Page:A History of Art in Chaldæa & Assyria Vol 2.djvu/202

A History of Art in Chald.ka and Assyria. like those of a modern bucket, were attached. These handles were hooked to a ringf or fastened to the back of the figure on the plaque. 1 The head of the figure gave something to catch hold of when the vessel w r as upon the table, with its handle down. The form in question (see Fig. 91) was chosen by the artist on account of its fitness for the work to be done ; the tail and wings embrace the swelling sides very happily ; but yet it would never have been so employed had it not belonged to the ordinary repertory of the ornamentist. Of all these types the only one that does not seem to have been invented by those who made use of it is that of the winged sphinxes used as supports in the palace of Esarhaddon (Vol. I., Fig. 85). The human-headed lion is certainly found long before, but it is not until the later reigns that he takes the couchant Fig. 91. — Human-headed bird. From De Longperier, One-third of the actual size. attitude and something of the physiognomy of the Egyptian sphinx. Under the Sargonids communication with Egypt became so frequent that certain motives from the Nile valley were intro- duced into the Assyrian system of ornament, but the part they played was always a subordinate one. In creations such as those we have just been studying Chaldsea and Assyria certainly displayed more inventive power than was ever shown by Egypt Speaking broadly, there was no possible combination they did not attempt. It was from Chaldaeo-Assyrian artists that Syria, Judaea, and Phoenicia, as well as Asia Minor, borrowed their imaginary animals ; and, thanks to these middle-men, it was 1 In de Longperier's reproduction of one of these figures, the ring attached to its back is shown.