768 
THROUGH ASIA 
position between the purely naturalistic or imitative group 
and the higher inventive groups. The two large heads 
(p. 769) belong distinctly to the latter group. In this type 
of figure Kiseritsky recognizes reproductions of the mythical 
national hero of Babylon, Izdubar (or Gizdhubar) ; on the 
other hand, it is difficult to shut one’s eyes to the striking 
resemblance they bear to the ancient Greek satyrs. 
Among the products of the higher inventive art the 
griffins (see p. 772) occupy a position of especial interest. 
They may be regarded as the successors, or developments, 
of the ancient motif oi Garuda, or the fantastic winged bird 
which is so familiar in the ancient native art of India ; it 
is the creature upon which the Indian deity Vishnu loves 
to ride. But they likewise possess unmistakeable kinship 
with the eagle-clawed griffin of Greek mythology, as it 
was depicted about the third century b.c. 
Twenty-two years ago the German scholar Curtius, 
after careful study of such materials as were then avail- 
able, arrived at the conclusion, that Greek art made its 
influence felt in India in the third century li.c. ; and, in his 
opinion, the occasion which led to its introduction across 
the Indus was the victorious campaign of Alexander the 
Great, followed by the founding of the Hellenic kingdoms 
on both sides of the Indus after the death of Alexander, 
i.e. in the period of the Hellenic Diadochi. 
Griinwedel distinguishes two periods of Indian art in 
antiquity — (i) The older, which .shows the predominance 
of Persian ideals, dates from the time of Asoka, or the 
third century is.c. ; to this period belong the artistic finds 
of the famous sites of Barahat, Sanchi, and Amaravati, 
together with several others. (2) The second period is 
that which he calls the period of the Gandhara monas- 
teries, or the Grteco-Buddhi.stic period. Between these 
two Vincent Smith interpolates the Indo-Hellenic school. 
It Is very probable that the terra-cotta objects which 
are found at Borasan date from the time when Alexander’s 
successors were founding their kingdoms on the northern 
frontiers of India. The neighbourhood of Peshawar 
seems to have been the centre from which the Ideas of 
