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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[OCTOBER, 1902.
Plate III., Fig. 2. -Two men, armed with axes, fight against a man with horns on
his head. The latter figure I am inclined to take for Agu Pasang dan ru
skyes; compare the list of the Agus (ante, Vol. XXX., p. 564). Plates II., Fig. 1, and IV., Fig. 1, seem to contain two different kinds of magic
squares. These forms are, however, not very common at the present day. Nowadays a form, called dosmo, O, is more in general favor. The bodies of many of the ibex, represented on the plates (e. g., Plate I., Figs. 2, 3 and 5), seem to contain the diagonals of magic squares. Perhaps magic powers were believed to dwell in the body of the ibex. Its horns, together with those of other game,
are offered at tha tho and even at stúpa.5 Plate IV., Fig. 2, contains two reversed forms of tho svastika (yyung drung). An
explanation of the frequent occurrence of this form of the wastika in Ladakh had already been given, ante, Vol. XXX. p. 132. It is the emblem of the Bon
Beligion. That one and the same carving shows Kesar, pencil cedars and stúpas (Plate II., Fig. 1) is not at all strange, if we consider that Kesar was turned into one of the protectors of Buddhism, and apparently was often mixed up with Srong-btsan-sgampo.
But we should probably be making a mistake in taking all the representations of ibershooting to be scenes illustrating Kesar's life-story. The pictares do not in fact seem to have a religious motive only, and many of them may have been drawn for more practical reasons. The 'a Brogpa, although they became Buddhists, did not receive a literature and an alphabet in their own tongue, as the Tibetans did. But as they wished, nevertheless, to note down important occurrences, thọ old pictures developed into a kind of picture-writing, consisting of several simplified, conventional figures. These they used for preserving the simple records of their more or less successful sport, almost in the same manner as the North American Indian does, and among the rock-carvings nothing is more common than hunting scenes. I remember having seen, represented in modern specimens, even men with rifles shooting at ibex. One of such simplified records we have in Plate III., Fig. 3.7 The representation in Plate I., Fig. 3, seems to tell a similar tale. According to my view, it reads as follows: A hunter went out after some game, crossed seven ridges and got two animals. One he killed between the second and third, the other between the third and fourth ridge (if we read from left to right).
Thas we observe that in the representation of the various figures two entirely different styles were developed. The first aims at full figures, at trae copies after nature. Examples we find on Plates II., Figs. 1, 2; IV., Fig. 2 (the hand). Tho aims of the second style are simplification, conventionalism. Examples are: Plates I., Figs. 1, 2, 3; III., Fig. 3; IV., Figs. 1, 2. It is not impossible that the first of these styles is the older one.
Although also the first style is very primitive, it is not unpleasing. The reason is perhaps that the figures are never stiff, but always in lively motion, and, however imperfect, show a keen eye for nature. The finest of all the carvings is doubtlessly the lioness (Plate II., Fig. 2). This picture goes back apparently to a model, spread all over the East and Far East, possibly as a degeneration of the lofty and very ancient art of Assyria,
The diagonals can, however, be explained as merely due to ease in scraping the rook. See ante, Vol. XXX. p. 420, Plate IV., Fig. 2: Plate VI., Fig. 1, Nos, 2, 4, in the case of the Edakal Carvings. -Ed.]
. I would note also the ancient Greeks were particularly fond of this form, as some dipylon vases show. It is not impossible that in Europe, as well as in Asia, it had become known in very ancient times that in southern countries the course of the sun appears to be opposite to the course in northern countries. The Phoenicians apparently passed the equator in very ancient times indeed. To show this superior wisdom, the reversed form may have often been favoured.
1 (Note the similarity of the deer to that in Plate V., ante, Vol. XXX. p. 118, in the Edakal Carvings. -ED.)
