medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Marjorie Greene asked:
> I am watching Simon Schama's "History of Britain" and
> there is an object on the left of the screen,
> functioning as a sort of symbol or logo of the series,
> that looks like a stylized chrismon: an upright with
> an X across it. It appears to be made of wood or some
> dark metal....
It does appear to be the series logo, for it appears in a photo
(with seashore in the background, at dusk) at the top of the web
page and in another photo (same, at sunset) on the DVD and VHS
boxes: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/programmes/hob/index.shtml
As well, it's on the cover of Vol. 1 of the U.K. edition:
http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/0563384972.02.LZZZZZZZ.jpg
Perhaps someone with one of those items can see if the picture
has a proper caption?
Purely speculation: As I recall, Schama started the series at
the neolithic site at Skara Brae, Orkney, which dates to
3200-2200 BC. Of course, it could be a cross but if connected
with prehistorical Orkney couldn't be a Christian symbol. Also,
at this or some other remote Scottish location, the cross is so
lightly built it is unlikely to be the original, for it would
have weathered away in a matter of decades.
BTW if this is supposed to be a cross, the X-shape is
reminiscent of the saltire cross, on which St. Andrew was, by
legend, crucified. But St. Andrew did not become associated
with Scotland until about the 8th century, when some relics may
have been transported from his tomb in Constantinople to the old
cathedral of St. Andrews and subsequently lost or destroyed.
Pope Paul VI gave St. Mary's Cathedral in St. Andrews some
relics in 1969. (The other relics in Constantinople found
their way to Amalfi. So much veneration of bones, so little
respect for graves.)
Al Magary
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