Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: axe

The exact age of the St.-Peters Church in Linden (about 6kms south of Giessen) is unknown. The church is placed on a once strongly fortified hill, mentioned in the Lorsch codex. A smaller Carolingian chapel had been here already as early as 810/820, foundations of this chapel have been found during a restauration. The church was probably erected within the 12th century. The romanesque portal is the outstanding feature of St.-Peters. It was carved around 1220/1230 and originally it had been on the southern entrance of the church, but was moved to the western facade. There are only a few of these portals in Germany - and this one is pretty unique, though it is weathered and difficult to "read". One theory claims, that the carvings are connected to the legend of Saint Wenceslaus I, who was murdered by his brother. Soon after his "martyrdom" several hagiographies were (told and) written - and these were very popular within the middle ages. The right side of the outer archivolt has this icon. A large and a small man, wearing hats or helmets. They both hold something in their hands, but it is impossible, to see, what it is. In the right corner "hangs" and axe, or a hammer. R. Hamann sees Cain and Abel. I see two men - and a tool. This is the last upload, centered around the portal of this church. It is in deed very mysterious, it is difficult to interconnect the different carvings. I have the impression, that there might not be a story. There are symbols like the devouring lions and the dragon. There might be a Virgin, there is a dragon-fighter. Then there is a hunter, a bishop, accompanied by a person with a banner, a couple of peasants, two horse carts.. The parish has a website about the history of the church (in German): www.ev-kirche-gr-linden.de/kirchengelaende.html

The exact age of the St.-Peters Church in Linden (about 6kms south of Giessen) is unknown. The church is placed on a once strongly fortified hill, mentioned in the Lorsch codex. A smaller Carolingian chapel had been here already as early as 810/820, foundations of this chapel have been found during a restauration. The church was probably erected within the 12th century. The romanesque portal is the outstanding feature of St.-Peters. It was carved around 1220/1230 and originally it had been on the southern entrance of the church, but was moved to the western facade. There are only a few of these portals in Germany - and this one is pretty unique, though it is weathered and difficult to "read". One theory claims, that the carvings are connected to the legend of Saint Wenceslaus I, the Duke of Bohemia. Saint "Wenzel" was murdered by his brother. Soon after his "martyrdom" several hagiographies were (told and) written - and these were very popular within the middle ages. This is the left side, next to the door, frontview. On the right under the siren stands a small bishop wearing a mitra on his head - and holding a small crosier. This bishop stands "next" to the person holding that banner (seen on the previous upload). On the left a large bearded man, holding an enormous axe. I saw this man as an executioner, displaying his giant tool, first. Then I noticed, that the object, he has in his left hand may be a kind of medieval straightedge. That would mean, he may be a timberman, working on a construction site. The parish has a website about the history of the church (in German): www.ev-kirche-gr-linden.de/kirchengelaende.html

"Santa María la Real" is one of the highlights for all people following the "Camino Aragonés" - since about 800 years. The facade is impressing it may take hours, to find out the many details. I stayed an extra day, when I had reached the town, just to see the shadows movig over the carvings. A church did exist here already in 1131 next to the bridge crossing the river Aragon. It was transferred by Alfonso I to the "Knights Hospitaller" (aka "Order of Saint John", later "Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta"). The apse is the oldest part of the structure and probably dates back to that time. The nave and the breathtaking Southern Portal of Santa María la Real were created late 12th/13th century. I have uploaded a "total overview" earlier and will now focus on some details. The archivolts around the large tympanum, depicting the "Last Judgement" are densely populated with dancers, workers, priests and mythical creatures. Here is a butcher, holding an axe and ready to slaughter the small pig down at his feet. That was my first thought. But - is that an axe used for slaughtering? Why does the piggy have a kind of hammer? Another tool is at the "butcher´s" belt. I am not sure, this may be an illustration of a story that got lost (at least for me). Maybe about a builder and his little helper.

Melle was known already during Roman times, when silver and lead were mined here. The silver mines were exploited over hundreds of years, got forgotten and "rediscovered" in the 19th century. Today they are a tourist attraction. Melle was wealthy and the pilgrims, walking the Via Turonensis, passed through Melle on their way to Santiago, what brought even more money into town. Churches were erected during the heydays of the pilgrimage. Three (!) Romanesque churches can still be found here. Melle must have been a large building site within the 12th century, with hundreds of construction worker and dozends of carvers. Saint-Savinien is the oldest of the three Romanesque churches in Melle. It is as well the most austere church and the only one erected within the city walls in two stages in the 11th and the 12th century. After the French Revolution, the building was used as a prison - upto 1926. Throughoutfully renovated in the 1960s, it serves for cultural events like concerts and exhibitions nowadays. The western facade has some interesting, very rough, archaic carvings, what is a surprise. Master carvers worked on many places not far away (eg Aulnay), later even in Melle. . Here two parts may have been "glued" together. To the left a large fish under the foliage-frieze. The stone may have been turned upside down during the renovation, as the fish´s eye is in strange position. Under the chequered frieze - "Love and Hate". Two couples, while the right one represents harmony, to the left an unarmed person, using a leg prothesis, gets killed by somebody with an axe. - Or - is this a story about murder and rape?

The Abbey of Sainte-Marie-des-Dames was the first Benedictine abbey for women Charente-Maritime. It was founded in 1047 by Geoffrey II (aka "Geoffrey Martel") and his first wife Agnes of Burgundy. Eleanor of Aquitaine, mother of Richard Lionheart, was a great donor here. The place, where the abbey got erected, was a Roman cemetery. An Oratorium, over the tomb of Saint Pallais, existed here already in the 6th century. Saintes was a major halt for the pilgrims following the Via Turonensis, so the abbey developed well, during the first centuries. During the 100 Year´s War the abbey got ruined, reconstructed later, it got severely damaged by Huguenots during the Wars of Religions. The abbey existed up to the end of the 18th century. After the French Revolution the buldings served as prison and from 1808 on as a barracks. The church was used as a stable for the horses of the cavalry. The barracks were here up to the early 1920s, before the first renovations were started. In 1938 the abbey church "Sainte-Marie" got consecrated again. The 5th archivolt depicts cruel scenes, reminding me on "Killing Fields". About 50 people populate the archivolt. There are fully dressed, armed soldiers (?), who slaughter smaller, naked persons with swords. Inbetween are some women, maybe mothers. It is widely believed that this archivolt depicts the "Massacre of the Innocents". Here a more detailed photo. The soldier to the right uses a battleaxe. This surprised me, as "Martel" the "nom de guerre" of the quarrelsome founder Geoffrey II means "hammer" or "axe".

The Abbey of Sainte-Marie-des-Dames was the first Benedictine abbey for women Charente-Maritime. It was founded in 1047 by Geoffrey II (aka "Geoffrey Martel") and his first wife Agnes of Burgundy. Eleanor of Aquitaine, mother of Richard Lionheart, was a great donor here. The place, where the abbey got erected, was a Roman cemetery. An Oratorium, over the tomb of Saint Pallais, existed here already in the 6th century. Saintes was a major halt for the pilgrims following the Via Turonensis, so the abbey developed well, during the first centuries. During the 100 Year´s War the abbey got ruined, reconstructed later, it got severely damaged by Huguenots during the Wars of Religions. The abbey existed up to the end of the 18th century. After the French Revolution the buldings served as prison and from 1808 on as a barracks. The church was used as a stable for the horses of the cavalry. The barracks were here up to the early 1920s, before the first renovations were started. In 1938 the abbey church "Sainte-Marie" got consecrated again. The 5th archivolt depicts cruel scenes, reminding me on "Killing Fields". About 50 people populate the archivolt. There are fully dressed, armed soldiers (?), who slaughter (little) smaller, naked persons with swords. Inbetween are some women, maybe mothers. It is widely believed that this archivolt depicts the "Massacre of the Innocents". Here a more detailed photo. The soldier to the left uses a club.

A priory, dependent from the (once important) Benedictian abbey Saint-Sauveur de Charroux existed here since the 12th century. At that time Saint-Martin was erected as the church for the priory. The church got enlarged and vaulted in the 13th and 14th century, but during the Wars of Religion (1562–1598), the structure got severely damaged, so that the ceiling and the crossing dome collapsed. The imposant western facade with the large archivolts survived the attacks. The priory was sold after the French Revolution and all buildings, but the church, got demolished. Today Saint-Martin serves as the parish church of the small village. The main portal in the architectural style, that is typical for the Saintonge. Two blind arches flank the larger arch / doors. There is no central tympanum, but a multitude of archivolts. A detail from the main archivolt. A large martyr in a blessing gesture, but not holdung the branch of a palm, but an axe, the tool he was martyred with. To the right a child (= soul) devoured by a horrible, evil creature.