The sepulchral chambers of Phœnicia contain mortuary furniture not
without interest. It consists of _alabastra_ of glass, terra-cotta and
alabaster, standing against the wall; and of idols in terra-cotta,
representing Baal-Hammon sitting between two rams, the god Bes, of
Egyptian origin, the god Pygmæus, Astarte sitting or standing with a
dove in her hand, and, lastly, terra-cotta chariots holding one or two
figures, with two or four horses harnessed to them. Besides these
objects of Phœnician manufacture, amulets and statuettes, imported
from Egypt, are found. The body of the deceased was enveloped in bands;
the mouth and eyes were often covered with gold leaf, and rich men often
placed a complete mask, formed of gold leaf, in which all the features
of the face are marked: it is thus seen to what an extent Egyptian
habits were implanted in Phœnicia. Lamps, amphoræ, amulets and
ornaments are also found in the tombs of the Syrian coast. Women were
buried with their necklaces, their rings, their bracelets, their
ear-rings, their metal mirror, their pyxes for cosmetics and perfumes,
and their toilet articles. Rings, provided with engraved stones which
served as seals, are also found; nowhere, except in Cyprus, have weapons
been discovered in the tombs of this nation of merchants.
In the Cypriote necropolis at Dali (Idalion) there are often at the side
of the corpses pieces of pottery with geometrical decorations, bronze
weapons, gold ornaments, metal dishes with figures engraved on the
inner side, statuettes of Astarte, of warriors, of chariots and of
riders similar to those on the Phœnician coast.
Among the tombs at Amathus which are Phœnician and date from the
fourth century, there are some constructed of fine regular masonry, with
a door framed in a fillet, and a flat roof, or one with a double slope
like those of our houses. These tombs sometimes contain several
chambers, along the walls of which the sarcophagi were set in a row,
sometimes in the human form, sometimes with a triangular lid.
[Illustration: Fig. 206.--Tomb at Amathus (after Cesnola, _Cyprus_).]
The Phoenician tombs found in Malta, in Sicily and in Sardinia, present
the same arrangement as those on the coasts of Syria and Cyprus: the
descent into the cave is by a sunken shaft or by a flight of steps, and
the chambers resemble those that we have described. At Caralis and at
Tharras pyramidal cippi have been found _in situ_, above ground, which
marked the position of the burial-places, as we have already seen in
Phœnicia: in these tombs the furniture is imported from Egypt,
Etruria and Asia.
[Illustration: Fig. 207.--Sepulchral chamber at Amathus (after Cesnola,
_Cyprus_).]
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