Page:History of Art in Phœnicia and Its Dependencies Vol 1.djvu/405

 TOWNS AND HYDRAULIC WORKS. 383 It has a doorway (<?), and a window about three feet from the ground (a). This tower is ten feet eight inches square, and eigh- teen feet ten inches high. Houel was an intelligent observer, and noticed the carefulness of the masonry and the singularity of the cornice, but he knew little of oriental art and never thought of the Phoenicians. Now, however, that we are better informed, we can read what these huge, cementless blocks tell us as to their own origin, and especially is all doubt removed by the aspect of the FIG. 262. The mausoleum at Thugga. From Bruce. crowning ornament, which is neither more nor less than the familiar Egyptian cornice. We do not think, however, that this structure dates from a very remote antiquity. The influence exercised by Egypt over Phoe- nician art was so profound that it must have survived to a very late period ; we have seen it, in Syria, in the decoration of buildings which date only from the second century after Christ (Fig. 48).