Page:History of Art in Sardinia, Judæa, Syria and Asia Minor Vol 2.djvu/230

 212 A History of Art in Sardinia and Jud.ea. the next figure looks like a pigmy. To compensate for this, how- ever, the artist has evidently taken great pains to reproduce on stone every detail and minutiae of the silken embroidery, the heavily fringed robe, and rich apparel of an Eastern monarch. On his head is a low, rounded tiara, with an ornament in front of precious stones, such as is still worn by sultans and rajahs. A loose robe reaches to the ankles, and over it is thrown an embroidered shawl or KavvdKr)<;. The whole costume is ornamented by designs derived from squares, lozenges, stars, and so forth ; which recall similar forms about the tomb of Midas, intended to represent an elaborate carpet.^ So far as profuse display of drapery and precious stones, in the maze of which the artist lost the dominant lines, allows us to judge, the embroidered mantle was secured round the waist by a massive girdle set with precious stones, hidden at the side by the arm, but well outlined in front. A broad collar or necklace is about the neck, apparently made of rings or bands of metal, through which is passed a heavy triple chain ; probably imitated from a gold or more likely a silver ornament, since the silver mines of the Bulgar Maden are in the neighbourhood of Ibreez. The arms are bare up to the elbow, above which is seen a plain armlet. The figures, according to Mr. Davis, have no earrings ; whilst Mr. Ramsay's account is the other way. The crescent-moon symbol on the breast of the priest, if intended for a clasp is, to say the least, very awkwardly placed. Of the two, the figure of the priest betrays greater inexperience on the part of the artist ; who in his endeavour to portray the hands folded in the act of prayer, was unaware that when raised they would be parallel one to the other ; consequently that which is towards the spectator is alone seen, if we except two fingers of the other hand. Conflicting feelings are experienced in presence of a work in which Assyrian influence is so much more distinct than in cognate sculptures of Cappadocia ; in that good design and great skill in detail — be it in the articulations, the profile of the faces, showing the hooked nose of the Semites, the beard and hair crisply curled, which, more than aught else, remind us of Khorsabad and Kujunjik — should be associated with so much that is rude and archaic, and only encountered in the earliest manifestations of Chaldaean art. Nevertheless, no one versed in such matters will ^ Ti&xiER, Asie Mineure, torn. i. Plate LVI.