Page:A History of Art in Chaldæa & Assyria Vol 1.djvu/289

 DECORATION. 267 left of the passage were very thick slabs, also carved into the form of winged bulls in profile, and accompanied by protecting genii. These latter divinities are sometimes grave and noble in mien, obviously benevolent (Figs. 8 and 29), sometimes hideous in face, and violent in gesture. In the latter case they are meant to frighten the profane or the hostile away from the dwelling they FIG. 114. Human-headed lion. Nimroud ; from Layard. guard (Figs. 6 and 7). All these figures are in much higher relief than the sculptures in the inner chambers. All this shows that the sculptor thoroughly understood how to make the best of his opportunities when he was once called in to ornament those massive door-frames and slabs which at first were no more than additional supports for the building to which they were applied. He varied the shapes of these blocks according to