Page:History of Art in Phœnicia and Its Dependencies Vol 2.djvu/230

 so6 HISTORY OF ART IN PHCENICIA AND ITS DEPENDENCIES. the temple precincts the masks of animals were worn, and that some of the worshippers, anxious to record the parts they took in the ceremony, caused themselves to be represented " in character," as we should phrase it. If we only look at the intention of the FIG. 138. Man with head of a bull. Limestone statuette. New York Museum. donor, these statuettes should then be ranged with the votive figures already described ; they would naturally take their place among those statues whose object is revealed by the doves or other votive offerings they carry in their hands. 8. Reliefs on Sarcophagi. No decorative bas-reliefs of any importance have been found in Cyprus. It would seem that such work was not used to ornament temples and palaces, as in Egypt and Assyria. The palaces and other civil buildings have disappeared altogether, while if a few fragmentary reliefs have been found among the temple ruins, they have always been isolated figures, carved on the faces of small objects, such as footstools, stone seats (Vol. I. Fig. 215), altars,