218 dominik bonatz
suggest that the two groups of works were produced at different times.57
however, the fact that the rule of Kapara cannot be precisely dated means
that we lack an important basis for historically situating the reliefs. Dating
is made even more difficult by the fact that, as a whole, the monumental
sculptural works from Guzana have a special status within the tradition
of “neo-hittite” art. Furthermore, unlike the works from samʾal, they do
not exhibit any clear influence by neo-assyrian art.58 this latter observa-
tion has led M. novák to assume that Kapara and the artworks associated
with him should be dated to the second half of the 10th century B.c.,
when Guzana was independent of assyria.59 however, if we assume that
the Kapara period took place in the 9th or even (as M. pucci suggests) in
the 8th century B.c.,60 we are faced with the interesting question as to
why, given the political status of the city as an assyrian vassal, an appar-
ently autonomous production of art continued in Guzana.
the access staircase to the entrance area of the Western palace leads
through the so-called scorpion Gate abutting its eastern side, which is
named after the two jamb figures made of basalt that flank the front
opening of the gate.61 their deployment as apotropaic guardians at one of
the citadel gates recalls similar installations in other Luwian and ara-
maean cities, including the citadel gates in samʾal (see above). however,
their chimeric character, which combines the head of a man with the
body, wings, and claws of a bird and the tail of a scorpion, is the pro-
duct of a local tradition. this is also evident in a very similar figure of a
scorpion-bird-man on one of the “small orthostats” on the southern side
of the Western palace.62
In order to approach the entrance to the Western palace after passing
though the scorpion Gate, the ancient visitor had to make a U-turn. this
meant that he perceived the building’s ornamentation in two separate
moments. the first occurred after the visitor came to the lower area of
57 according to Orthmann, stylistic groups halaf I and II (Orthmann 1971: 120–123).
58 see novák 2002: 156f and Orthmann 2002: 101f.
59 novák 2009: 94. Guzana first came under the political sway of assyria during the
reign of adad-nirari II (911–891 B.c.). In 893 B.c., during his fifth campaign to Ḫanigalbat,
this ruler demanded tribute from Guzana, thereby providing the first clearly datable men-
tion of the city.
60 pucci 2008: 126f. she concludes: “tell halaf had a settled relationship with the assy-
rians, which guaranteed a peaceful condition and allowed an uninterrupted architectural
development (ibid. 127).”
61 von Oppenheim 1955: pls. 141–145; on the site of the figures, see Orthmann 2002:
34f.
62 von Oppenheim 1955: pl. 92b.