The land of the Hittites : $b An account of recent explorations and discoveries in Asia Minor, with descriptions of the Hittite monumentsGarstang, John
History
The land of the Hittites : $b An account of recent explorations and discoveries in Asia Minor, with descriptions of the Hittite monuments
Garstang, John
Hittites; Turkey -- Antiquities
match, and low backs, the upper bars of which are thicker and rounded
behind. The table is of familiar shape, rather squeezed in the drawing.
The top seems to be round, and the curved legs (which are probably three
in number) cross about two-thirds of their height, forming a tripod. The
feet of the legs are ornamented, probably but not clearly, as animals’
feet. Upon the table are five flat circular objects (if we interpret the
perspective of the drawing rightly) like native loaves of bread, and upon
them are two small pear-shaped objects more difficult to define.
The class of sculpture to which this monument belongs is to be
distinguished in our opinion from that in which one of the personages
represented is clearly more exalted than the other,[207] hence
presumably the lord or master to whom a servant ministers; whereas in
these, the persons seem to be on an equality, and both share in the
feast. The suggestion of a ‘funerary feast’[208] as an explanation of
these sculptures seems most natural, but the difficulty in accepting
this arises from the fact that at Sinjerli the stone in question forms
part of a mural decoration, and others of those mentioned seem to be
clearly architectural blocks. This difficulty might be explained away
by the compromise that the scenes were originally commemorative of
some religious institution of a funerary character, though not actually
tombstones.[209]
One of the most interesting monuments of this kind is found at
Sakje-Geuzi, which lies in the same valley as Sinjerli, about a day’s
journey to the north-east. The route passes through a gap in a low ridge
which divides the valley transversely and forms a natural boundary
between the two districts. Recent excavations[210] have unearthed in
one of the mounds at Sakje-Geuzi the outline of a walled citadel and
the foundations of a palace with portico sculptured in characteristic
fashion. These buildings we describe with those of Sinjerli and Eyuk
in a later chapter; but there are one or two surface monuments of this
site that may appropriately be mentioned now. One of these is the relief
in question.[211] The stone was found in the marshy ground at the foot
of the mound called Jobba Eyuk. The stone is preserved to a height of
27 inches, and is probably a decorative building slab, brought down in
modern times from the mound. The carving is very weathered, but its main
features may be readily made out. The figure on the left is seated, with
hands stretched out towards the table; while that on the opposite side
stands facing the other, with hands forward as though in the act of
serving.[212] The dresses seem to be long robes; that of the standing
figure may be bordered or fringed. The hair of the seated figure ends
in a bunched curl.[213] The chair is straight-legged as before, only
the back is higher, and while curving very slightly backwards does not
thicken but rather tends to taper. The table is better drawn than in the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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