198 TREES IN NATURE, MYTH & ART 



rather than representations ; still they are re- 

 cognisable. It is evident that the tree was felt 

 to be an interesting feature in the landscape. 

 The Egyptians would derive much of the same 

 kind of pleasure from the trees as we do ; and, 

 like other people of early days, would, as we 

 have already seen, have thoughts about them 

 that we have outgrown, in form, if not in 

 spirit. 



Trees were quite conventionally represented 

 in the mural sculpture and enamelled bricks of 

 the Assyrian palaces. More often than not 

 they were mere symmetrical patterns based 

 upon tree-form. Occasionally we can recognise 

 such a tree as the palm. Layard shows one 

 with the fronds drawn like a comb or saw. 

 On an enamelled brick wall-face, in the harem 

 of the palace at Khorsabad, there was a repre- 

 sentation of a tree showing careful observation, 

 and several touches of realism, although the 

 treatment is mainly decorative. The bole 

 spreads out towards the root. It rises with a 

 curve ; in fact, in bole and stem, there is a 

 curve first to the left and then to the right, 

 giving the appearance of graceful, balanced 

 standing that we so often see in actual trees. 



