Page 133 - The Art & Architecture of the Ancient Orient_Neat

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part one:
MESOPOTAMIA

Figure 41. Embroidered tunic of Assurnasirpal

greatest variety: at the top a four-winged genius, kneeling, holds in each hand a lion
attacking a bull — a motif at least 2,000 years old! Then follow genii confronting the
sacred tree, and palmettes and rosette borders. Other pieces62 show gazelles and ante-
lopes in varying combinations with plant-motifs, ostriches, lions, wild bulls, sphinxes,
griffin demons, and so on. Some of these recur on vases of polychrome faience (Plate
II 8c);63 all of them are used on the cylinder seals of die period.
In plate 119 designs which are mainly decorative show the same qualities of vigour,
precision, and pompous splendour which characterize so many Assyrian ornaments. The
seal above shows two tall figures - perhaps the king - in an attitude of prayer flanking a
oup consisting of two scorpion-men, guardians of the place of sunrise in the Epic of
Gilgamesh, who appropriately support the wings symbolizing the sky and a divine triad

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