Page:History of Art in Sardinia, Judæa, Syria and Asia Minor Vol 2.djvu/288

 270 A History of Art in Sardinia and Judaea. / auxiliaries of former days, that had done such excellent service ' against Ramses and Sargon, around Kadesh and Carchemish, being conspicuous by their absence. The study of the sculptured remains confirms inductions to be drawn from written records ; such monuments in Cappadocia as seem older, are invariably those which come nearer the Syrian carvings. Compare, for example, the Eyuk stones (Figs. 328, 344) with the Merash stelas (Figs. 280, 281) and with Fig. 283 at Roum-Kale. On the other hand, the resemblance is much less marked between the two series, which appear to be of a later date. From the hour when the rulers of Nineveh caused their influence to be felt on the banks of the lower stream of the Euphrates, the Eastern Hittite looked to Assyria for his models. Many a bas-relief (Fig. 279), many a fragment (Fig. 290), might almost pass for work executed for a Babylonian palace.^ Mean- while, in Asia Minor, the native artist adhered to the forms and symbols which long usage had endeared to him, albeit in his hands they ' underwent considerable modification, notably at Boghaz- Keui, where the figures in the passage exhibit so marked a degree of sober elegance, as to suggest the idea that they were the pro- totypes of Grecian art. Again, rock-cut sculptures are far more numerous in Asia Minor than in Syria. At the outset, this was doubtless due to difference of material, which in Northern Syria was hard and of a volcanic nature, whilst the prevailing stone in the central plateau is calcareous and comparatively soft. All deductions made, the fact remains that, except in Egypt, the ancient world has no parallel instance that can at all compare, in magnitude at least, with these rupesque carvings, affording another proof of the profound originality of the people which executed them. Even had such criteria been wanting, almost ^ The Hittites borrowed the custom of wearing a beard arranged in rows of curls from Mesopotamian sculptures. Among Hittite characters are many which represent the human head with various attributes, but always smoothly shaved (Fig. 256). This peculiarity was reproduced by the Egyptian artist, in his portraiture of the Kheta and their Asiatic allies (Fig. 257, 259, 260, 349, 388). The same applies to the Merash stelas (Fig. 282), and the bas-reliefs at Eyuk, which we incline to regard among the oldest Hittite carvings. On the other hand, we find the beard on bas-reliefs which betray unmistakable signs of Assyrian influence (Figs. 276, 279, 290). If we except a few bearded figures (Plate VIH. E., heading the left proces- sion, Figs. 352, 354), it may be said that closely shaven faces obtained throughout Asia Minor. The Assyrian model nowhere ran more imminent risk of being equalled than in Fig. 254, from Ibreez.