Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: wooden leg

In 1043 Hemma of Gurk (canonized in 1938) founded the Benedictine double monastery of Gurk Abbey, where she withdrew during the last years of her life. After Saint Hemma´s death, the abbey was dissolved by the Archbishop of Salzburg, who instead set up the Diocese of Gurk-Klagenfurt in 1072. The "Gurk Cathedral" is a large Romanesque basilica, built 1140 - 1220. The crypt got consecrated already in 1174 and since then hosts the grave of Saint Hemma of Gurk, still a place of pilgrimage. Six such carvings, dated 1500/1510, are located along the nave. They tell the visitors legends and stories connected Hemma of Gurk´s vita. Here it is shown, that after Hemma´s death on the "Feast of Saints Peter and Paul" (29.06.) in 1045 she was buried in the church of Gurk. Many miracles did happen there - and numerous sick and crippled pilgrims headed to the grave.

The abbey was founded within the 8th century. It is dedicated to Saint Papoul, a disciple of Saint Saturnin, missionary and first bishop of Toulouse. It was believed that Saint Papoul was martyred near the place, where the abbey is now. Later a monk named Berenger (or Berengar) lived a pious life here. After he got canonized his relics attracted the first pilgrims to this place. In the aftermath of the crusade against the Cathars the papal organisation created new (smaller) dioceses to enable a stricter control. So since 1317 the abbey church of Saint Papoul was promoted to a cathedral, holding a bishopric (upto 1801). Saint Papoul is a quiet little village, that is one of my favourite places since a long time. Yes, there are the works of the "Maître de Cabestany", who is known under this name since the 1930s when a tympanum and other carvings were found in Cabestany (near Perpignan), but there is so much more. The range of different artistic styles and icons in Saint-Papoul is enormous. The Romanesque capitals of the former abbey church / cathedral have not only a very specific, rough and "simple" style. Some seem to be themed around injuries. I have the impression, that this capital depicts a work accident - or injuries caused by working with the pickaxe (left). The person has lost his foot (there is a prothesis), he has scars all around his mouth and a deep wound in his cheek. He is in an upright position holding himself onto pegs (?) in the wall. This is the same capital (previous upload), seen from a different angle. It makes clear, that the artist could as well carve as well in a different, softer style.

The abbey was founded within the 8th century. It is dedicated to Saint Papoul, a disciple of Saint Saturnin, missionary and first bishop of Toulouse. It was believed that Saint Papoul was martyred near the place, where the abbey is now. Later a monk named Berenger (or Berengar) lived a pious life here. After he got canonized his relics attracted the first pilgrims to this place. In the aftermath of the crusade against the Cathars the papal organisation created new (smaller) dioceses to enable a stricter control. So since 1317 the abbey church of Saint Papoul was promoted to a cathedral, holding a bishopric (upto 1801). Saint Papoul is a quiet little village, that is one of my favourite places since a long time. Yes, there are the works of the "Maître de Cabestany", who is known under this name since the 1930s when a tympanum and other carvings were found in Cabestany (near Perpignan), but there is so much more. The range of different artistic styles and icons in Saint-Papoul is enormous. The Romanesque capitals of the former abbey church / cathedral have not only a very specific, rough and "simple" style. Some seem to be themed around injuries. I have the impression, that this capital depicts a work accident - or injuries caused by working with the pickaxe (left). The person has lost his foot (there is a prothesis), he has scars all around his mouth and a deep wound in his cheek. He is in an upright position holding himself onto pegs (?) in the wall.

San Pedro de Echano (aka "Ermita de San Pedro de Echano") is not easy to find, as the church is a few kilometers east of Oloriz in the middle of fields and bushland. In medieval times, when the church got erected, there might have been a village or settlement nearby, but nowadays there are no houses near to the church. The place is abandoned. Under the roof of San Pedro de Echano are more than 30 carved corbels. Some of the sculptures are really unusual, but the most impressing is the southern portal of San Pedro de Echano. There are seven archivolts! It is strange, that a small, single nave church got such a large and impressive portal. I connect this to - the pilgrims walking the camino. San Pedro de Echano is about 8kms south of the Via Tolosana/Camino Aragonés that I had just walked. Olcoz and Eunate are only about a two hours walk away. The most interesting archivolt depicts 25 people sitting on a table and having a party (?). The composition reminds strongly on the "Elders of the Apocalypse", but the characters are obviously performing a kind of game. Legs and feet of the partiers visible, as the artist carved on both sides of the archivolt. From this pov it is better visible, that the flautist with the strange hairdo, and the hornblower (right) with the knife, both have the left foot amputated and use prothesises. Crippled persons, who try to make some money by playing instruments, can still be found in many pedestrian areas worldwide. See the previous upload for more medieval prothesises.

San Pedro de Echano (aka "Ermita de San Pedro de Echano") is not easy to find, as the church is a few kilometers east of Oloriz in the middle of fields and bushland. In medieval times, when the church got erected, there might have been a village or settlement nearby, but nowadays there are no houses near to the church. The place is abandoned. Under the roof of San Pedro de Echano are more than 30 carved corbels. Some of the sculptures are really unusual, but the most impressing is the southern portal of San Pedro de Echano. There are seven archivolts! It is strange, that a small, single nave church got such a large and impressive portal. I connect this to - the pilgrims walking the camino. San Pedro de Echano is about 8kms south of the Via Tolosana/Camino Aragonés that I had just walked. Olcoz and Eunate are only about a two hours walk away. The most interesting archivolt depicts 25 people sitting on a table and having a party (?). The composition reminds strongly on the "Elders of the Apocalypse", but the characters are obviously performing a kind of game. Legs and feet of the partiers visible, as the artist carved on both sides of the archivolt. The flautist has a very strange hairdo, but even more remarkabel is that he and the musician to the very left (with a knife) wear - prosthetic legs! Obviously both had lost a foot / part of the shank, that got replaced by a wooden prosthesis.