Page:History of Art in Phœnicia and Its Dependencies Vol 1.djvu/314

 2Q- HISTORY OF ART IN PIIU.NICIA AND ITS DEPENDENCIES. There can he little doubt but that some cisterns were of bronze. The famous brazen sea, made for Solomon by Phoenician work- men, was neither more nor less than one of these vessels ; ' moreover, in the very cistern on which we have been dwelling it is easy to recognize the imitation of a bronze original. The Fir.. 212. Small model of a cistern, 3^ inches high. Louvre. handles especially are characteristic (Fig. 213). As they were only for ornament they are not pierced so as to allow the passage of the hand, but in their details it is not difficult to trace what may be called the true spirit of metal design. Look for instance at the two palmettes and the quasi-volutes which Fi<;. 213. Handle of the Amathus vase. unite them to the ends of the handles ; they embody one of the favourite motives of the worker in metal. Bronze handles from vessels that have disappeared are common in all the great museums of Europe, and if we cast our eyes over any of the series thus formed we shall find more than one example of this 1 i KIN<;S, vii. 25; 2 CHROMCI.I.S. iv. 4.