Page:History of Art in Sardinia, Judæa, Syria and Asia Minor Vol 2.djvu/205

 General Characteristics of Ptertan Monuments. 187 in the great Eastern countries of the world, including Egypt, may be read at once as in an open book ; just as we deciphered the Hittite sculptures of Kadesh and Carchemish. The tall figure of the god (Fig. 320) recalls Dagon or Cannes, worshipped throughout Mesopotamia ; ^ and although the actual type (Fig. 316) has not been met up to the present hour in Assyria, examples of analogous combinations are not rare, notably in the presentment of Nergal, the man-headed lion, mighty hunter, war-god, etc.^. Winged figures, too, are abundant, and eagle-headed deities ; Nishroch, for example, or the lion-headed, as Figs. 315, 316, are plentiful. Again, bulls, antelopes, lions, and many more, which here serve as supports to gods and goddesses, are often introduced in Assyrian sculptures and engraved gems ; indeed, every part found in the Tigris valley, be it mitred bulls, female types, down to the proto-Ionic pillars, finds its counterpart in Cappadocia (Figs. 313, 314, 321), with this difference, that the Nineveh column is somewhat less archaic in character.^ To these may be added the custom of placing flowers in the hands of royal per- sonages (Plate VIII. E) ;* stout clubs, double-headed axes, winged spheres (Figs. 314, 321), the latter being encountered throughout the East, fully exemplified in our former volumes.^ Nor is the impression left by the Boghaz-Keui sculptures effaced when we come to Eyuk : ® the bull engaged in deadly conflict with the lion, which forms so conspicuous a feature in the art of Anterior Asia, where, from Chaldaea to Persepolis it had a symbolic significance, is replaced in Fig. 340 by a ram ; ' and the rabbit figured at Nineveh as devoured by eagles and vultures is despatched by a lion at Eyuk (Fig. 343) ;^ whilst Ninevite ivories exhibit women who in some respects recall our seated goddesses (Figs. 280, 281, 337).® The Eyuk example, above all others, resembles the queen at Kujunjik,^" carved side by side with Asur-nat-sirpal ; the " Jbid.^ torn. ii. Figs. 6, 7, and Figs. 310, 313, « Ibid., Figs. 75, 76, 78, 79 ; 29, 235, Plate X. Rawlinson, The Five Monarchies, vol. ii. pp. 64, 65. ' Hist, of Art, torn. ii. Figs. 246, 273, 338, 407, 443 ; torn. iii. p. 652, Figs. 475, 476, 544» 624. ^ Ibid., torn. ii. Fig. 409. » Ibid., Fig. 247. " Ibid., Fig. 273 ; see also Fig. 14, representing goddesses carried in a procession.
 * Hist, of Art, torn. ii. Fig. 224. "^ Ibid., Figs. 114, 278; 8, 343.
 * Layard, Nineveh, vol. ii. p. 463, Plate LI.
 * Hist, of Art, torn. ii. pp. 310, 313, 223, 224, 280, 281.