DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5541#0426
394
BAS-RELIEFS.
[Chap. xxii.
several groups of figures carved upon the surface of the
rock a few feet above the ground. Many of the figures,
however, are much worn and nearly obliterated, particularly
those furthest removed from the centre; perhaps, being in-
tended for inferior persons, they were originally less deeply
cut. The composition seems to represent the meeting of
two kings, each of whom holds emblems of royalty in his
hand, and is followed by a long train of soldiers or attend-
ants, dressed in his own costume, and extending: alone: the
. ' do
two sides of the hollow space. The two principal figures
ai"e "five feet high, the few figures imedimately attendant
upon them are three feet six inches, and the others two feet
six inches. The principal figure on the left-hand side,
coming as it were from the west, is standing upon a non-
descript animal, and is dressed in a tight close-fitting dress,
with a high conical cap and beard; while the other prin-
cipal figure is dressed in loose flowing robes with a square
turreted head-dress and without a beard. Some of his
followers are standing upon a lion or tiger, and others
upon a two-headed eagle. M. Texier considers the sub-
ject of the sculpture to be the meeting of the Amazons and
Paphlagonians; but I am rather inclined to think it repre-
sents the meeting of two conterminous kings, and that it was
intended to commemorate a treaty of peace concluded be-
tween them. The Halys, which is not many miles distant,
was long the boundary between the kingdoms of Lydia and
Persia, and it is possible that in the figure with the flowing
robes we may recognise the king of Persia, and in the other
the king of Lydia with his attendants, Lydians and Phry-
gians, for their head-dress resembles the well-known Phry-
gian bonnet. This spot may have been chosen to comme-
morate the peace, in consequence of the neighbouring town
being the chief border city. This opinion is confirmed by
the circumstance of the principal figure on the eastern side
being represented standing on a wild beast, probably in-
tended for a lion, and which in fact resembles the animals
sculptured upon the monuments of Persepolis, while some of
BAS-RELIEFS.
[Chap. xxii.
several groups of figures carved upon the surface of the
rock a few feet above the ground. Many of the figures,
however, are much worn and nearly obliterated, particularly
those furthest removed from the centre; perhaps, being in-
tended for inferior persons, they were originally less deeply
cut. The composition seems to represent the meeting of
two kings, each of whom holds emblems of royalty in his
hand, and is followed by a long train of soldiers or attend-
ants, dressed in his own costume, and extending: alone: the
. ' do
two sides of the hollow space. The two principal figures
ai"e "five feet high, the few figures imedimately attendant
upon them are three feet six inches, and the others two feet
six inches. The principal figure on the left-hand side,
coming as it were from the west, is standing upon a non-
descript animal, and is dressed in a tight close-fitting dress,
with a high conical cap and beard; while the other prin-
cipal figure is dressed in loose flowing robes with a square
turreted head-dress and without a beard. Some of his
followers are standing upon a lion or tiger, and others
upon a two-headed eagle. M. Texier considers the sub-
ject of the sculpture to be the meeting of the Amazons and
Paphlagonians; but I am rather inclined to think it repre-
sents the meeting of two conterminous kings, and that it was
intended to commemorate a treaty of peace concluded be-
tween them. The Halys, which is not many miles distant,
was long the boundary between the kingdoms of Lydia and
Persia, and it is possible that in the figure with the flowing
robes we may recognise the king of Persia, and in the other
the king of Lydia with his attendants, Lydians and Phry-
gians, for their head-dress resembles the well-known Phry-
gian bonnet. This spot may have been chosen to comme-
morate the peace, in consequence of the neighbouring town
being the chief border city. This opinion is confirmed by
the circumstance of the principal figure on the eastern side
being represented standing on a wild beast, probably in-
tended for a lion, and which in fact resembles the animals
sculptured upon the monuments of Persepolis, while some of