DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.8577#0089
NATURAL HISTORY 69
The middle of the seventh century brings the first indication of a new
tradition. There is nothing Hittite about the lions on the Chigi vase1 and on
the lekythos in Berlin;2 they introduce us to the Assyrian type which prevails
in the latter part of the seventh century. As evidence of this I illustrate in
fig. 14 a lion from an Assyrian relief of the time of Ashurnasirpal III, beside
an example from an early Corinthian vase. It is easy enough to point out
the radical differences between the Greek and oriental work. The interest lies
in the points of resemblance; and these are unmistakable. Not only is the
Corinthian artist's conception of the animal clearly
derived from the Assyrian; there are also a number of
coincidences in the stylization of details.3 It is scarcely
an exaggeration to say that wherever the Corinthian
type shows an advance on the Protocorinthian, it re-
flects the progress of the Assyrian type beyond the
Hittite. Other indications of Assyrian influence in the
late seventh century are discussed on pp. 53-5.
We have already noticed one of new features which
appears early in the sixth century, the massive heraldic
typeillustratedinpl.30,7-8. Another is a symmetrical
group of two lions with reverted heads. Though of
immense antiquity, and known to Greek artists in the
early seventh century, this group does not appear at
Corinth before the middle period.4 On the crater no.
1169, and on a sherd belonging to the same time (fig.
15a),5 it appears in a particular form which is, per-
haps, to be regarded as characteristically Corinthian;6
we find the same group on two bronze affixes which
look very much like Corinthian work,7 and, with or
without the central motive, on a silver relief, and on a sima, from Delphi,8
and on many Argive-Corinthian plaques (cf. fig. 15B).9 The style in all these
instances is more or less Corinthian. This particular group of lions seated,
FlG. 15. A, from a Corinthian
pyxis (see note 5); B, from a
bronze relief from Athens
(from A.M. 1895, 480).
1 No. 39.
2 Johansen pi. 32, 1 (centre of middle frieze).
3 Note, for instance, the Assyrian rendering of the
eye-socket in fig. 11 (cf. Weber, Ass. Plast. pi. 14
&c), the elaborate rendering of the shoulder com-
plex, the long side-whiskers, a great feature of Assy-
rian lions, and various other details. The head is now
much smaller in proportion to the whole than in
Protocorinthian lions; the same contrast between
Assyrian and Hittite.
4 On the subject in general see Dugas, Mon. Piot
1926, 24 ff. and Filow, Nekrop. v. Trebenischte, 15.
5 Argive Heraeum ii, pi. 61, 15.
6 i.e. lions seated with one foreleg raised.
7 Aus dem Berl. Mus. pi. 5; Neugebauer, Gr.
Bronzen, cover; Richter, Bronzes 9, no. 13. The
only un-Corinthian feature is the three-petalled
lotus. The affix in Berlin is said to have been found
in Macedonia.
8 Fouilles de Delphes, v, 124, fig. 466; the sima:
van Buren, Greek Fictile Revetments pi. 25, fig. 89.
Cf. also the sphinxes, op. cit. pi. 21, fig. 68 (from
Corfu) and the relief of Corinthian style from
Caltagirone (Mon. Ant. xx, pi. 9).
9 See p. 226. In fig. 15 b the raised forelegs seem
to be omitted.
The middle of the seventh century brings the first indication of a new
tradition. There is nothing Hittite about the lions on the Chigi vase1 and on
the lekythos in Berlin;2 they introduce us to the Assyrian type which prevails
in the latter part of the seventh century. As evidence of this I illustrate in
fig. 14 a lion from an Assyrian relief of the time of Ashurnasirpal III, beside
an example from an early Corinthian vase. It is easy enough to point out
the radical differences between the Greek and oriental work. The interest lies
in the points of resemblance; and these are unmistakable. Not only is the
Corinthian artist's conception of the animal clearly
derived from the Assyrian; there are also a number of
coincidences in the stylization of details.3 It is scarcely
an exaggeration to say that wherever the Corinthian
type shows an advance on the Protocorinthian, it re-
flects the progress of the Assyrian type beyond the
Hittite. Other indications of Assyrian influence in the
late seventh century are discussed on pp. 53-5.
We have already noticed one of new features which
appears early in the sixth century, the massive heraldic
typeillustratedinpl.30,7-8. Another is a symmetrical
group of two lions with reverted heads. Though of
immense antiquity, and known to Greek artists in the
early seventh century, this group does not appear at
Corinth before the middle period.4 On the crater no.
1169, and on a sherd belonging to the same time (fig.
15a),5 it appears in a particular form which is, per-
haps, to be regarded as characteristically Corinthian;6
we find the same group on two bronze affixes which
look very much like Corinthian work,7 and, with or
without the central motive, on a silver relief, and on a sima, from Delphi,8
and on many Argive-Corinthian plaques (cf. fig. 15B).9 The style in all these
instances is more or less Corinthian. This particular group of lions seated,
FlG. 15. A, from a Corinthian
pyxis (see note 5); B, from a
bronze relief from Athens
(from A.M. 1895, 480).
1 No. 39.
2 Johansen pi. 32, 1 (centre of middle frieze).
3 Note, for instance, the Assyrian rendering of the
eye-socket in fig. 11 (cf. Weber, Ass. Plast. pi. 14
&c), the elaborate rendering of the shoulder com-
plex, the long side-whiskers, a great feature of Assy-
rian lions, and various other details. The head is now
much smaller in proportion to the whole than in
Protocorinthian lions; the same contrast between
Assyrian and Hittite.
4 On the subject in general see Dugas, Mon. Piot
1926, 24 ff. and Filow, Nekrop. v. Trebenischte, 15.
5 Argive Heraeum ii, pi. 61, 15.
6 i.e. lions seated with one foreleg raised.
7 Aus dem Berl. Mus. pi. 5; Neugebauer, Gr.
Bronzen, cover; Richter, Bronzes 9, no. 13. The
only un-Corinthian feature is the three-petalled
lotus. The affix in Berlin is said to have been found
in Macedonia.
8 Fouilles de Delphes, v, 124, fig. 466; the sima:
van Buren, Greek Fictile Revetments pi. 25, fig. 89.
Cf. also the sphinxes, op. cit. pi. 21, fig. 68 (from
Corfu) and the relief of Corinthian style from
Caltagirone (Mon. Ant. xx, pi. 9).
9 See p. 226. In fig. 15 b the raised forelegs seem
to be omitted.