DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.619#0045
NAUKBATIS.
of a long cone shell, smoothed but not yet
engraved. Thus we see that shell-working was
done here. And, thirdly, we have in six months
found here more examples of engraved Tridacnas
than have been found in any other place. The
strongest reason for the attribution of these shells
to Phoenician workmen is the Assyrian style of the
patterns ; but this is not conclusive, and we must
now consider their origin undecided until further
evidence may appear.
39. An interesting class of the archaic remains
are the figures (pi. i.) carved in soft alabaster and
limestone. These are found in almost the oldest
stratum of the town, principally along the middle
of the eastern side. Whether found in houses or
thrown out into the roads, I have never seen, as
they have always been found by diggers not in
my employment. Several of those found are
shown in pi. i.; and beside these have been found
a part of a female figure closely draped round;
two or three much injured male figures in
alabaster ; and two or three heads, a male figure
the upper part of Hermes Kriophoros in lime-
stone. The warrior in alabaster (pi. i.) is
exactly, both in form, helmet and armlets, the
counterpart of a statuette which is figured in
Cesnola's Cyprus, as having been found in that
island. How far Cyprus may have been indebted
to Egypt through Naukratis, or Kaukratis may
have borrowed from Cyprus, we cannot yet say.
Another class of figures are the very rude stone
heads and statuettes which seem to belong to a
really archaic time. There are four or five heads
of limestone of a very primitive type in the
collection; two or three limestone figures which
are oblong masses, with the dimmest indications
of limbs and head; and two or three more shapely
figures with disc-shaped heads, long hair, and the
hands folded over the stomach. These all seem
not to belong to the archaistic revival, nor to
a mere rudeness in later times, but to a genuinely
primitive art. They may be seen in the British
Museum
Of a late time, apparently the middle of the
fifth century according to the Apollo deposits, are
many archaic terra-cottas. Those found in the
temenos of Apollo have been already described
(sect. 17); and besides these many horses, such
as those seen in models of chariots from Cyprus,
were found in the town. They are partly plastered,
and have traces of red and yellow paint. Some
bird-vases of this same archaic terra-cotta were
also found; and several pieces of figure-vases,
with a spout in the top of the head.
Some curious female busts of painted terra-
cotta also belong to this place. They are about
three inches high, covered with a white face
characteristic of Naukratian ware, and painted in
bistre or ochre.
40. The source of the glazed pottery or sandy-
ware figures was evidently in Naukratis itself,
since we have found there the factory of such
articles. At the place marked in pi. xli.
" Scarabs," near the south-west of the town, a
bed of earth was found, partly cut away by the
Arabs, in which were many remains of a factory
of glazed pottery. This bed was, much of it, of a
yellowish colour, apparently owing to the decom-
position of some matter thrown away with the
rubbish from the factory. The pottery of this
place has already been sufficiently described in
Chapter III.; and it remains for us now to notice
the other remains found here. First, and most
characteristic, there were found large quantities of
glazed scarabsei, and of the moulds used in
making such. The types of the scarabsei, and
such small objects with a head, a lion, or other
form on the back, are shown in pi. xxxvii., which
includes what were found both in the scarab
factory and elsewhere in the town: those actually
found in the factory having a small F marked at
the lower right-hand corner of each. The un-
Egyptian character of many of the types is
evident, and those at the end are distinctly done
by men more familiar with Greek vase-painting
than with hieroglyphics. Of these types several
of a long cone shell, smoothed but not yet
engraved. Thus we see that shell-working was
done here. And, thirdly, we have in six months
found here more examples of engraved Tridacnas
than have been found in any other place. The
strongest reason for the attribution of these shells
to Phoenician workmen is the Assyrian style of the
patterns ; but this is not conclusive, and we must
now consider their origin undecided until further
evidence may appear.
39. An interesting class of the archaic remains
are the figures (pi. i.) carved in soft alabaster and
limestone. These are found in almost the oldest
stratum of the town, principally along the middle
of the eastern side. Whether found in houses or
thrown out into the roads, I have never seen, as
they have always been found by diggers not in
my employment. Several of those found are
shown in pi. i.; and beside these have been found
a part of a female figure closely draped round;
two or three much injured male figures in
alabaster ; and two or three heads, a male figure
the upper part of Hermes Kriophoros in lime-
stone. The warrior in alabaster (pi. i.) is
exactly, both in form, helmet and armlets, the
counterpart of a statuette which is figured in
Cesnola's Cyprus, as having been found in that
island. How far Cyprus may have been indebted
to Egypt through Naukratis, or Kaukratis may
have borrowed from Cyprus, we cannot yet say.
Another class of figures are the very rude stone
heads and statuettes which seem to belong to a
really archaic time. There are four or five heads
of limestone of a very primitive type in the
collection; two or three limestone figures which
are oblong masses, with the dimmest indications
of limbs and head; and two or three more shapely
figures with disc-shaped heads, long hair, and the
hands folded over the stomach. These all seem
not to belong to the archaistic revival, nor to
a mere rudeness in later times, but to a genuinely
primitive art. They may be seen in the British
Museum
Of a late time, apparently the middle of the
fifth century according to the Apollo deposits, are
many archaic terra-cottas. Those found in the
temenos of Apollo have been already described
(sect. 17); and besides these many horses, such
as those seen in models of chariots from Cyprus,
were found in the town. They are partly plastered,
and have traces of red and yellow paint. Some
bird-vases of this same archaic terra-cotta were
also found; and several pieces of figure-vases,
with a spout in the top of the head.
Some curious female busts of painted terra-
cotta also belong to this place. They are about
three inches high, covered with a white face
characteristic of Naukratian ware, and painted in
bistre or ochre.
40. The source of the glazed pottery or sandy-
ware figures was evidently in Naukratis itself,
since we have found there the factory of such
articles. At the place marked in pi. xli.
" Scarabs," near the south-west of the town, a
bed of earth was found, partly cut away by the
Arabs, in which were many remains of a factory
of glazed pottery. This bed was, much of it, of a
yellowish colour, apparently owing to the decom-
position of some matter thrown away with the
rubbish from the factory. The pottery of this
place has already been sufficiently described in
Chapter III.; and it remains for us now to notice
the other remains found here. First, and most
characteristic, there were found large quantities of
glazed scarabsei, and of the moulds used in
making such. The types of the scarabsei, and
such small objects with a head, a lion, or other
form on the back, are shown in pi. xxxvii., which
includes what were found both in the scarab
factory and elsewhere in the town: those actually
found in the factory having a small F marked at
the lower right-hand corner of each. The un-
Egyptian character of many of the types is
evident, and those at the end are distinctly done
by men more familiar with Greek vase-painting
than with hieroglyphics. Of these types several