Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: phallus

Today Frómista has a population of less than 1000. In previous centuries, Frómista had a significant population that lived from growing wheat. A church and a Benedictine monastery on this site were first mentioned in the will of Queen Munia Mayor, widow of King Sancho III of Navarre, in 1066. The queen made the monastery and church partial heirs to her fortune. This fortune made possible the construction of a magnificent church, which was built in the last third of the 11th century in a construction period of 15 to 20 years, continuously and without interruption. Close links exist with the Cathedral of Jaca and the Basilica of San Isidoro, the craftsmen appear to have been partly the same. In 1118, Queen Urraca, a great-granddaughter of Queen Munia, placed the church, monastery and associated settlement, San Martín, under the authority of the monastery of San Zoilo. San Martín thus became the priory of this monastery. Throughout the following Middle Ages, there were constant disputes between the town of Frómista and the monastery of San Zoilo over rights in and to the village of San Martín, which even led to military conflicts. It was not until 1488 that the dispute was settled. In 1453, a Host miracle occurred in San Martín. The paten used and the host was venerated in the church until the 19th century. From 1896 to 1904, the church was extensively restored. The restoration, which aimed to recreate a "perfect" Romanesque church, is highly controversial today. A male monkey

Saint Martin of Tours was a real surprise to me. The single nave structure was probably erected within the 12th century. It was built in a "walking distance" off the pilgrim routes (like "San Pedro de Echano"), as the hamlet Artaiz is just about 10kms north of the "Camino Aragonés". San Martin will have been for sure a stopover for pilgrims, who had visited the tomb of Saint Martin of Tours, following the "Via Turonensis". The portal of Saint Martin is extraordinary in the specific iconography, that in parts may reflect the relations to the Islamic neighbours (Reconquista). Some of the corbels under the roof are remarkable as well. Many corbels are under the roof of San Martin´s apse. Some are really strange. Here are three "objects". A horn (?), a phallus, a ???

This church, dedicated to Saint Martin of Tours, was a real surprise to me. The single nave structure was probably erected within the 12th century. It was built in a "walking distance" off the pilgrim routes (like "San Pedro de Echano"), as the hamlet Artaiz is just about 10kms north of the "Camino Aragonés". San Martin will have been for sure a stopover for pilgrims, who had visited the tomb of Saint Martin of Tours, following the "Via Turonensis". The masterly composed and carved portal of Saint Martin is extraordinary in the specific iconography, that in parts may reflect the relations to the Islamic neighbours (Reconquista). Here is a script by German arthistorian Hedda Finke about this subject. art.unt.edu/medieval-symposium/presenter.php?year=2009&am... Between the seven corbels under the portal´s roof are six reliefs. This one depicts the parable of the "Rich Man and Lazarus". Luke 16:19-21 "There was a certain rich man who clothed himself in purple and fine linen, and who feasted luxuriously every day. At his gate lay a certain poor man named Lazarus who was covered with sores. Lazarus longed to eat the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Instead, dogs would come and lick his sores." I stumbled about a book by German author Meinolf Schumacher, about the "icon" of licking dogs in european literature. This may be interesting for German readers. Meinolf Schumacher, Ärzte mit der Zunge - Leckende Hunde in der europäischen Literatur The left corbel has the lady giving birth to a child (again). I am not sure about the figure to the right. For a while I saw a miser with a moneybag, or maybe even a coin- box. Then I found a theory, that he and the lady to the right should be seen as a couple. So the right corbel depicts the male part - and a phallus once was affixed, where we now see a hole.

Colombiers is a small village (pop. 300) in the former marshes of the Seugne river. Life must be hard here in medieval times. Saint-Maclou, the village´s parish church, was erected in the 12th century. It was the church of a priory, dependent from the Benedictian Abbaye Saint-Sauveur in Charroux. The church got altered and modified during the Gothic period (15th.), when it lost its once Romanesque portal. Single nave churches, like Saint-Maclou, are typical for the villages of the Saintonge. They may not look spectacular on the first sight. But here in Colombiers are some extraordenary carvings. Most of the frieze-like capitals are similar to the carvings in Marinac. The style differs, but the "story" is the same. In an impenetrable djungle of entwining vines humans fight creatures, lurking through the foliage. The bearded head and the lion my be "green creatures". The most interesting is the fight to the right. The standing man (in the corner) wields an axe and kills the person on the ground. The standing man has his shank partly amputated and wears a prothesis. This prothesis sticks in the mouth of the opponent. After having seen the many (megaphallic) carvings in Champagnolles, I notice, that the prothesis looks very "phallic"..