Page:History of Art in Sardinia, Judæa, Syria and Asia Minor Vol 1.djvu/87

Bronzes, Statuettes, Votive Boats. archer, of doubtful origin, should have been found. 1 Nor has anything relative to horses been recovered at Teti or elsewhere, if we except two fragmentary bits in bronze, including one in iron, and a frontal necessarily posterior to bronze implements. 2 On the other hand, the ox is often portrayed ; as, for instance, in the two statuettes figuring a man riding a bullock, held by a leading- string passed round one of the ears — a custom that may still be seen in the remote districts of the island, as well as in the Italian peninsula. It may be inferred, therefore, that Sardinia had foot soldiers but no infantry ; that these monuments were anterior to the introduction in the island of those small, hardy ponies which do such excellent service ; whether for riding or beasts of burden, oxen were made to fulfil both offices. 3 In our map we have been care- ful to indicate the places around which the more important exca- vations have been made ; whilst mention that bronzes have been recovered in nearly every part of the country except Gallura, may find here its proper place. The east and west coast, but in an eminent degree the central plateau, whose more gentle slopes are found east and west overlooking the rich Campidano level, have yielded a wealth of monuments unsur- passed anywhere in number and interest. This, too, without the superintendence of " savants " or educated individuals, when the " finds " are carefully noted down, and each incident attending their disinterment minutely described. If the truth must be admitted, no regular or systematic explora- tions have been practised in the Phoenician nécropoles of the seaboard, nor yet about nuraghs and tombs in the interior where they abound. 4 Nevertheless, from the testimony of the finders themselves, as to the manner of the recovery of these monuments, Fig. 69.— Female Statuette, recovered at Teti. Height, 9 c. Gouin's collection. From Wallet. 1 Spano, Bollettino Arch. Sardo, vii. p. 16, Plate I., 186 r. 2 Pais, Bollettino, pp. 25, 117, 1884. 3 Ibid. p. 26, 1884. 4 We make an exception in favour of M. Elena's excavations, whose only draw- back is that they were confined to a few tombs.