Fraktin, &c; the "jockey-cap" on the Tarkudimme boss; the broad-bordered
over-robe, and the upturned shoes--are not found on other Asiatic
monuments, except where Hittites are portrayed. Animals in profile are
represented more naturalistically than human beings, e.g. at Yasili
Kaya, and especially in some pictographic symbols in relief (e.g. at
Hamah). This, however, is a feature common to Mesopotamian and Egyptian,
and perhaps to all primitive art.
The subjects depicted are processions of figures, human and divine
(Yasili Kaya, Euyuk, Giaur Kalessi); scenes of sacrifice or adoration,
or other cult-practice (Yasili Kaya, Euyuk, Fraktin, Ivriz, and perhaps
the figures seated beside tables at Marash Sakchegeuzu, Sinjerli, &c.);
of the chase (Arslan Tepe, Sakchegeuzu); but not, as known at present,
of battle. Both at Euyuk and Yasili Kaya reliefs in one and the same
series are widely separated in artistic conception and execution, some
showing the utmost _naivete_, others expressing both outline and motion
with fair success. The fact warns us against drawing hasty inductions as
to relative dates from style and execution.
Besides sculptures, well assured, Hittite art-products include a few
small objects in metal (e.g. heavy, inscribed gold ring bought by Sir W.
M. Ramsay at Konia; base silver seal, supported on three lions' claws,
bought by D. G. Hogarth at Bor; inscribed silver boss of "Tarkudimme,"
mentioned above, &c. &c.); many intaglios in various stones (chiefly in
steatite), mostly either spheroidal or gable-shaped, but a few
scarabaeoid, conical or cylindrical, bearing sometimes pictographic
symbols, sometimes divine, human or animal figures. The best collection
is at Oxford. The majority are of very rude workmanship, bodies and
limbs being represented by mere skeleton lines or unfilled outlines; a
few vessels (e.g. inscribed basalt bowl found at Babylon) and fragments
of ware painted with dark ornament on light body-clay, or in polychrome
on a cream-white slip, or black burnished, found on N. Cappadocian
sites, &c. The bronzes hitherto claimed as Hittite have been bought on
the Syrian coast or come from not certainly Hittite sites in Cappadocia
(see E. Chantre, _Mission en Cappadocie_). A great many small objects
were found in the excavations at Sinjerli, including carved ivories,
seals, toilet-instruments, implements, &c., but these have not been
published. Nor, except provisionally, has the pottery, found at
Sakchegeuzu.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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