Page:History of Art in Primitive Greece - Mycenian Art Vol 2.djvu/91

 66 Primitive Greece: Mvcenian Aftt. ment, a desirable syrrtmetry between the upper and lower section of the edifice. The smaller scale of the tower frieze is made good to the eye by its proximity to the ground. That division of the fatjade decoration comprised between these two very similar bands had also to be provided with a lateral border, so as to bound it right and left, to form a transition between it and the double wall of the dromes. Without this necessary border, the arrangement would have savoured of clumsiness, for the patterns meeting at the edge of the wall would have looked as if abruptly interrupted, rather than as having come to their normal end. The borders seen on the ceiling at Orchomenos, and the mural paintings of the Tirynthian palace, prove how popular they were with the Mycenian ornamentist. The central division of the facade of Tomb II. is bounded on either side by a very salient mural band or pilaster (Fig. ii8). These pilaster-like strips must have been protected by a stone facing, whereon was painted or carved an ornament which rose with them towards the cornice. The doorway of Tomb I. bears no trace of having been flanked by this species of pilaster ; but we have no reason to believe that they dispensed with a framing in that situation. In what style was the decoration 'of the case in question carried out ? The buildings which we have passed in review prove that rosettes were largely em- ployed as borders (Figs. 206, 213, 217, 218). The fact that one of the fragments from this very building exhibits a row of semi-rosettes favours the assumption that the artist who adorned this facade was no stranger to that form of enrichment. We are not sinning, then, against probabilities in setting up here a post, T, relieved with rosettes, like those which embellish the painted door-frame of a rock-cut tomb (Fig. 234). Should we not