DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.15098#0109
85
progress of the procession, and who always appears clothed like
the officers whom we have already described as performing a
similar office; the proper place of the other two was in the
chariot, one of whom is clothed in a sort of tunic descending to
the ancles, and confined round the waist by the zone, and in one
instance, as we have seen, by the redimiculum also; his occupa-
tion is always that of holding the reins; the other is invested
with armour, though not always in the same manner. The one
in the group under consideration had a helmet with an ample
crest, the form of which may be seen in the well preserved frag-
ment which forms part of the vignette in our title page. These
helmets, except in actual warfare, were thrown back upon the
head, as we see there represented; but, when really wanted for
defence, the fore part was brought down over the face, which was
defended by strong cheek pieces ; a still stronger nasal protected
the nose, at the sides of which were sufficient apertures for the
eyes. The body of this figure is covered with the cuirass, of that
description which appears to take the form of the body, and in
which all the muscles, and frame-work both of the breast and
back are clearly indicated; they were sometimes made of leather,
wool, or cotton, but generally of metal, consisting of two pieces,
one fitting over the chest and stomach, the other over the
shoulders and back; they were fastened at the sides by hinges
and buttons, or thongs, and upon the shoulder was a metal strap
attached by a hinge to the back plate, and coming forward over
the front, where it was fastened upon the breast. These straps,
as appears from the fragment in the title page, were worn plain
by the personages upon this frieze, but they were also sometimes
decorated with the most elaborate and skilful productions of art,
as may be seen upon the beautiful specimens in the Museum,
known by the name of the bronzes of Siris. To the bottom of
the cuirass, where it passes round the loins, were attached straps,
sometimes in a single row, sometimes in two, in which case
progress of the procession, and who always appears clothed like
the officers whom we have already described as performing a
similar office; the proper place of the other two was in the
chariot, one of whom is clothed in a sort of tunic descending to
the ancles, and confined round the waist by the zone, and in one
instance, as we have seen, by the redimiculum also; his occupa-
tion is always that of holding the reins; the other is invested
with armour, though not always in the same manner. The one
in the group under consideration had a helmet with an ample
crest, the form of which may be seen in the well preserved frag-
ment which forms part of the vignette in our title page. These
helmets, except in actual warfare, were thrown back upon the
head, as we see there represented; but, when really wanted for
defence, the fore part was brought down over the face, which was
defended by strong cheek pieces ; a still stronger nasal protected
the nose, at the sides of which were sufficient apertures for the
eyes. The body of this figure is covered with the cuirass, of that
description which appears to take the form of the body, and in
which all the muscles, and frame-work both of the breast and
back are clearly indicated; they were sometimes made of leather,
wool, or cotton, but generally of metal, consisting of two pieces,
one fitting over the chest and stomach, the other over the
shoulders and back; they were fastened at the sides by hinges
and buttons, or thongs, and upon the shoulder was a metal strap
attached by a hinge to the back plate, and coming forward over
the front, where it was fastened upon the breast. These straps,
as appears from the fragment in the title page, were worn plain
by the personages upon this frieze, but they were also sometimes
decorated with the most elaborate and skilful productions of art,
as may be seen upon the beautiful specimens in the Museum,
known by the name of the bronzes of Siris. To the bottom of
the cuirass, where it passes round the loins, were attached straps,
sometimes in a single row, sometimes in two, in which case