IVORY CARVINGS 47 



and was by him restored to the custody of the cathedral. 

 It is carved in bas-reHef , about the circumference of the lower 

 extremity, with the figures of griffins, a lion, a unicorn, and 

 dogs, interspersed with trees. The original plate, bearing 

 probably the name of the donor, and perhaps a record of his 

 munificent endowment, was lost or removed during the time 

 the horn was in strangers' hands, but a new plate was affixed 

 by Lord Fairfax engraved with the following Latin inscrip- 

 tion: 



Cornu hoc Ulphus, in occidentale parte Dairae Princeps, 

 una cum omnibus terris et redditibus suis olim donavit. 

 Amissam vel abreptam 

 Henricus Ds Fairfax demum restituit 

 Anno Domini 1675. 



Liturgical combs of ivory formed one of the more impor- 

 tant categories of medieval ivory carving, and an exceed- 

 ingly fine specimen, of German workmanship, from the 

 eleventh century, is now in the Louvre Collection. It is of 

 rectangular form, carved on both faces, and is provided with 

 two rows of teeth, the upper being fine and the lower coarse. 

 The front carving shows Samson rending the lion's jaw; on 

 the reverse side is a foliage decoration with spirals and ten- 

 drils. This comb is 19.5 cm. in height and 10.5 cm. wide.* 



One of the finest examples of Byzantine art in ivory is a 

 triptych in the Bibliotheque Nationale at Paris. On the 

 central leaf is depicted the Crucifixion, beside the cross are 

 the figures of Mary and of John, in a compartment above 

 appear the archangels Michael and Gabriel, while a com- 

 partment beneath the cross shows representations of Em- 

 peror Constantine and of his mother, St. Helena. The right 



*Musee National du Louvre; Catalogue des Ivoires par Emile Molinier, Paris [1895-6] 

 p. 48. 



