Page:History of Art in Phœnicia and Its Dependencies Vol 2.djvu/413

 JEWELRY. 375 a personal ornament or a furniture decoration. It represents a full face with a bust below it, in which we seem to recognize indications of female breasts. The workmanship seems to aim at nobility, although it is too heavy and awkward quite to reach it. The staple* used to mount this little object still cling to it at the back (Fig. 291). With these pectorals we may compare a monument of much later date which was found in Algeria, in the Thermal. Juba II., at Cherchell. It is a leaden plaque, part of which has been broken away (Fig. 292). In four compartments separated by a bead-and- real ornament we find a bearded head four times repeated ; it is seen full face, and the hair is enframed in the horns of Ammon. The object to which this plaque belonged must have dated from the Roman period, but it is difficult to guess its character. We have FIGS. 290, 291. Gold ornament ; front and back views. Actual size. Louvre. 1 mentioned it here mainly because it affords yet another proof of how far the types created by Egypt were carried by the Phoenician race, and of how long they remained in favour. Down to the final triumph of Christianity all the local faiths of the African continent, from the mouths of the Nile to the pillars of Hercules, were domi- nated by a great religion whose centre was in Egypt, in the oasis of Ammon. 2 Putting aside all fragments of doubtful character, let us now speak of jewelry proper, of things for personal adornment. The only way to give a true idea of their style and taste is to describe them in 1 See RENAN, Mission de Phhiirie, p. 659. 2 See BERGER, La Trinite Cari/iaginoise, mcmoire sur un bandeau trourc dans If 5 environs de J3at/ia, chapter i. ; Baal-Haman et Jupiter-Ammo* (Gazette Archcologiqiu, 1880).