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Genevra, I'm especially intrigued by the birds in the image you provided from Galla Placidia's mausoleum (thank you; it's the last link below): they seem to be quite specifically pecking at the cross. What does that mean? -- Paul
On 22 April 2011 01:49, Genevra Kornbluth <[log in to unmask]> wrote:--
medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and cultureGetting back to the original query about the birds, one does find birds on crosses from time to time, though they are not normally so prominent. An example is the Ottonian cross of Liudolf in Cleveland, with four pairs of confronted birds in enamel (the glass mostly lost), c.1045. One of my images shows the birds fairly well:
http://www.kornbluthphoto.com/images/LiudolfCross4.jpg
--for other views of the cross see http://www.kornbluthphoto.com/HistoricalCrosses1.html
These birds are probably peacocks, with different symbolism from doves.
There are doves perched on the arms of the cross (as on the Passion Sarcophagi) on one of the sarcophagi in the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia,
http://www.sacred-destinations.com/italy/ravenna-galla-placidia-photos/slides/IMG_1181p.htm
Paul Chandler, O.Carm.
Holy Spirit Seminary | PO Box 18 (487 Earnshaw Road) | Banyo Qld 4014 | Australia
office: (07) 3246 9888 | home: (07) 3246 9894
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