Church/Monastery name:
Jerusalem (Old city) - Church of the Holy Sepulchre (Anastasis)
Inscription number:
4
Selected bibliography:
7 (ed. pr.) | |
1-2, 178, fig. 109 |
Epigraphical corpora:
CIIP I.2 (2012): 1025 (drs.)
Inscription type:
signature of worker
Location:
Found in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, during the demolition of the old cupola.
Physical description :
Fragment of console of white marble, representing a reclining lion with its paws stretched out, in the act of devouring a human head. On the back of the lion is a small rectangular depression enclosing two Greek letters in relief, separated by dots.
Text:
· Α · Γ ·
Summary:
Marble sculpture of a lion with inscribed letters, found during the demolition of the old cupola.
The letters would represent the signature of the sculptor. Vincent - Abel, followed by Thomsen, dated the console to the 4 c. Lions in all sorts of attitudes are well known since the earliest periods of art, including representations of lions devouring an animal; but the theme of a lion devouring a man’s head is characteristic of the Middle Ages. Possibly the use of Greek inclined the French scholars to surmise a Byzantine date, but a Crusader date is more likely, considering that the Crusaders may well have used artists from the area, or from Syria or even Constantinople. However, a 4 c. date cannot be totally excluded (Dr. Orit Peleg, oral communication).