IVORY CARVINGS FROM MYCENAE continued Runninglions. Ivory plaques(actual size) from the House of Shields. From the House of Shields the lion plaques are the finest. There are pieces of at least three narrow plaques with running lions and one rectangular plaque showing a lion pouncing on a calf and seizing it by the neck. The running lions are drawn and carved with exceptional vigor and naturalism. The lion seizing its pjrey by the throat is a splendid example of the observation of nature and records with fidelity an instantaneous action. The artist's drawing of the lion and its prey is masterly and the composition follows a well known Mycenaean convention especially prominent on intaglios. The narrow plaques with running lions perhaps formed the sides of a casket and the lion and calf the lid. The head of a warrior wearing a boar's tusk helmet shown almost fully in the round is an exceptional piece of solid ivory in almost perfect condition. It is superior to heads of this type found sixty years ago at Mycenae itself and at Spata. The details of the helmet are faithfully rendered and the warrior seen in full face gives a most realistic picture of a Mycenaean soldier. Homer knew helmets of this type and records that Meriones lent one to Odysseus. We can imagine from our head how a Homeric warrior wearing such a helmet would have appeared. The model figure-of-eight shields must have been Head of warrior wearinga boar's tusk helmet. Ivory carving (slightly under actual size) from the House of Shields. 153