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medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture Chris,

This is not exactly a secret. You may read descriptions of, for instance,  the Rabbula
in the Laurentian or the Chester Beatty Syriac Gospels. The early versions are illuminated;
illuminated later versions are rare. In the illustrated Syriac versions, the Synoptic Gospels
and the Eusebian canons are always presented in three columns with one name per column.
There are exterior pillars. Each column is separated from the next by interior pillars. The area
between the pillars contain a gospel or canon The pillars are connected at the top and open at
the bottom. At the top of each column is a stylized and pointed "cloud arch" -- the name is
written within the arch. The Rabbula is well known for its illustrations and the illustrations
discussed and have been for at least 200 years. The Beatty MS is simpler, except for the high
round arched "cupola" that houses the triple arch.

Illustrations of Mary in the Rabbula place her under a double arch. By the 6th century,
when the Rabbula was written, the "double tombstone" arch was already the symbol for
"the" Law handed down to Moses at Sinai.

The windows and doors of Syriac monasteries use the pointed arch; many times the
main door is situated between two windows that descend from the same height as the
door giving again the triple arch divided by pillars.

Further, this particular triple columnar division appears in the architecture and mss of the
various sects -- and the Syriac sects splintered. The MSS of the different sects are easily
distinguished from one another by their scripts. And this is also well known and discussed
by Syriac scholars.. except perhaps Lamsa.

I have seen photographs of a few leaves of an Estrangela MSS that is in Southern Lebanon.
It is illustrated and the Gospels are divided by pillars into, that's right, three columns. Across
the top is the triple arch. That this one is a Gospels is quite unusual. At a conference I was
talking with a specialist on Syriac MSS, who told me that, usually when an MS said to be
an old Syriac MS was found in a village, the MS was merely old and not in Estrangela at all.

If you prefer, I'll qualify the statement. "In Syriac iconography, the evidence that the triple arch
symbolizes the Synoptic Gospels is rather strong." In Roman iconography, the form of the
triple diptych seems to symbolize the trinity -- as does the tri-lobed arch.

Which is why, John, calling it a tri-lobed arch in a Jewish or Moslem setting is a bit difficult --
even though the number of Mosques with windows set in triads is quite noticeable. I presume
the triads of the stylized pointed cloud arches in Arabic architecture has a symbolic meaning,
but I have no idea what it would be. Besides, the example I was asking about doesn't have
three lobes...

In any case, thanks again to everybody.

Rochelle


Christopher Crockett wrote:
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medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture

From: Rochelle Altman 
n Syriac iconography, the triple arch symbolizes the Synoptic Gospels,
    
what's your source for that statement?

c

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