Page:History of Art in Sardinia, Judæa, Syria and Asia Minor Vol 2.djvu/74

 58 A History of Art in Sardinia and Jud^a. of pincers indifferently.^ If ever the door Is found again — and diligent search should be made for it to obtain a careful drawing, without which It is impossible to arrive at any satisfactory con- clusion — excavations should be made around it to recover the building to which it formerly belonged.^ A pre- Hellenic origin should likewise be ascribed to the Direkli-tach, or colossal rock-cut menhir, 15 m. In height, 4 m. in breadth, and 12 m. In depth, which is still to be seen on the side of the ancient road which connected Tarsus with Pompeiopolls.^ It was probably set up, like the rude stone monuments of Hebrew and other Syrian tribes, to commemorate some local event* If HIttlte sculptures and inscriptions have been found in distant Lycaonia and Isauria, important discoveries may be looked for in the unexplored valleys of Cilicia, only a few hours' journey from the very centre of that civilization. § 3. — Sculpture. Like Chalda^an and Assyrian sculptors, the artists of northern Syria did not progress beyond bas-reliefs. The only instance we have of a statue about natural size is a torso, found at Merash by Puchstein, who made a drawing of it. It is in a deplorable state ; the high relief of the front part has suffered most, and nothing but the mass remains. The back is in better preservation, show- ing that the figure was dressed and wore the long fringed shawl which served as mantle, and which we know, from the sculptured pictures of Mesopotamia. It has no inscription. But the lower portion of a statuette, whose feet are gone, is covered all over with engraved signs. Unfortunately, this part, 21 c. In height, Is least calculated to Indicate the posture and type of the figure. The fragment of a huge closed hand was also unearthed here, but the colossal statue to which it belonged was searched for in vain. From these remains it might be inferred that the Hittlte artist was not Ignorant of the processes of sculpture in the round boss ; nevertheless, not one of the lions which he was so fond of intro- ducing everywhere in his compositions Is wholly disengaged from the block on which he was cut. A very forcible outline forms the relief of the general figure ; whilst a certain amount of care is ^ Wright, The Empire, Plate XVII. '^ Langlois, loc. cit, pp. 239, 253. » Ibid., pp. 239 and 253. ^ Hist, of Art, torn. iv. pp. 342, 343.