An Illustrated Dictionary of Words used in Art and Archaeology / Explaining terms frequently used in works on architecture, arms, bronzes, Christian art, colour, costume, decoration, devices, emblems, heraldry, lace, personal ornaments, pottery, painting, sculpture, &c., with their derivations.

by John W. Mollett

Fig. 618. Crio-Sphinx.

Sphinx, Egyp. (Σφίγξ). An emblem peculiarly Egyptian, signifying the religious mystery; in this sense it was adopted by the Romans and placed in the pronaos of their temples. The Andro-Sphinx (Fig. [617]), a human head upon a lion’s body, typified generally the union of intellectual and physical power; the Crio-Sphinx (Fig. [618]) had the head of a ram; and the Hieraco-Sphinx (Fig. [619]) that of a hawk. The two latter are complex emblems; the hawk being the sun-god’s and the king’s special figure, and the ram that of the god Neph. The symbolical importance of these figures was completely disregarded in the course of their application to the purposes of Greek art.

Fig. 619. Hieraco-Sphinx.

Sphyrelata, Gr. Hammered metal-work; the earliest form of art manufacture in metal. Archaic statues, antecedent to the invention of the art of casting, were formed of hammered plates fastened together with rivets. (See Metallurgy.)

Spicæ Testaceæ, R. (spica, ear of corn). Oblong bricks for pavements; applied in the Spicatum Opus.

Fig. 620. Spicatum Opus.

Spicatum (opus), R. A term answering to our HERRING-BONE. work; it was a kind of construction in which the stones were arranged so as to resemble the setting of the grains in an ear of corn. (Fig. [620].)