DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4377#0153
LION T03I15. 483
sentation of •which much variety may he remarked
in different branches of ancient art. It is, however,
more probable, on the whole, that eyes of some arti-
ficial material -were inserted in these sockets, for
the practice was not an uncommon one in ancient
sculpture. Pliny'' mentions a tradition that the
tomb of a certain petty prince in Cyprus was orna-
mented by a lion with emerald eyes. It is a curious
coincidence that this lion also overlooked the sea.
My first care, after making this remarkable
discovery, was to transport the lion on board
Her Majesty's ship " Supply." This was no easy
task, on account of the great weight of the mass of
marble, and the broken and difficult character of
tbe ground over which it had to be transported. A
road of about 100 yards in extent was constructed
along tbe side of the mountain, and the lion having
been placed in a strong case was hauled to the water's
edge. The weight of the case being about eleven
tons, the operation of drawing the sledge this
distance over a newly-made road occupied a. hun-
dred Turkish workmen for several days.
On arriving at the edge of tbe cliff, it was
necessary to hoist the case by a pair of sheers
from tbe rock on to a raft below. This proved
b N.H. xxxvii. 5, § 17. Feruut in ea insula tumulo reguli Hermiai,
fuxta cetarias, marmoreo leoni fuisse inditos oculos ex smaragdis,
ita radiantibus etiam in gurgitem ut territi refugerent thynni.
Among the sculptures recently discovered at Cyrene by Lieut.
'Smith, E.E,, and Commander Porcher, E.N., were two heads,
both of which have had enamelled eyes; the remains of the
vitreous paste employed still remains in the sockets of the eyes.
sentation of •which much variety may he remarked
in different branches of ancient art. It is, however,
more probable, on the whole, that eyes of some arti-
ficial material -were inserted in these sockets, for
the practice was not an uncommon one in ancient
sculpture. Pliny'' mentions a tradition that the
tomb of a certain petty prince in Cyprus was orna-
mented by a lion with emerald eyes. It is a curious
coincidence that this lion also overlooked the sea.
My first care, after making this remarkable
discovery, was to transport the lion on board
Her Majesty's ship " Supply." This was no easy
task, on account of the great weight of the mass of
marble, and the broken and difficult character of
tbe ground over which it had to be transported. A
road of about 100 yards in extent was constructed
along tbe side of the mountain, and the lion having
been placed in a strong case was hauled to the water's
edge. The weight of the case being about eleven
tons, the operation of drawing the sledge this
distance over a newly-made road occupied a. hun-
dred Turkish workmen for several days.
On arriving at the edge of tbe cliff, it was
necessary to hoist the case by a pair of sheers
from tbe rock on to a raft below. This proved
b N.H. xxxvii. 5, § 17. Feruut in ea insula tumulo reguli Hermiai,
fuxta cetarias, marmoreo leoni fuisse inditos oculos ex smaragdis,
ita radiantibus etiam in gurgitem ut territi refugerent thynni.
Among the sculptures recently discovered at Cyrene by Lieut.
'Smith, E.E,, and Commander Porcher, E.N., were two heads,
both of which have had enamelled eyes; the remains of the
vitreous paste employed still remains in the sockets of the eyes.