16 IVORY AND THE ELEPHANT 



course, from the African continent. Some of the finest 

 specimens have been afforded by the tombs of Sparta in 

 Attica, dating from the Mycenian period, about 1500 B. C. 

 One of the finest examples found here was a plaque carved 

 with the figures of a bull and a lion. The latter has sprung 

 upon the bull's back, seizing it by the throat, and the posi- 

 tion and protruding tongue of the victim show the deadly 

 character of the attack. The bull is much more successfully 

 depicted here than is the lion.* Another ivory carving of 

 exceptional merit from these tombs is a very fine-toothed 

 comb, the first zone offering the representation of two 

 sphinxes, while in the second zone are carved three of these 

 enigmatical figures; each side bears the same decoration. f 

 A curious relic from Phsetos in Crete is an unworked piece 

 of ivory from a large elephant tusk. 



The remains of the ancient palace at Knossos, in Crete, 

 from the Minoan period, have furnished fragments of some 

 ivory statuettes, one of which has been partly reconstructed. 

 This is the image of an athlete, with every muscle strained 

 for the accomplishment of some arduous feat; the statuette 

 is about 28 cm. long.| The work dates from between 1800 

 and 1550 B. C. The early Greek island art in ivory carving 

 is also illustrated by some objects found at Enkomi, Cyprus. 

 The finest of these is the beautifully carved handle of a mir- 

 ror, showing a genius and a griffon. There is also from here 

 a carved ivory box with a representation of hunting scenes, 

 a production, probably, of the ninth century B. C. This is 

 now in the British Museum collection.** 



Another fine example of carved ivory was brought to light 



*Rene Dussaud, "Les Civilizations Prehell6niques dans le Bassin de la Mer Egee," 2d 

 ed., Paris, 1914, p. 176, Fig. 131. 

 tOp. cit.. Fig. 132. 



JOp. cit., pp. 72, 73; see Fig. 49, p. 70. 

 **0p. cit., p. 314; see Fig. 222, p. 311, and also Fig. 199. 



