Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 3.djvu/312

282 to the cross with four nails, still living, and with open eyes. He was not represented as dead till the tenth or eleventh century.

The lamb appearing at the foot of the cross is mentioned by Paulinus, who wrote about the year 400. Beneath the ensanguined cross stands Christ in the form of a snow-white lamb: as an innocent victim is the lamb consigned to unmerited death.

From the 82nd canon of the Quinisextan council, held A.D. 706, we learn at what time the change from the lamb to the victim in human form was generally adopted. "We ordain that the representation in human form of Christ our God, who takes away the sin of the world, be henceforward set up, and painted in the place of the ancient lamb."

In the medieval monuments in this country, the different symbols of faith thus enumerated are also to be found. Of sepulchral slabs, impressed with the cross, in a variety of forms, from the plain Greek or Calvary cross to the floriated cross of the most ornate description, we have innumerable examples. The Agnus Dei occurs but seldom on our ancient sepulchral monuments, still more rarely does the crucifix appear on such. We have met with two instances only, the one in Bredon church, Worcestershire, of which an illustration is given in a former number of the Journal; the other in the priory church at Brecon. Both these are sculptured monuments of the fourteenth century.

The fish was a symbol expressive of the name of Christ;. . . . the phonetic sign of this word, the actual fish, was an emblem whose meaning was entirely concealed from the uninitiated Sometimes the word was expressed at length,. . . . at other times the fish itself was figured, as recommended by Clement of Alexandria. The specimen here given is from the Lapidarian Gallery.

The symbols of trade, figured upon grave-stones, were long regarded by antiquarians as indicating the instrument by which the deceased had suffered martyrdom The dates of some contradict the supposition. The tomb-stone of Adeodatus (Lap. Gall.), expresses tolerably well the implements of a wool-comber. They consist of a pair of shears, a comb, and a plate of metal, with a rounded handle.