Page:History of Art in Sardinia, Judæa, Syria and Asia Minor Vol 1.djvu/76

 5S A History of Art in Sardinia and Jud^a. is another, known as " female's feet-cromlech," owing to two peculiar-shaped stones raised two metres above the surrounding level, apparently beginning the circle (Fig. 47). The height of the ground on which stand the two stones is indicated in Fig. 48. In the same district M. Gouin discovered blocks of trachyte sculptured in low relief with phallic devices (Figs. 49, 50), from which it may be inferred that the emblem of life was held in high esteem by the Syrians and Sardi. Our information upon Balearic monuments is far from being complete ; nevertheless we are able to state that cromlechs having, as a rule, two central stones supposed to be altars, have been disinterred around talayots (Fig- 3o). 1 From these dolmens, cromlechs, and altars little is to be gathered respecting the manner of life and religious beliefs of the people who erected them. The dimensions and inner details of their sepulchral structures have yielded memorials of their ancient rites and customs, and we hope that the study of their art productions will enable us further to raise the veil wherein the origin and history of the nuragh-builders have lain enshrouded. § 4. — Bronzes, Statuettes, Votive Boats. We had occasion to observe, in another part of this volume, that statuettes of men and animals, weapons and implements in bronze were recovered on many points of Sardinia, notably around niiraghs. The archaic character, the strange dryness and rigid- ness of outline, the peculiarities of dress, make, and attributes of these figures, together with their diminutive size, some not reach- ing three inches in height, whilst all are well within 25 c, mark them to the attention of the thoughtful. Notwithstanding their rude aspect, they are interesting from the fact that they represent the effigies of a people respecting which so little is known, but which in all probability form the bulk of the present population of Sardinia, stated by travellers as preserving many ancient curious customs. Moreover, Sardinian statuettes are exceedingly rare out of the country, and the few seen in the various museums of Europe, owing to imperfect knowledge, are not always properly classified, 1 La Marmora, Voyage en Sardaigne, pp. 546-549