Page:History of Art in Sardinia, Judæa, Syria and Asia Minor Vol 2.djvu/149

 The Sanctuary. Iasili-Kaia. 133 ing their presence, the picture always retains its realistic character. Of all the explanations proposed, that which is dependent for its existence upon the conical caps, seems to us the most futile : Herodotus writes nowhere that the Cimmerii were the only tribe that wore them ; and neither in the marshalling of the groups, nor the attitude of the different actors, is there aught that faintly calls to mind the so-called victory under discussion ; not to mention the absurdity of recognizing the sturdy warriors of Media in these effeminate, long-robed figures on the right side. Earth's theory of a royal marriage, and consequent large retinue of officials, personal attendants, and so forth, alone coincides with certain features of this bas-relief; but, though fascinating, it melts away into nothing- ness when subjected to the searching light of criticism. For we do not read in Herodotus that Pterium was the theatre of the final meeting and of the negotiations which ended the war between the contending parties. But, granted even this, it does not follow that the matrimonial alliance was concluded here rather than at some other place. On the other hand, we contend that there is no foundation for the belief which would attribute to this domestic alliance the importance implied by the magnitude of these sculptures. If Herodotus alludes to a battle interrupted by an eclipse, this was done for the sake of extolling the wisdom of Thales, who had predicted it, and of whom his countrymen were justly proud. An incident so gratifying to their national pride was not likely to be forgotten ; thus it came to pass that whilst the details of the struggle between the Medes and the Lydians were unrecorded, its final episode lived in men's memory. Does this prove that the event has the importance which we are tempted to ascribe to it at the present day ? Moreover, is it credible that the Lydians would have had a great work like this placed beyond their territory, where there would have been few opportunities of viewing it ? And if due to the Medes, should we not find here at least some lines of their writing akin to the trilingual inscriptions of Iran, associated with Persian and Assyrian epigraphy ? Whereas the signs on these bas-reliefs belong to no variety of the written system, indifferently called arrow-headed, or cuneiform ; but we meet with its prototype among the hieroglyphs of Northern Syria. One of the characters which we find oftener repeated in Hittitc monun.cnts is the