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medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture > > Consider the sculpture of the Sign of Pisces in the rightmost archivolt of the Royal Portal at Chartres. There, I think it is clear the wavy lines at the bottom are water - the context is Pisces the Fish. However, look to the leftmost tympanum and consider the wavy lines under the feet of the God figure, that rise obliquely on either side of Him. I just cannot see these oblique wavy lines as water. Nor do I think they represent cloud. Because of the their very bizarre shape, and the context of the posture of the flanking angels, I think there is a good case to be made that these particular wavy lines represent wind - a whirlwind, I think, of the kind described in Job. But sometimes these wavy lines are indeed waves - from the baptism of Christ in the Jordan, and I am sure, it is Christ here, as supreme judge like often over the western door. For the baptism cf. e. g. the funny picture at the frescoes in Müstair http://www.al-fresko.ch/die-taufe-jesu-im-jordan-epiphanie-der-ostkirche/ <http://www.al-fresko.ch/die-taufe-jesu-im-jordan-epiphanie-der-ostkirche/> Best Karl, Vienna > > See Images at:: > Pisces: https://digital.library.pitt.edu/islandora/object/pitt%3AFCSP11250100/viewer <https://digital.library.pitt.edu/islandora/object/pitt%3AFCSP11250100/viewer> > Leftmost Tympanum: https://digital.library.pitt.edu/islandora/object/pitt%3AFCSP12200300/from_search/02e47652b0d4f6a867ef40258482c160-4 <https://digital.library.pitt.edu/islandora/object/pitt%3AFCSP12200300/from_search/02e47652b0d4f6a867ef40258482c160-4> > > For Whirlwind idea see: https://www.academia.edu/10497029/Chartres_Royal_Portal_Ascension_or_Creation <https://www.academia.edu/10497029/Chartres_Royal_Portal_Ascension_or_Creation> ********************************************************************** To join the list, send the message: subscribe medieval-religion YOUR NAME to: [log in to unmask] To send a message to the list, address it to: [log in to unmask] To leave the list, send the message: unsubscribe medieval-religion to: [log in to unmask] In order to report problems or to contact the list's owners, write to: [log in to unmask] For further information, visit our web site: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/medieval-religion