Indian Antiquary Vol 16

Author(s): John Faithfull Fleet, Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 74

62
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[FEBRUARY, 1887.
XII.
female characters are taken by youths in to decipher. One or two of the figures have women's dress. Certain dances are also per- the hair arranged in the Egyptian fashion, formed in Asia by men and boys, the latter and some have a veil arranged like the sári of dressed as women."
the Hindu woman; others have the hair dressed very high and the veil put over it, and these
remind one of the Sikh women of the Pañjáb; Concluding Remarks.
others again look like Lapp women. One or There is a point which I would feign touch two large heads, presumably male ones, wear upon, in conclusion, in the hope of drawing turbans, while a small male figure of an Egypmore attention to it than it has hitherto mettian type has strands of hair brought down on with. There is a most remarkable collection each side of the face and twisted into a coil of sculptures now in the Archæological Museum beneath the chin; but, strange to say, not one at Madrid, which up to date have puzzled the single male figure is bearded, which would seem most learned antiquarians. They do not seem to point to a non-Aryan origin. One little male to be as well known to the world in general as statue, which is about ten inches high, has in they deserve; and, as the Spanish Government its attitude and features the perfect look of reis said to have bought a portion only of what pose peculiar to the statues of Buddha, and the was found, it is to be hoped that some may still likeness is further carried out in the arrangefind their way into the Art Museum at South ment of the hair and of the folds of the robe. Kensington. They are statues discovered in The most interesting point about them, as re1870-71 on a hill called El Cerro de los Angeles gards the subject of Symbolism, is that all the near Yecla, a small village in the province of female figures carry pots in their hands at Murcia. Mr. Juan Riaño, in an article pub. about the level of the waist, out of some of lished in the Athenæum of July 6th, 1872, gives which flames are issuing, which would seem to it as his opinion that "they do not all belong to mark them as images of votaries of some religion the same period." He holds that "some are connected with the Sun or Fire. One very anterior, and that others are posterior, to the remarkable female figure holds such a pot, and Christian era," and adds" in all of them is a on her breast are the symbols of the Sun and marked Oriental influence. It is probable that Moon with a large star between them. On her the Cerro de los Angeles was the seat of different robe, also, just below the knees are sculptured civilizations, unless some of these objects proceed a serpent, a tree (?) and other signs in an from different localities." In fact, on studying unfinished state, and therefore not clearly disthe different types of dress and of physiog- tinguishable. Who the people were that made nomy shown in the statues, one is tempted to these statues, is a complete mystery; and it imagine that they may in past ages have adorned seems hardly possible that they could all have the museum of some collector of antiquities, who been the work of the same race. lived a thousand years ago. One nearly lifesize figure is a counterpart of the Egyptian And now that all my observations, discursive god Isis; while many of the heads bear a strong as they have been, have drawn to a close, let resemblance to certain statues found in 1884 on me say a few last words as to the lesson that the island of Cyprus." The greater number studies such as these imply. Doubtless many are female figures in a standing position; but other points of resemblance between the man. there is one male life-sized figure, said to be that ners and customs of Asia and Europe still of a priest, and a few detached male head. remain to be enumerated, and if, pace the latest Some of them are inscribed with Greek
researches, we once open our eyes to the possicharacters, others bear certain marks which bility that Asia was the cradle of most of the none of the learned have hitherto been able nations of Europe, a new light seems to break
1 i Compare the description of the swing in the Legends of the Panjab, Vol. I. p. 191. Among the Kahar caste in Northern India dances, in imitation of the nach, are commonly held in which the women's parts are performed by youtha drossed up as girls. There is an admirable representation of such a dance in pottery in the Oxford Indian Institute. Passion Plays are, however, very far
from being confined to Spain or India. They seem to have been prevalent in overy part of Europe and Asia for many centuries.-ED.)
25 Author of the South Kensington Hand-book on Spanish Art.
These latter I only know from drawings.