Page:History of Art in Primitive Greece - Mycenian Art Vol 2.djvu/361

 308 PR[M1TIVE GkKECK : M^CEMAN ArT. Mycena; (Figs. 414; 416; 424, 3; 426).' The arms used are the spear and sword ; and two distinct shapes of shield, whose dimensions and characteristics have already been pointed out. Elsewhere, the heroes are fighting a lion (Fig. 415). or a boar (Fig. 419, 17), or pursue (Fig. 419. 5) and overtake (Fig. 419, 13) antelopes and wild bulls (Fig. 419, 24). Again, a couple of hunters are pictured in the act of fastening together the paws of a lion which they have brought down, so as to carry him home (Fig. 419, 15). The actors in these scenes always appear naked ; but we may safely conceive them with drawers, and a band to fasten these in front. If they are not plainly indicated in every instance, it is because of the smallness of the image ; but they are none the less to be distinguished in some of the intaglios (Figs. 414; 415; 421, i; 419, II, 21; 424, 3). The women's dress is ever the same ; a flounced skirt, which assumes a KiG. 426.— .SariU.nys. crescent shape above the ankle (Figs. 418; 4t9, 14; 421, 23; 422; 425, 2; 424, I, 7, 9). The employment of conventions to which attention has already been drawn is also resorted to in these gems ; the ground, for example, indicated now by scales under the feet and above the heads of the personages (PI. XVI. 12; Figs. 413; 414; 419, 17), now by a simple horizontal band (PI. XVI. 6, 9, [4, 15, 16; Figs. 421, 16, 19; 419, 7; 424, ., 3. ")■ The form of all others which the engraver seems to have taken most pleasure in studying and reproducing was that of animals. A glance at any gem-collection will prove the truth of our words, where their image occurs far more frequently than that of man, whether by itself or in combination with other elements. The lion was a great favourite with him, and brought ' From the image which Schlieniann has given of Fig. 426 {Afytxna) no guess can be hazarded as to the nature of the subject. His drawing was made to favour his interjjretation that we have here a man and a woman silting.