The sculpture is probably the oldest of the arts, and this is because it is not illusive, concrete, spatial and sensual nature. Unlike most works of art (to the time of abstraction), the sculpture does not pretend, does not refer to a different reality, which is an illustration of or allusion. The sculpture is simply - in all its simplicity and reality. Probably because the first creative impulse has prompted a prehistoric man to do a clumsy, but unique in its sacred sculpture.
Remains a mystery why the earliest works of art (sculpture and painting) come from Central Europe, not the "fertile crescent" is regarded as the cradle of civilization. Admittedly, the objects considered by historians to be the sculpture found in Morocco and the Golan Heights and goes back to them on the middle Paleolithic (from about 300,000 BC), but the objects that will undoubtedly have a function as a cult, and required the contractor to artistic talent developed in areas ranging from France to present-day Ukraine in the Upper Paleolithic period (40,000 - 14,000 BC).

Why is the art of sculpture and painting (the cave) was born in Europe, then disappeared for a hundred centuries and was revived in a different form in the cultures of remote areas several thousand miles - do not we'll probably never.
Typical of the art form of the Stone Age is a woman - a symbol of fertility. Figurines called "Venus" were made from a soft stone or ivory, and the most famous examples come from the area of Austria, Germany, Moravia, and Ukraine.
Found in the Hittite bulkheads Catal Höyük seated figure of the Mother Goddess from around 7400-7300 BC, is one of the earliest examples of prehistoric sculpture and cult belongs to the art created in a well-organized and hierarchical society.

Venus z Tan-Tan Maroko, 400 000 pne	Venus z Berekhat Ram Wzgórza Golan, 230 000 pne

Venus z Hohle Fels Schelklingen, Niemcy, 40 000 pne

Venus z Dolnych Vestonic Morawy, 29 000 pne	Venus z Laugerie Basse Francja	Venus z Savignano 25 000 pne

Venus z Tursac 22 000 pne	Venus z Willendorf 22 000 pne

Venus z Lespugue 20 000 pne

Venus z Laussel 19 000 pne	Venus z Gagarino Ukraina

Bogini Matka z Çatalhöyük, 7400-7300 pne
Muzeum Cywilizacji Anatolijskich w Ankarze

In the sixth millennium BC in Mesopotamia (modern Iraq), the first civilizations constitute the beginning of the empires of Sumer and Akkad. Sculpture in these areas was performed with the basalt, sandstone and alabaster, and for small objects, as well as larger sculptures decorating also used copper, gold, silver, lapis lazuli, shell fragments and a variety of precious stones. The pottery and clay figurines were made of terracotta.

The characteristics of the great Sumerian statues, staring eyes, long beards for men and prayerfully clasped hands.
Votive figurines from the Uruk period around 3100-2700 BC, and many objects were found in the cemetery in the Sumerian Ur (2650 BC).

Stela Narâm-Sîna, króla Akkadu, celebrującego zwycięstwo nad ludem Lullubi z Zagros, 2190 - 2154 pne

Wotywny relief króla Lagash - Ur-Nanshe, 2550–2500 pne, Telloh

Modlący się, alabaster, 2400 pne, Telloh

Siedzący Gudea, książę Lagash, 2120 pne (okre neosumeryjski, Telloh

Dwóch modlących się, ze swiątyni w Eshnunna (obecnie Tell Asmar),. 2700 pne, gips, muszle, wapień, Iraq Museum, Baghdad

Początkiem historii Babilonii były rządu Hammurabiego (1750 pne), twórcy słynnego kodeksu. Rzeźba przedstawiająca tego władcę ma jeszcze wiele cech sztuki sumeryjskiej. Z tego okresu pochodzą figurki przedstawiające boginię Ishtar, którą nazywano matką bogów, światłem świata, rzeką życia itp. Większość zachowanych obiektów to płaskorzeźby zdobiące pałace kolejnych władców państwa asyryjskiego, mające wiele cech wspólnych z późniejszą sztuką Persji.

Perscy żołnierze, pałac w Persepolis,

Dobrze zachowany relief z czasów Achemenidów w Persepolis

Symboliczna płaskorzeźba Zaratusrtian przedstawiająca walczącego byka (Ziemia) z lwem (Słońce)

Lamassus, Brama Narodów w Persepolis

Gryfon z pałacu w Perspeolis

Pałac Dariusza I w Persepolis

Głowa byka strzegącego wejścia do Sali Stu Kolumn w Persepolis

Although it performed well as a sophisticated form of small sculpture, a statue of ancient Egypt is primarily a monumental form of the temple (as in the Temple of Ramses II at Abu Simbel) and subject to the rules of canon present form of gods, pharaohs, priests, officials and members of their families.
Except for a short period of the reign of Pharaoh Akhenaten and Queen Nefertiti, when there are elements of realism, the sculpture of Egypt has a very schematic form and has been associated primarily with the preparation of the deceased to eternal life. Set it at the entrances to the tombs and their interiors, meant to represent the deceased and to provide him with immortality. Therefore, not celebrated sculptors of the individual features of the portrayed person, but a certain ideal of describing it and its status.
Present the form of sculptures in stiff poses - standing, sitting or kneeling, sitting as the hands were placed on the knees, the size of the statues was due to the hierarchical relationships rather than physical attributes - the Pharaoh was always higher than those subjected to it. Avoided by breaking up lumps too explicit formation of the arms and legs - they were part of a monolith.
All the sculptures were polychrome, even if it were made of precious materials. Colors a little its symbolism. Women and civil servants in middle-aged painted bright yellow color, men in their prime brownish-red color. Red meant the vitality, the divine attribute of blue, black fertility of the Nile, which was born in Egypt. Eyes as performed with crystals and gemstones.
Due to the conventionality of imaging important role played by costume, and above all attributes, after which the status of persons diagnosed or the type of deity.

Short-lived, but a radical revolution in art and in the whole organization of the Egyptian Pharaoh Amenhotep IV moved (around 1350 BC - 1918 Dynasty), which deprived the government of priests, temples received huge estates, and introduced a monotheistic religion and reformed (by his court sculptor Tutmosisa) the canon of sculptural art. Amenhotep IV, after the reforms, which he regarded as the beginning of a new era in Egyptian history changed his name to Akhenaten.
The new style is characterized by prolongation of the form and members, long necks, elongated faces and amazing "bezpłciowość 'form. Do not avoid the ugliness, broke the stillness and lack of perspective. These characteristics of art associated with the pharaoh's disease, which may be an illustration of a study done by the face of Akhenaten Tutmosisa, startling realistic representation of the extraordinary suffering of the whole art of Egypt.
A realistic style of sculpture in Egypt, still remained under the reign of Pharaoh Tutankhamen, but after the destruction of the capital, which Akhenaten moved to Tel-el-Amarna reinstated the validity of the traditional canon.
A special kind of Egyptian sculptures are called uszebti. These were mostly done with polychrome terracotta figurines left in considerable quantities in the tombs of prominent persons, of service ready to perform "in the afterlife," a variety of work for the deceased. Uszebti appeared in the Middle State, and since 1918 a proliferation of the dynasty. There were cases of putting to a thousand figures in one tomb.

Aegean Art had three centers: the Cyclades - a complex of islands in the Aegean Sea, Mycenae - continental castle, and Crete, which is defined as the art of the Minoan (named after the legendary King Minos.)

Mycenaean culture flourished in the Bronze Age in the continental part of Aegean civilization. According to Homer's epic, warriors under the command of Agamemnon mykeńscy conquered Troy. Typical of Mycenaean art is a bas-relief that adorns the walls of buildings. One example is called. Lioness Gate - triangular bas-relief stone crowning the entrance gate to the stronghold of Mycenaean, showing two lion head resting on the base.
At Mycenae also produced gold funerary mask, from which the most famous is the Mask of Agamemnon, and adorned with gold jewelry and sculptural vessels, such as a cup from Vafio showing tethering bulls.

Cycladic culture flourished around 2500 BC and developed the production of ceramics with a square, circular or spiral decorative motifs, and the product of silver jewelry. But especially characteristic of this culture are the idols - marble statues of various sizes and varying degrees of development of detail - from the simplest, even primitive forms to more complex geometric representations of people, including musicians playing instruments.
The end of Cycladic art sets a volcanic eruption on the island of Thera in the fifteenth century BC.

The Bronze Age lasted in Crete about 2700 BC, the pre-palace. Around 1900 BC began a period of old palaces, which completed the destruction of many buildings in the earthquake around 1700 BC. The eruption on Thera (Santorini) about 1600 BC destroyed the rebuilt culture. In the next "period of new palaces" built the palace at Knossos, the Cretan magnificence ended winning by Mycenae about 1400 BC.
In addition to the most famous center of Knossos on Crete there were a number of other art centers, such as Phaistos, Zakros, Malia, Agia Triada.

Cretans despite the murky mythology created a wonderful, colorful and light art, whose character is largely defined unusual for those days the social system - the feature was not fortified palaces located among the city buildings. Perhaps that is why the Minoan culture is not created monumental sculptures. Were created and carefully developed valuable, sophisticated jewelry and ornaments. An example of a cult statues chamber is the "Goddess of snakes" and rhyton in the shape of a bull's head made of high realism sculpture of golden horns and crystal eyes.