07-21-2008, 06:28 AM
Quote:I would agree that it is difficult, if not impossible, to estimate lengths from even an intended 'life-size' artistic rendition, hence my use of "about" and the rather approximate figures.....
If you take something even cruder, such as the cartoon-like figures in the Panticapaeum 'graffito' I think you are referring to, it becomes even more difficult, and your example illustrates why, quite well ( see below)
At first glance the Lance/kontos looks huge, but that is because the horse is depicted way too small, and the overall impression is deceptive.....
In fact, the Lance is less than 3 times the length of the rider, in a ratio of 6-2.5.Furthermore, that is the length of the seated rider who is anyway well out of proper proportion. If we adjust to arrive at the proper length of the standing rider, the 2.5 becomes roughly 3.3, and hence the Lance-to-full standing height ratio is 6 to 3.3.
Yes, one of the examples I was referring to is the graffito; the other is from the Tomb of Anthesterios. However, your version there is deceptive as the painting is damaged to the lower right of the rider, right where the butt end of the kontos is, and this is not represented there. The actual kontos was probably longer. In addition, your estimation of the rider increasing in height by almost a third when fully standing is way overblown - a realistic estimate would be perhaps from 2.5 to 2.8 or so, and definitely not above 3.
For the Tomb of Anthesterios, however, we do have the complete kontos shown and figures with more realistic proportions. There the ratio is slightly under 3:1 for the seated figure. Accounting for a standing figure, that would become roughly 2.7:1, and thus 455 cm for the kontos.
Ruben
He had with him the selfsame rifle you see with him now, all mounted in german silver and the name that he\'d give it set with silver wire under the checkpiece in latin: Et In Arcadia Ego. Common enough for a man to name his gun. His is the first and only ever I seen with an inscription from the classics. - Cormac McCarthy, Blood Meridian
He had with him the selfsame rifle you see with him now, all mounted in german silver and the name that he\'d give it set with silver wire under the checkpiece in latin: Et In Arcadia Ego. Common enough for a man to name his gun. His is the first and only ever I seen with an inscription from the classics. - Cormac McCarthy, Blood Meridian
