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Download Download IV. NOTES Otf EARLY CHRISTIAN SYMBOLISM. By J. ROMILLY ALLEN, F.S.A. SCOT. The history of Christian Symbolism covers so wide a field for archteo- logical research, bot s 'regarda h s spac d time d dealan e an , s with works of art executed in so many different materials and applied to such a variety of uses, that it would be quite impossible to discuss the subject as a whole within the limits of a short paper The following notes are therefore confine e symbolisth o t de sculpture th f mo d stonewore th f ko Norman period in Great Britain, such as tympana of doorways, fonts, capital f columnso s d othean , r ornamental detail f o ecclesiasticas l buildings. This particular clas f remaino s s beeha s n chose investigatior nfo n ni preference to any other, because it follows directly in order of time after e Celtith c crosse f Scotlando s d thuan , s fonn e connectinth s g link between the abstruse symbolism of the pre-Norman period and that of the thirteenth to the sixteenth centuries, the meaning of which is made clear by the descriptions in the MSS. of the Middle Ages. Dr J. Anderson, who has so ably discussed the symbols on the Scottish stones Rhinds hi n i Lectures, says with regar them—o t d cleas i t "I r thae th t absolute mastery of the whole field of knowledge that lies round about them must preced e master eth e profounde th f yo r secret f theiso r special character and significance." 1 n additioI possible th o nt e ligh throwe meanine b t th y than no ma t g e earlieoth f r syste f symbolismo e latewhice e studth th on r f y o hmb 1 Scotland in Early Christian Times, 2nd series, p. 176. NOTES ON EARLY CHRISTIAN SYMBOLISM. 381 immediately succeeded it, the sculptures of the Norman period have a o tellt stor f thein ,o y fraughow r t witvere th hy highest intereso t t thosshalo ewh l rea t darighti . onle Th y reliable metho f arrivindo a consisten t ga satisfactord an t y explanation of the ideas intended to he conveyed by the sculptures in question is to arrange and classify the whole series, and then compare them with similar representations, whose meaning is well known either by traditio r writteno n history. Symbolism may be defined as a means of expressing ideas and facts by representations, which are in the first instance pictorial, but by frequent repetition gradually assume certain stereotyped forms. System f symbolisso m existe n Pagadi n times previou introe th o -t s duction of Christianity, as is shown by the fact that the phonetic alphabet e Greekth d f Romanso an s s were originally developef o t dou a primitive kind of picture writing. Christian symbolism will conse- quentl e s founearlieyb it n i d r stage o containt s som elemente 'oth f s e Pagath of n symbolism which precedes centurieA . it d s rollen o d Christian nations progresse civilisationn i d d theian ; r ideas changen di many ways with regard to spiritual matters, and the symbolism, which was the outcome of these ideas, altered also. This process of change was, however, only partial, for although some symbols have been lost entirely, others remai s the a e samynw th e thireno werth dn ei century have A.Dw e; . thus four classe f Christiao s n symbols, namely— (1) Those which have survive e destructivth d e effect f timeo d s an , ar epresene useth t da t tim expreso et s their original meaning. (2) Those which, although they have cease usee b thi n di o d t s country, foune b ar o et de abroad us stil n i l . (3) Those which have ceased to be used both in this country and else- where, but whose meaning is known, by inscriptions upon the objects, or by written descriptions about them. (4) Those which have ceased to be used both in this country and elsewhere, and about whose meaning nothing is known either from histor r inscriptionsyo . Many uninscribed e symbolunderstoob y ma s y comparisob d n with those belonging to class 3, whose characterstic features are similar. The 382 PROCEEDING E SOCIETYTH F O S , JUN , 18849 E . meaning of symbols of the fourth class can only be arrived at by guess- work. Often a group of figures is so diamatically arranged, and cor- responds so well with the description given of some striking incident, in Bible th r elsewhereeo , thae interpretatioth t t difficultno s ni . Ther s alsei generaoa l syste f symbolismmo r picturo , e writing, where the idea conveyed is some distinctive quality of the thing represented (as, for instance, a horse, to signify swiftness). Lastly, there are absolutely arbitrary symbols, such as the Greek letter TT, whic s usei h mathematician y b d o indicatt s e e ratith th e f oo diamete a circls circumference it f o ro et . Oncf o e meanin th y e an f go these arbitrary symbols is lost, there is no conceivable method by which agaie b n n ca recovered t i . The chief sources of the materials for the study of early Christian art are as follows :— Frescoe Catacombe th n si t Koinesa . Sarcophagi from the Catacombs. Mosaics in the Churches of Italy. 3rd to 8th Century. Glass Vessels from Tombs in Italy. Belt Clasps from Burgundian Graves. Ivories. 8th to llth Century. \ IrishI™h, Saxon, anandd other MSS. _ ( Sculptured Crosses in Great Britain. ( Medieval MSS. Sculptured details of Churches. llth to 13th Century. Painted Glass Window Churchesf so . Frescoes in Churches. Pavements in Churches. Enamels. • Some of the above sources have been thoroughly explored, whereas others have scarcely receive attentioe dth n they deserve Catacombe Th . s of Borne r instancefo , , have been fully describe d illustratean d a y b d variet f differenyo t authors . ,e KossiB d G suc. s Bosioa A h, , . MA . Boldetti, P. Aringhus, E. Garucci, &c. In the South Kensington Museum there is an admirable collection of ivories available for purposes NOTE EARLN O S Y CHRISTIAN 3 SYMBOLISM38 . of studye BritisMSSe th Th n i ..h Museum have been written about chiefly fro historican ma r pateographicao l l poin almose f viewth o tt thu , inexhaustible store f sacreo s d legendaran d t containeyar then i d - mre main still untouched.1 The sculptures found in connection with our ancient cathedral d churchesan s , although thee manar y f theo y m described separately in the Proceedings of Antiquarian Societies, have not, as far as I am aware, been treated of as a whole. One of the most able . KeyserA . C e subjecpaper ,r th F.S.A. M n s tha i o sty e b tth , n "O Tympanum of a Doorway in the Church of South Feniby in Lincoln- shire," in vol. xlvii. of the Archceologia; and I now take the opportunity of expressing my thanks to this learned author for the kind assistance he ha s n e makin lisi givef sculpture th o te t nm ou g d Norman fontd an s tympana of doorways, which will be found at the end of this paper. The list referred to is brought before this Society in the hope that the publicity thus given to it will induce members to make it more perfect by adding fresh examples. The numbers of sculptures already included e listh t n shoi w what ample material thero fort ms a Museui e f mo Christian Archeology haviny b , g casts take f themo n thao s , t then yca be placed togethee galleryon n s thui ra , s alon n the compareca e y b d satisfactorily, and made to yield any scientific result. At present these sculptures are so scattered over the face of the country that it is quite e individuaimpossiblon e publiy f th theman o visio d r t l cl fo al an e,t generally remain in almost entire ignorance of the great wealth of art- workmanship whic e alreadw h y possesn s withiow r e limitou th n f o s islands without going to Greece or Borne for copies. As far as actual execution is concerned, no doubt many of our early sculptures are exceedingly rude when compared with examples of classic art, but it must not be forgotten that in almost all cases the ideas which inspired the Christian sculptor were far purer and nobler than those of Pagan times, and they were expressed with a vigour which is often wanting in the more refined productions of the artistic culture of the older civilisation. The rudeness of some of the early sculptures in this country has 1 Mr W. de Grey Birch, of the MSS. Department of the British Museum, has publishe admirabln da e classified inde f subjectsxo . 384 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, JUNE 9, 1884. caused them in many cases to be classed as of. pre-Christian origin, and their meanin s beegha n entirely misunderstood, because sufficient allow- t bee no t anctraininne ar s wan th mad ha ef d educatioo r t an gfo e n existing in remote places and times. In order to have any chance of explaining satisfactorily the meaning e systeoth f f earlmo y symbolism t wili , e necessarb l t asidpu l eal o yt ideas which are the result of modern culture, and endeavour to look at things fro mmediaevaa l poin f viewo t , remembering that politicad an l religious changes have entirely altered the cast of the national mind, and that advances in knowledge have revolutionised science and art.
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