Travels and discoveries in North and Central Africa, Vol. 1 (of 5) : $b being a journal of an expedition undertaken under the auspices of H.B.M.'s Government, in the years 1849-1855Barth, Heinrich
History
Travels and discoveries in North and Central Africa, Vol. 1 (of 5) : $b being a journal of an expedition undertaken under the auspices of H.B.M.'s Government, in the years 1849-1855
Barth, Heinrich
Africa, Central -- Description and travel; Africa, North -- Description and travel
Between these two half-human figures, which are in a hostile attitude,
is a bullock, small in proportion to the adjacent lineaments of the
human figure, but chiselled with the same care and the same skilful
hand, with the only exception that the feet are omitted, the legs
terminating in points, a defect which I shall have occasion to notice
also in another sculpture. There is another peculiarity about this
figure, the upper part of the bull, by some accident, having been
hollowed out, while in general all the inner part between the deeply-
chiselled outlines of these sculptures is left in high relief. The
animal is turned with its back towards the figure on the right, whose
bow it seems about to break. The block on which it was sculptured was
about four feet in breadth and three in height. It was lying loose on
the top of the cliff.
No barbarian could have graven the lines with such astonishing firmness,
and given to all the figures the light, natural shape which they
exhibit. The Romans, who had firmly established their dominion as far as
Garama, or Jerma, might easily have sent emissaries to this point and
even further; but the sculptures have nothing in them of a Roman
character. Some few particulars call to mind the Egyptian sculptures.
But on the whole it seems to be a representation of a subject taken from
the native mythology, executed by some one who had been in intimate
relation with the more advanced people on the coast, perhaps with the
Carthaginians. Be this as it may, it is scarcely doubtful that the
subject represents two divinities disputing over a sacrifice, and that
the figure at the left is intended for the victor.
On the cliff itself there is another sculpture on a large block which,
now that the western end is broken off, is about twelve feet long and
five feet high. The surface of the block is quite smooth, protected as
it has been, in some degree, by the block above, which projects
considerably; nevertheless the sculpture has suffered a good deal. It
bears testimony to a state of life very different from that which we are
accustomed to see now in these regions, and illustrates and confirms
Saint Augustine’s[60] statement, that the ancient kings of this country
made use of bulls for their conveyance. It represents a dense group of
oxen in a great variety of positions, but all moving towards the right,
where probably, on the end of the stone which is now broken off, the
pond or well was represented from which the beasts were to be watered.
Some of these bulls are admirably executed, and with a fidelity which
can scarcely be accounted for, unless we suppose that the artist had
before his eyes the animals which he chiselled. My sketch gives only a
faint idea of the design, which is really beautiful. The only defect, as
I have already remarked above, is in the feet, which, from some reason
or other, have been negligently treated.
[Illustration]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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