>I have just joined the medieval religion list
>
>I wonder if anyone can help me with any or all of the following:
>
>1 the iconographic/imagery meaning of some of the flowers found
>as borders on the more baroque of funeral monuments I am
>researching. Whilst these are 18th century, the imagery is bound to
>be earlier. The main ones to be found are: daisies, roses,
>tulips, with occasional yew berries and stylised leaves that could
>be acanthus leaves. Sometimes urns (looking rather like waste
>paper baskets!) are found, as well as very cheerful painted angels!
>
>2 Why James of Compostella is shown with a cockle shell as his
>pilgrim badge. My various books on saints do not throw any light on
>this.
>
>Liz Pitman
>
Can't help with the first... As for the shell, it *became* the
pilgrims badge for Santiago de Compostella -- presumably because of
the ocean's proximity? Hence it is applied anachronistically to the
Saint himself. Since this was such an important pilgrimage route the
shell became emblematic of the pilgrim in general, so other "pilgrim"
saints are shown with it (St. Roch for example). Hope that helps!
Dr. N. M. Schulman
Assistant Professor, Department of History
Ohio Wesleyan University
Delaware, OH 43015-2398 U.S.A.
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