DOI issue:
Nr. 1-2
DOI article:Dobrzeniecki, Tadeusz: Maiestas Crucis in the mural paintings of the Faras Cathedral (now in the National Museum in Warsaw): some iconographical notes
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18859#0014
the Golgatha: in medio ierrae et tanąuam in vertice huius universitatis insistens Ad capessendam
Dei cognitionem universis gentibuś esset aequalis,'li.
In the Coptic manuscript of the Acts of the Apostles of ca 400, known only sińce 1961, there
is the earliest representation of the Cross in a new form — crux ansata — which carne to be
the most characteristic motif of Christian Coptic art (fig. 4)15. The direct model of this
Cross was an ancient Egyptian sign "ankh", a hieroglif, expressing the hope in eternal life,
the promise or the gift of everlasting existence.
The Copts saw in this sign the promise of the coming era of Christ, instead, crux ansata became
a symbol connecting the mysterious promise with its historical accomplishment.16 The Christian
adaptation of the sign "ankh" and its derivatives widespread in Coptic Egypt, are connected'
with the event that took place during the destruction of Serapis' Tempie in Alexandria in 3911'1.
On the Coptic miniaturę of ca 400 mentioned above, the main elements of the Egyptian sign
"ankh" — namely the quasi-elliptic handhold and the base in the form of the letter T with
the flaring arms are, true enough, lised but in a different regular form. The Christian crux ansata'
is composed of a circular ring on a foot and of two rectangular arms covered with the interlace18.
On its transversal beam two birds, probably doves, are shown, the symbols of Resurrection1".
In the circular loop of the Cross a bird with the leafy twig in its beak is represented once morę.1
It is the dove which was sent by Noah from the Ark "at Ula venil ad eum ad vesperam portans
rdmum olivae virentibus foliis in ore suo"-". ■ '■
Here, the dove, the symbol of the universal Christian peace, became connected with the:
Cross; being interpreted otherwise it could also signify Christ Himself, who is the Peace21. From
the transversal beam of the Cross two branehes sprang up, most probably the olive ones;: Ac-
cording to the opinion of Harry Bober the base of the Cross also has an iconographical meaning.'
On Coptic steles: crosses are often represented with bases, however, on one of these steles th*
Cross is standing on the Classic column22. This column as well as a smali pedestal on the mi«
niature belong to an uninterrupted tradition of this ancient symbol. In Egyjjt the pillar which:
had the shape of a terete column with the ąuadripartite capital and which signified " stabilitaś"-
was closely connected with the sign "ankh" (fig. 3)23. The counterpart of this pillar in the ren
presentations of the triumphal Cross is a continuously shown base composed of four steps
gradually narrowing upward. i,,„,
14. Hilarius (bishop of Poitiers [ca 315—367]), Gommentarium in cyangelium Małthaei, cap. 33,4: {Patrologia Latina], IX,j
col. 1075); Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechesis, XIII, 28 (Patrologia Graeca, XXXIII, col. 805): Deus autem rex noster anie
saecula operalus est salutem in medio Ierrae (Ps LXXIII, 12).
15. The manuscript belonged in 1961 to II. P. Kraus, later it was deposed by W. S. Glazier in the Pierpont Morgan Library1,'
New York, see J. Plummer, The Glazier Collection of Illuminated Manuscripts (The Pierpont Morgan Library), New York,
1968, p. 7—8, No 1, pl. 11.
16. M. Cranier, Dos altagyptische Lebenszeichen in christlichen (koptischen) Agypten. Eine Kultur und Religionsgeschichlliche
Studie auf archhologiseher Grundlagc, Wiesbaden, 1955.
17. On this event see Socrates Scholasticus, Historia Ecclesiaslica, lib. V, cap. XVII (Patrologia Graeca, LXVII, col. 608);
Rufinus, Historia Ecclesiaslica, Hb. II, cap. XXVI, (Patrologia Latina, XXI, col. 537); Sozomenos, Historia Ecclesiaslica,
lib. VII, cap. XV (Polrologia Grneco, LXVII, col. 1456).
18. On the interlace on the Cross see M. Cramer, "Illuminationen ans koptischen und koptisch-arabischen Tetraevangelien
ais Typen koptischer Buchmalerei", Oriens Christianus, XLVIII, 1964, p. 77—83.
19. H. Lotber, Der Pfau in der altchristlichen Kunst (Studien iiber christliclie Denkmiiler XVIII), Leipzig, 1929; D. Forstncr,
Die Well der Symbole, Innsbruck — Wien — Munchen, 1967, p. 249—252.
20. Genesis, VIII, 8—11.
21. Ad Ephesios, II, 14: Jpse enim est pax noslra; such an interpretation was proposcd by H. Bober, "On the Illumination
of the Glazier Codex. A Contribution to Early Coptic Art and Its Relation to Hiberno-Saxon Interlace", Homage to a
Bookman. Essays on Manuscripts, Boohs and Printing Written to Hans P. Kraus on his 60th Birthday Oct. 12, 1967, Berlin,
1963, p. 31—49; see also F. Suhling, "Die Taube ais religioses Symbol im christlichen Altertum", Rómische Quarlalschrift
fur christliclie Alterlumskunde und Kirchengeschichle, 24 Supplementheft, Freiburg, 1930, p. 52—86: Die Taube ais Sinn-
bild des Christus-Logos; p. 98—216: Taube und Kreuz.
22. Cairo, Museum, No 8420, Bober, op. cii, p. 40, fig. 9.
23. Papyrus from Ani (ca 1500—1350), ibid., fig. 10.
8
Dei cognitionem universis gentibuś esset aequalis,'li.
In the Coptic manuscript of the Acts of the Apostles of ca 400, known only sińce 1961, there
is the earliest representation of the Cross in a new form — crux ansata — which carne to be
the most characteristic motif of Christian Coptic art (fig. 4)15. The direct model of this
Cross was an ancient Egyptian sign "ankh", a hieroglif, expressing the hope in eternal life,
the promise or the gift of everlasting existence.
The Copts saw in this sign the promise of the coming era of Christ, instead, crux ansata became
a symbol connecting the mysterious promise with its historical accomplishment.16 The Christian
adaptation of the sign "ankh" and its derivatives widespread in Coptic Egypt, are connected'
with the event that took place during the destruction of Serapis' Tempie in Alexandria in 3911'1.
On the Coptic miniaturę of ca 400 mentioned above, the main elements of the Egyptian sign
"ankh" — namely the quasi-elliptic handhold and the base in the form of the letter T with
the flaring arms are, true enough, lised but in a different regular form. The Christian crux ansata'
is composed of a circular ring on a foot and of two rectangular arms covered with the interlace18.
On its transversal beam two birds, probably doves, are shown, the symbols of Resurrection1".
In the circular loop of the Cross a bird with the leafy twig in its beak is represented once morę.1
It is the dove which was sent by Noah from the Ark "at Ula venil ad eum ad vesperam portans
rdmum olivae virentibus foliis in ore suo"-". ■ '■
Here, the dove, the symbol of the universal Christian peace, became connected with the:
Cross; being interpreted otherwise it could also signify Christ Himself, who is the Peace21. From
the transversal beam of the Cross two branehes sprang up, most probably the olive ones;: Ac-
cording to the opinion of Harry Bober the base of the Cross also has an iconographical meaning.'
On Coptic steles: crosses are often represented with bases, however, on one of these steles th*
Cross is standing on the Classic column22. This column as well as a smali pedestal on the mi«
niature belong to an uninterrupted tradition of this ancient symbol. In Egyjjt the pillar which:
had the shape of a terete column with the ąuadripartite capital and which signified " stabilitaś"-
was closely connected with the sign "ankh" (fig. 3)23. The counterpart of this pillar in the ren
presentations of the triumphal Cross is a continuously shown base composed of four steps
gradually narrowing upward. i,,„,
14. Hilarius (bishop of Poitiers [ca 315—367]), Gommentarium in cyangelium Małthaei, cap. 33,4: {Patrologia Latina], IX,j
col. 1075); Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechesis, XIII, 28 (Patrologia Graeca, XXXIII, col. 805): Deus autem rex noster anie
saecula operalus est salutem in medio Ierrae (Ps LXXIII, 12).
15. The manuscript belonged in 1961 to II. P. Kraus, later it was deposed by W. S. Glazier in the Pierpont Morgan Library1,'
New York, see J. Plummer, The Glazier Collection of Illuminated Manuscripts (The Pierpont Morgan Library), New York,
1968, p. 7—8, No 1, pl. 11.
16. M. Cranier, Dos altagyptische Lebenszeichen in christlichen (koptischen) Agypten. Eine Kultur und Religionsgeschichlliche
Studie auf archhologiseher Grundlagc, Wiesbaden, 1955.
17. On this event see Socrates Scholasticus, Historia Ecclesiaslica, lib. V, cap. XVII (Patrologia Graeca, LXVII, col. 608);
Rufinus, Historia Ecclesiaslica, Hb. II, cap. XXVI, (Patrologia Latina, XXI, col. 537); Sozomenos, Historia Ecclesiaslica,
lib. VII, cap. XV (Polrologia Grneco, LXVII, col. 1456).
18. On the interlace on the Cross see M. Cramer, "Illuminationen ans koptischen und koptisch-arabischen Tetraevangelien
ais Typen koptischer Buchmalerei", Oriens Christianus, XLVIII, 1964, p. 77—83.
19. H. Lotber, Der Pfau in der altchristlichen Kunst (Studien iiber christliclie Denkmiiler XVIII), Leipzig, 1929; D. Forstncr,
Die Well der Symbole, Innsbruck — Wien — Munchen, 1967, p. 249—252.
20. Genesis, VIII, 8—11.
21. Ad Ephesios, II, 14: Jpse enim est pax noslra; such an interpretation was proposcd by H. Bober, "On the Illumination
of the Glazier Codex. A Contribution to Early Coptic Art and Its Relation to Hiberno-Saxon Interlace", Homage to a
Bookman. Essays on Manuscripts, Boohs and Printing Written to Hans P. Kraus on his 60th Birthday Oct. 12, 1967, Berlin,
1963, p. 31—49; see also F. Suhling, "Die Taube ais religioses Symbol im christlichen Altertum", Rómische Quarlalschrift
fur christliclie Alterlumskunde und Kirchengeschichle, 24 Supplementheft, Freiburg, 1930, p. 52—86: Die Taube ais Sinn-
bild des Christus-Logos; p. 98—216: Taube und Kreuz.
22. Cairo, Museum, No 8420, Bober, op. cii, p. 40, fig. 9.
23. Papyrus from Ani (ca 1500—1350), ibid., fig. 10.
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