortality and the resulting implications for living. A study of the associated plaque gives some guidance. The message does have a relevant timeless quality which is suitable for any time in history. The values and ideology are both noble and cross cultural. The Epic of Gilgamesh is an exaltation to live in the present and this is compatible with all major religions. These lofty principles have universal appeal.

- The intended audience for the Gilgamesh statue are those who are regularly studying, working or using the facilities at the university. As mentioned above, Gilgamesh was known for his extensive search for immorality, the artist tried to portray to the intended audience that there is no stopping anyone on what you want to do especially in your studies and your career.

The audience is in general, those who come past the sculpture. The positioning, materials and the way in which the sculpture is created- its posture, the block of marble (?) it is standing on and it’s sturdy build help to effectively portray the importance of Gilgamesh to the Assyrians, his authority and even the mystery that surrounds him. Furthermore, the inscription- a concise description of who Gilgamesh is (see index) - adds to the piece’s ability to show the importance of Gilgamesh. The author artistic skill and evident research into the subject help to build his ethos. Which is further improved upon after researching the subject- he has sculpted Gilgamesh almost perfectly bringing together all the aspects that make Gilgamesh so majestic a character. The audience are not left to assume much about the sculpture, there Is an inscription that tells them the main things they need to know. The rest of it follows the general rule of art, i.e. the audience will bring their own meaning to it.

The audience is in general, those who come past the sculpture, in general this will mean the students and staff of the University of Sydney, furthermore it will also include any general pubic and tourists who come to the university. Due to the internet the audience is extended to anyone who looks up Gilgamesh on a search engine It seems that at the time of creation, the author was not aware of the wider audience that may exist on the internet (the internet was not a ‘big’ in the year 2000). The author is appealing to humans’ devotions to a particular cause- the inscription which states his story alludes to the devotion and cause that Gilgamesh himself had. It also appeals to feelings and ideologies of strength, honour and bravery- these are signified by the tamed lion at his side. The lion is also an appeal to gentleness and devotion, as it has now been tamed.

The Text

The statue was made of concrete. The main idea conveyed by the statue was the greatness of Gilgamesh and the wide impact of his Epic. Predominantly visual modes are used to convey the above argument, including the statue’s stance, size and the ease with which the statue holds the lion. The statue is easily accessible, as it is in the open environment within a university that anyone can enter. Pathos is established within the Assyrian community over the nature of the statue as an iconic part of Assyrian culture and myth. However, it seems ethos supports the statue and text the most, as the credibility of the author and the ideals of a strong moral conduct reinforces the statue. Supporting evidence for this is the strong stance of the statue and the values of ‘compassion, friendship, courage, love and peace’ inscribed on the plaque. The king Gilgamesh himself and Sir Austen Henry Layard have been appealed to. There are historical allusions to the discovery of the tablets containing The Epic of Gilgamesh and the journeys that occur in the story. The quest for immortality and coming to terms with nature of humanity is a key theme that augments the text and the universal values. further enhance the statue. Moreover, the lion imagery and upright posture of Gilgamesh common to many myths (probably influenced by this very tale) heightens the prestige and respectability of the statue. Predominantly authority supports the text, with a slight amount of emotion for those affiliated with the Assyrian community. The arguments in the texts are arranged mainly spatially, as the statue is somewhat distance from the surrounding objects, evoking a sense of authority and superiority when viewing the statue. The statue was created in clay, a mould was then taken and the final product cast in bronze. At 2.5m tall, Gilgamesh is an imposing character, and this creates impact on an emotional level. He holds a lion in one arm and in the other hand there is what appears to be a lifeless snake. The lion and Gilgamesh, (the king of the jungle and the king of Uruk) are both looking directly at the audience. When the statue and the inscription are both viewed, the main idea being conveyed is that man is mortal, and life is finite, regardless of one’s strength and capability. These are highly emotional concepts presented with both logic and authority. This message is assisted by a number of visual stimuli. Gilgamesh is very big and very muscular, as well as being disproportionally wide. Lewis Batros said he would have made Gilgamesh 20 feet high if he had been allowed. The lion Gilgamesh is holding seems disproportionally small, which helps to emphasise Gilgamesh’s size. The clothes worn have a definite regal, wealthy look about them. The expression on Gilgamesh’s face is serene, self-confident and fearless. He has bracelets on his upper arms drawing further attention to his muscularity. The style is classic Mesopotamian, with a simplicity that helps to emphasise the features, the message, and the authority. - The medium used for the pedestal of the statue is cement however the statue itself is made out of bronze (Museumvictoria.com.au, 2015) . - The statue is easily accessible if one is near the premises of the Old Teachers College and the Women's Sports Centre. § It can also be easily accessed and viewed by passersby as there is a road (Western Ave) situated in front of the statue - The statue has many motifs especially on its clothing. § It involves different aspects such as tassels, fringes, plain, floral borders § The clothing looks like a Toga that is very asymmetrical because only the right lower leg of Gilgamesh is visible while the rest of his body is covered § There is also the snake jewellery present around his arm. § The lion that he has his left arm around shows strength and nobility as he was a king The statue also shows the male masculinity that Gilgamesh probably had (Atac, 2004)

Made of Cast bronze, it is a representation of one of the world’s most legendary stories and characters, it immortalises Gilgamesh and links the University to one of the oldest and most legendary stories and a region that was once the heartbeat of literature and science. It is therefore adding to the university’s ethos. (Stone ,2012). It achieves this through mostly visual and some written forms. It’s accessibility adds to its appeal and effectiveness in linking the university to power and authority and immortalising Gilgamesh. It is out in the open for all to see, you will however have to know where it is to find it. i.e. it is not in the centre of university so it is less accessible than the law building or the quad. Rhetorical devices used- Epideictic branch, appeals to pathos and ethos. No logos evident. There is also an appeal to the authority of Giligamesh, as well- the demi god in him is being appealed to as a form of authority and strength. This is symbolised through his height, stature and Poseidon like clothing, beard and posture. Multiple motifs and symbolism is evident, for example the snakes wound around his wrist and upper arm symbolise the part of the story where a snake steals the plant of youth from Gilgamesh, forcing him to face his mortality and therefore find deeper meaning in his life (Stone, 2012).The snakes as well as the lion are symbolic of his strength and bravery- a theme which is also evident in the stories about him (most of which display his heroic feats). Furthermore the lion being so close to his side is symbolic of the pride he has in himself, his abilities and his royal position, which is so bad it can be seen as arrogance. This arrogance is shown in the way his head is held high and his eyes not deeming to look down upon those viewing him, rather his eyes seem to be glazed over, looking in the distance to a place more worthy than the present. The lion is put onto one side while the knife (?) And the snake are put on the other, i.e. lion on his right and snake on his left- it can be argued this relates to the ancient human thought that good is on the right and bad on the left. His eyes and posture all are very straight, upright and distant, yet authoritative. His name is in capital letters in front and below him- like a big announcement of his importance. The message of his story is put in front of him as well, but is made to seem less salient and less important as it is less obvious to the viewers (it is on the same block as his name, but while the name takes salience, the small letters of the message and its off-centre position makes it less important). It is all set up to give dominance to the statue, then the lion and then the name. After this we are draw to the Poseidon like hair and clothing he is wearing- a nod to him being a demi god (Mark, 2010).

Full length of view Inscription in front of Gilgamesh statue

Index

In the stories about Gilgamesh, he mostly portrayed as an arrogant man who wants bigger and bigger feats, wants to be eternal, a man with a big ego In others he is shown in a kinder light, a man of bravery and greatness that does much to save and protect his people. For example, these stories show him as doing a great thing when he defeated the demon Humababa. In most stories however, he is portrayed as a great king of the once great land of URUK. The son of King Lugalbanda and the goddess Ninsun (Abusch, 2012), yet another source (although not scholarly) argues that he was the first comic book superhero (Museum of Victoria, 2012; Newell, 2013)

Inscription: Gilgamesh, Assyrian king of Uruk during the third millennium BC, is part god and part man, he sets out on a quest to seek immortality. In the course of his quest, he finds compassion, friendship, courage, love and peace. In the 19th century, Sir Austen Henry Layard found clay tablets recounting the epic of Gilgamesh in Ashbourbantpal’s 8th century BC library at ninevah. This epic one of the oldest written stories is the basis of many myths, legends and tales, including modern ones. The statue was presented by Gilgamesh cultural centre on behalf of the Assyrian community to the university of Sydney to commemorate its sesquicentenary.

References

http://www.ancient.eu/article/192/ Abusch, T. (2001). The Development and Meaning of the Epic of Gilgamesh: An Interpretive Essay. Journal of the American Oriental Society, 121(4), p.614.

Aina.org, (2015). Turkey Blasts Australia on Assyrian Genocide Monument. [online] Available at: http://www.aina.org/news/20100810190225.htm [Accessed 3 Apr. 2015].

Ataç, M. (2004). 'Angelology' In The Epic of Gilgamesh. Journal of Ancient Near Eastern Religions, 4(1), pp.3-27.

Mark, J. (2015). Gilgamesh. [online] Ancient History Encyclopedia. Available at: http://www.ancient.eu/gilgamesh/ [Accessed 3 Apr. 2015].

Museumvictoria.com.au, (2015). Gilgamesh the first superhero: Museum Victoria. [online] Available at: http://museumvictoria.com.au/about/mv-blog/mar-2012/gilgamesh-the-first-superhero/ [Accessed 3 Apr. 2015].

Sydney, U. (2015). Physical Description. [online] University of Sydney. Available at: http://sydney.edu.au/documents/about/heritage/gcp_chapter3.pdf [Accessed 3 Apr. 2015].

Museum of Victoria, 2012. Gilgamesh the first superhero . [ONLINE] Available at:http://museumvictoria.com.au/about/mv-blog/mar-2012/gilgamesh-the-first-superhero/.

Newell, N.R 2013, A Reception History of Gilgamesh as Myth.Thesis, Georgia State University. [ONLINE] Available: http://scholarworks.gsu.edu/rs_theses/41

Abusch, T, 2012. The Development and Meaning of the Epic of Gilgamesh: An Interpretive Essay . Journal of the American Oriental Society, 4/121, 614-622.

Stone , D, 2012. the epic of gilgamesh: Statu e brings ancient tale to life. MUSE, 12/2781, 28.

J. Mark 2010. The Eternal Life of Gilgamesh. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.ancient.eu/article/192/.