ANIMALS AND PLANTS FIGURED ON THE CYLINDERS. 419 
The Monkey: We seem occasionally to have what is definitely the monkey, 
as in figs. 733, 914, but usually what may look like a short-tailed monkey rampant 
is more likely a goat. It is a plain monkey in fig. 926. 
The Fox is shown on a single cylinder (fig. 1033). 
The Rabbit: A long-eared rabbit or hare is very often to be found on the 
Syro-Hittite cylinders, rarely elsewhere. It is figured as held in the hand, as for 
food, or by itself. “The head sometimes is given alone. It is also abundant in Egyp- 
tian art and is a fundamental hieroglyph. See figs. 401, 839, 902, 904, 917. 
The Porcupine occasionally appears on cylinders of the middle Babylonian 
period, as if to fill up a space near the top of the scene, as in fig. 425. 
The Tortoise also appears on cylinders of the middle Babylonian period, and 
in the same position as in fig. 453. 
The Frog: The same is true of the frog, except that we also have cases in 
which, at a later period, frogs fill the whole space of the cylinder surface, as in fig. 
1028. See also fig. 528. 
The Crocodile or Lizard: We seem to have a lizard in fig. 151. It is some such 
creature which is speared in the curious archaic cylinder, fig. goo, which belongs 
to a very early Asianic art. 
The Serpent plays a considerable part in Babylonian art. ‘Two serpents, 
twined about a pole, occupy the central portion of the design on the extraordinary 
vase of Gudea shown in fig. 368c, on each side of which is a fantastic dragon hold- 
ing the standard discussed under No. 22 of Chapter Lxvit1. This was dedicated to 
the god Ningishzida. With this compare quite as old a cylinder in fig. 95. On 
the cylinders of the early and middle Babylonian period, especially the latter, the 
serpent does not usually seem to be an important element, but it is simply the 
upright serpent, which seems to have been added to fill a space. An example is 
the seal seen in fig. 388, which shows us a god and a goddess sitting each side of a 
tree, but which has been supposed to represent the temptation of Adam and Eve. 
A serpent seems to protect a tree in fig. 710. See also figs. 1394, 428. The serpent 
does not seem to have been usually an evil spirit; but we find later, in the Assyrian 
period, the serpent taking the place of Tiamat in the fight with Marduk. ‘Two 
such cases have been given, in the chapter on “Bel and the Dragon.” In one of 
these (fig. 579) the serpent is simply armed with horns; while in the other (fig. 
578) it is also provided with short hands. In the Hittite cylinder art we have a 
case which reminds us of the serpent vase of Gudea, for we see (fig. 796) the ser- 
pent twined about a pole, precisely as in the biblical story of the brazen serpent, 
nehushtan, gazed at by the Hebrews when bitten by the fiery serpents, and after- 
wards destroyed by Hezekiah for its idolatrous character. Compare fig. 905. In 
fig. 823 a Hittite worshiper grasps two serpents. In Egyptian art the serpent was 
related to the king, and so in Hittite art the king carries a serpent in his hand. 
See figs. 777, 778, 794, 855, 856; cf. 811, 823, 913. In the later Assyrian, Gilgamesh 
strangles serpents, thus preparing the way for the myth of Hercules. It appears 
to be Adad-Teshub who does the same in fig. 913. But this contest 1s even of the 
archaic period as seen in fig. 120; and Horus equally strangles serpents (fig. 640). 
In fig. 72 the eagle of Lagash similarly strangles the serpents. It is also to be noticed 
that in the magnificent Assyrian bas-relief of Bel and the Dragon (fig. 564) the 
dragon’s phallus is a serpent. Doubtless Heuzey is right in seeing serpent heads on 
