148 



FLORA OF THE 



or in a modified form, is traceable not only on sacred 

 trees of various kinds, and on cylinders, but on the 

 helmets of Sargon and the winged genius, as shown in 

 fig. 'j6a, b, r, and d. 



It is no wonder that some of the Egyptian sphinxes 

 may have had it on their head-dress, considering that, 

 as we now well know, the Assyrians and Egyptians had 

 intimate relations with each other from a very remote 

 period, and must have borrowed each other's ideas.^ 



d 



Fig. 76. — (a) Helmet of king or genius, Botta's ' Monuments de Ninive,' 

 pi. 28 ; {l>) Helmet of winged genius from the Louvre, Perrot and 

 Chipiez ; (c) Top of royal umbrella, Perrot and Chipiez, vol. 2, 

 p. 138 ; [d] ' Luck-horns ' at the foot of sacred fir tree, in the front of 

 which Sargon stands holding three pomegranates in one hand. 



Although this device may have been freshly imported 

 ' The winged sphinx itself may have been of Assyrian invention. 



