Wordsworth, Christopher: Greece, pictorial, descriptive and historical (London, 1853)

8 BRONZES OF SAUDIS.

are also frequently found upon other ancient metals. The primitive clay figures
also appear to have been imitated in stone, as may be seen
in some curious specimens discovered by Lord Aberdeen
among the earth-sunken tombs of Attica. Such figures are
called Sigillaria, and are evidently of a very early fabric. In

these fragments the
i (IJ deep grooves sepa-

rating the limbs from

'M®

Fig. 8.—BROKZE I'lGOBES FOUND IN A. TUSIL'LUS AT SaRDIS.

the body exhibit the formality of line natural to inexpert workers in a hard
substance, but in all other respects their style is exactly that
which an unskilled hand would adopt in moulding a figure from
very soft material.

Painting, which in its early state was peculiarly historic,
has been called the art of deception; but to this purpose it
has been more especially applied in later times. The earliest
and most ready pigment was undoubtedly blood,—a thin and
colouring liquid, which dries a dark brown colour, and which
might, during sacrifice, have occasionally assumed,' while
flowing, the recognisable forms of objects, as Ave see in
shadows which are cast upon the fiat ground. Shadow cer-
tainly led to painting, and gave the name
of sciagraphy to one particular style of

art, which has always been retained—namely,

the silhouettes, a name given to pictures

in one fiat colour, usually black. By such -mi ■ ^S

shadows a vast number of subjects could be

represented, and whole histories in a short time

actually expressed. We find this art first em-
ployed to decorate pale earthen vases with figures of flowers, leaves, and animals;

Fijf.fl.—Stone Figgre.

Fiji. 10 b.
From an early Paintfd Vase.

91

Si