DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.2532#0069
48
GENERAL INTRODUCTION
a few fine specimens of heads forming a ninth class, and illustrating good Greek art of
the fifth century B. G.
Before drawing the conclusions to which this survey of our terra-cottas leads us, I must
point to the interesting collateral evidence furnished l>y the earliest types of bronzes
found at Olympia and classified in so thorough a manner by Professor Furtwangler. We
cannot but regret that the terra-cotta figurines, of which be tells us large numbers were
found in the lowest layers round the Heraeum at Olympia,1 did not receive the same
thorough treatment at his bands, and are not represented in a sufficient number of
specimens in the plates which illustrate the German publication. On plates xviii. and
xix. of the Olympia Bronzes he has presented a most instructive series of bronze animals
from the earliest primitive class to the fixed type of Geometrical style, the so-called
Dipylon horse.2
The earliest and rudest primitive bronzes representing animals are made out of thin,
flat sheets of bronze, and have, like our earliest terra-cottas representing human figures,
only the vaguest suggestion of natural forms. The thin sheets of metal are cut to indi-
cate legs and head, and are then twisted in various directions. The style of this rudest
class is called by Furtwangler the "sheet-style" (Blechstyl). Then follows a very
numerous class which evidently has been influenced by the process applied in fashion-
ing such primitive figurines in terra-cotta, to which be gives the name the " Terra-
cottenstiiL" More and more within this long series, presenting a most interesting
evolution, the early bronze-worker is trying to develop a style suited tectonically to his
manipulation of bronze in beating and casting, until, at last, he arrives at a fixed settled
shape of horse from this technical point of view which, irrespective of naturalism or the
exact imitation of what he saw in nature before him, satisfies his artistic instinct and
becomes a fixed type for the small bronze horse. This stereotyping of bronze technique
in this direction checks development and free effort in the tendency towards naturalism
which is noticeable in the earlier primitive ware; and apparently for many generations
after this establishment of the Dipylon horse, that form holds the ground and practically
ends the series as far as these early layers of discoveries at Olympia are concerned."1
Somewhere within this series is to be placed a comparatively small number of animal
representations,'' into which the goat seems for the first time to have been introduced,
which are strikingly contrasted with the main continuous series in that they possess
advanced naturalism. I would suggest that these are the strictly " Mycenaean" types
which apparently were found in the vicinity of the Pelopeum wall.
Now the excavators of Olympia tell us that the terra-cottas come from the very earliest
layers, and, as far as their position in the earth is concerned, correspond to the very
earliest bronze figures found there. These terra-cotta human figures, to judge from the
specimens which are published,0 mark a later stage than our earliest figurines. They
are much more advanced in articulation and the sex is clearly indicated. All these terra-
cottas and bronzes were found in the " black layers " surrounding the earliest altar to the
south of the Heraeum wall at Olympia, towards the Avail of the Pelopeum. The lowest of
these layers, and partly the second as well, are earlier than the building of the Heraeum
of Olympia.7 The earliest layer runs beneath the foundation walls of that temple.
1 See Olympia, IV., Bronzen, pi. xvii. Nos. 279, 280,
281, 283, 284, in which a few specimens of terra-cottas
are given.
2 Op. cit. pis. x., xi., xii., xiii., xiv., xv., and xvi.
s Op. cit. pi. x. Nos. 10C-133, pi. xi. to about Nos.
177 or 178.
4 Pis. xiii., xiv.
5 Pis. xi. and xii. Nos. 178-190.
0 PI. xvii. Nos. 279, 280, 281, 283, 284.
' Furtwangler, Olympia, TV., Bronzen, p. 2.
GENERAL INTRODUCTION
a few fine specimens of heads forming a ninth class, and illustrating good Greek art of
the fifth century B. G.
Before drawing the conclusions to which this survey of our terra-cottas leads us, I must
point to the interesting collateral evidence furnished l>y the earliest types of bronzes
found at Olympia and classified in so thorough a manner by Professor Furtwangler. We
cannot but regret that the terra-cotta figurines, of which be tells us large numbers were
found in the lowest layers round the Heraeum at Olympia,1 did not receive the same
thorough treatment at his bands, and are not represented in a sufficient number of
specimens in the plates which illustrate the German publication. On plates xviii. and
xix. of the Olympia Bronzes he has presented a most instructive series of bronze animals
from the earliest primitive class to the fixed type of Geometrical style, the so-called
Dipylon horse.2
The earliest and rudest primitive bronzes representing animals are made out of thin,
flat sheets of bronze, and have, like our earliest terra-cottas representing human figures,
only the vaguest suggestion of natural forms. The thin sheets of metal are cut to indi-
cate legs and head, and are then twisted in various directions. The style of this rudest
class is called by Furtwangler the "sheet-style" (Blechstyl). Then follows a very
numerous class which evidently has been influenced by the process applied in fashion-
ing such primitive figurines in terra-cotta, to which be gives the name the " Terra-
cottenstiiL" More and more within this long series, presenting a most interesting
evolution, the early bronze-worker is trying to develop a style suited tectonically to his
manipulation of bronze in beating and casting, until, at last, he arrives at a fixed settled
shape of horse from this technical point of view which, irrespective of naturalism or the
exact imitation of what he saw in nature before him, satisfies his artistic instinct and
becomes a fixed type for the small bronze horse. This stereotyping of bronze technique
in this direction checks development and free effort in the tendency towards naturalism
which is noticeable in the earlier primitive ware; and apparently for many generations
after this establishment of the Dipylon horse, that form holds the ground and practically
ends the series as far as these early layers of discoveries at Olympia are concerned."1
Somewhere within this series is to be placed a comparatively small number of animal
representations,'' into which the goat seems for the first time to have been introduced,
which are strikingly contrasted with the main continuous series in that they possess
advanced naturalism. I would suggest that these are the strictly " Mycenaean" types
which apparently were found in the vicinity of the Pelopeum wall.
Now the excavators of Olympia tell us that the terra-cottas come from the very earliest
layers, and, as far as their position in the earth is concerned, correspond to the very
earliest bronze figures found there. These terra-cotta human figures, to judge from the
specimens which are published,0 mark a later stage than our earliest figurines. They
are much more advanced in articulation and the sex is clearly indicated. All these terra-
cottas and bronzes were found in the " black layers " surrounding the earliest altar to the
south of the Heraeum wall at Olympia, towards the Avail of the Pelopeum. The lowest of
these layers, and partly the second as well, are earlier than the building of the Heraeum
of Olympia.7 The earliest layer runs beneath the foundation walls of that temple.
1 See Olympia, IV., Bronzen, pi. xvii. Nos. 279, 280,
281, 283, 284, in which a few specimens of terra-cottas
are given.
2 Op. cit. pis. x., xi., xii., xiii., xiv., xv., and xvi.
s Op. cit. pi. x. Nos. 10C-133, pi. xi. to about Nos.
177 or 178.
4 Pis. xiii., xiv.
5 Pis. xi. and xii. Nos. 178-190.
0 PI. xvii. Nos. 279, 280, 281, 283, 284.
' Furtwangler, Olympia, TV., Bronzen, p. 2.