DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4856#0037
3i
DESCRIPTION OF PLATES.
AFTER these general remarks we proceed to a more detailed description of the contents of the Plates I-II.
tombs, beginning with those objects in ivory, porcelain, precious stones and gold which from
their artistic importance or intrinsic value seemed to deserve the prominence of special Plates (I-XII).
The numbers attached to each object will, on reference to the list, show to what tomb it belonged.
The pottery and miscellaneous antiquities, though of great importance in the present position of
archaeology, did not appear to present any artistic features which could not be adequately reproduced
by drawings made from photographs and printed by the ordinary method of process blocks. The
general character of the pottery will be recognised from the groups representing separate tombs, in
addition to which many other objects will be found figured along with the descriptions of the tombs.
The position of the tombs is indicated on the plan of the site.
PLATE I.
No. 996, Tomb 58.—The four sides of an ivory casket which had served as a box for the game
of draughts. The lid is divided into squares for the purpose of the game, as shown in Fig. 19 ante.
It has been published by Prof. Ridgeway (Journ. Hellen. Stud. xvi. p. 290), along with an Egyptian
specimen on which the squares are arranged in the same manner, as is also the case on the draught-box
of Queen Hatasu in the British Museum. He identifies the game as that known to the Greeks of Plato's
time as Palis, in which the pieces were called "dogs." In the Egyptian specimens the squares are left
free, ready for use. In the Enkomi specimen five of the squares are occupied by rosettes, which may
represent pieces, if we may argue this much from the ivory discs similarly decorated with rosettes (Figs.
22, 23) which were found in the course of the excavations. In that case our casket would not have
been intended for actual use, but rather as an imitation of a draught-box.
The general character of the reliefs has already been discussed (p. 12). On the two long sides
is a king hunting wild animals from a chariot in the manner of Assyrian kings. At one end is a
group of two bulls, in which naturalism prevails over conventionalism in the forms ; while the opposite
group of two wild goats is conspicuously conventional in treatment—a result quite in keeping with the
mixture of styles observable on the long sides. This tomb was oblong in shape, with rounded corners,
full of earth, 4 ft. wide, 12 ft. long, 6 ft. high, cut in the clay, but with limestone door-jambs in position.
It contained also several vases of ribbed ware (Nos. 994-994*), and two iron knives with ivory handles
more or less injured. Among these was No. 995, a small ivory leg of a bull which has served as the
handle for an iron instrument, remains of the iron being still visible at the upper end, figured on
Plate II, a bronze tripod with stays connecting the legs, and a few gold ornaments (Nos. 200-205).
PLATE II.
No. 872^, To.Mii 17.—An ivory handle of a mirror, both sides of which are here given. On
one side the group represents a man (possibly a legendary Arimasp) slaying a gryphon. On the
opposite side is a lion attacking a bull. We have already noticed that the subject of a man slaying
a gryphon occurs frequently in Phoenician art. But in no instance that we know of is there any
approach to the artistic vigour and fine observation of animal life displayed in this group. In the
gryphon the action of the tail, the wings, the feet, and the open beak indicates the climax of suffering.
In the man there is necessarily more of conventionalism, yet the intensity of the action is strongly
expressed in the hand holding the sword, and in the pressure on his feet. On the background behind
him is sketched in his shield, which hangs from a band across his shoulder, that is to say, in the
pre-Carian manner. On his head he wears a helmet in the shape of a tiara, apparently the same as that
of the head from tomb 16 in this (Plate No. 1340).
The group of a lion attacking a bull on the reverse side of the mirror-handle is remarkable for
its great breadth of style, and for the singular ingenuity of the composition. There is hardly a slab
of the Parthenon frieze on which the background of the relief is more fully occupied by the subject.
DESCRIPTION OF PLATES.
AFTER these general remarks we proceed to a more detailed description of the contents of the Plates I-II.
tombs, beginning with those objects in ivory, porcelain, precious stones and gold which from
their artistic importance or intrinsic value seemed to deserve the prominence of special Plates (I-XII).
The numbers attached to each object will, on reference to the list, show to what tomb it belonged.
The pottery and miscellaneous antiquities, though of great importance in the present position of
archaeology, did not appear to present any artistic features which could not be adequately reproduced
by drawings made from photographs and printed by the ordinary method of process blocks. The
general character of the pottery will be recognised from the groups representing separate tombs, in
addition to which many other objects will be found figured along with the descriptions of the tombs.
The position of the tombs is indicated on the plan of the site.
PLATE I.
No. 996, Tomb 58.—The four sides of an ivory casket which had served as a box for the game
of draughts. The lid is divided into squares for the purpose of the game, as shown in Fig. 19 ante.
It has been published by Prof. Ridgeway (Journ. Hellen. Stud. xvi. p. 290), along with an Egyptian
specimen on which the squares are arranged in the same manner, as is also the case on the draught-box
of Queen Hatasu in the British Museum. He identifies the game as that known to the Greeks of Plato's
time as Palis, in which the pieces were called "dogs." In the Egyptian specimens the squares are left
free, ready for use. In the Enkomi specimen five of the squares are occupied by rosettes, which may
represent pieces, if we may argue this much from the ivory discs similarly decorated with rosettes (Figs.
22, 23) which were found in the course of the excavations. In that case our casket would not have
been intended for actual use, but rather as an imitation of a draught-box.
The general character of the reliefs has already been discussed (p. 12). On the two long sides
is a king hunting wild animals from a chariot in the manner of Assyrian kings. At one end is a
group of two bulls, in which naturalism prevails over conventionalism in the forms ; while the opposite
group of two wild goats is conspicuously conventional in treatment—a result quite in keeping with the
mixture of styles observable on the long sides. This tomb was oblong in shape, with rounded corners,
full of earth, 4 ft. wide, 12 ft. long, 6 ft. high, cut in the clay, but with limestone door-jambs in position.
It contained also several vases of ribbed ware (Nos. 994-994*), and two iron knives with ivory handles
more or less injured. Among these was No. 995, a small ivory leg of a bull which has served as the
handle for an iron instrument, remains of the iron being still visible at the upper end, figured on
Plate II, a bronze tripod with stays connecting the legs, and a few gold ornaments (Nos. 200-205).
PLATE II.
No. 872^, To.Mii 17.—An ivory handle of a mirror, both sides of which are here given. On
one side the group represents a man (possibly a legendary Arimasp) slaying a gryphon. On the
opposite side is a lion attacking a bull. We have already noticed that the subject of a man slaying
a gryphon occurs frequently in Phoenician art. But in no instance that we know of is there any
approach to the artistic vigour and fine observation of animal life displayed in this group. In the
gryphon the action of the tail, the wings, the feet, and the open beak indicates the climax of suffering.
In the man there is necessarily more of conventionalism, yet the intensity of the action is strongly
expressed in the hand holding the sword, and in the pressure on his feet. On the background behind
him is sketched in his shield, which hangs from a band across his shoulder, that is to say, in the
pre-Carian manner. On his head he wears a helmet in the shape of a tiara, apparently the same as that
of the head from tomb 16 in this (Plate No. 1340).
The group of a lion attacking a bull on the reverse side of the mirror-handle is remarkable for
its great breadth of style, and for the singular ingenuity of the composition. There is hardly a slab
of the Parthenon frieze on which the background of the relief is more fully occupied by the subject.