Page 213 - The Art & Architecture of the Ancient Orient_Neat

PART two: the peripheral
Regions
truly native art, if the development had not been interrupted by Assyrian conquest.
A Syrian invention, for instance, is the double sphinx base, which occurs at Sakjcgcuzi
(Plate 155) and at Zin^irli, and which was copied in Assyria. The column base of
plate 154B is likewise typical for north Syrian art; it recurs in Barrekub’s HilaniK at
Zin^irli.92 On the other hand, the Assyrian example was followed, when a line of
orthostats showed, instead of decorative designs, long processions of figures to serve as
foil to the royal person. In the ninth century this device
was unknown both in Syria and
Assyria, but Tiglathpil esar III used it extensively in his reliefs and paintings of Arslan
Task and Til B
arsi ip. It dominated the decoration of Sargon of Khorsabad. In comparison

A
c

Figure 90. Courtiers, from Zin^irli

with these displays the north Syrian courtiers look rustic enough (Figure 90), and at
Care emish the repetition is overdone in die long and utterly lifeless rows of soldiers,
courtiers, and women at a religious ceremony.93 Yet these renderings of local courts are
not always without originality. There is not, to my knowledge, an Assyrian example of
a falconer as at Sakjegeuzi, and at Zin^irli there is a procession of musicians rendered
with some liveliness (Plate i6ob).94 There is also a certain ease and freedom in die relief
which accompanies the building inscription ofBarrekub of Zin^rli (Plate 162). In the
ninth century Kilamuva had erected such an inscription, and alongside he had himself
depicted painstakingly conforming to the etiquette of the Assyrian Court.95 Barrekub,
almost 100 years later, had certainly assimilated Assyrian culture to a much greater ex­
tent; he used furniture which to all intents and purposes was Assyrian,96 and his artists
were Assyrian-trained. But for this very reason he did not trouble to imitate the As­
syrians; he appears in his official portrait with Aramaean side-locks and a shawl, shoes,
and cap which would have raised eyebrows in Nineveh. And the scribe appearing before
him carries, not a clay tablet and stylus, but a pen-case and writing material - probably
- suitable for the Aramaean script. In these matters customs differed from place
papyrus
We have seen that at Sakjegeuzi and Malatya the rulers did not wear side-locks
to place. studded headband, as did
and appeared in sandals, bare-headed and with a rosette-

Sargon.97
184