صلیب توروالد: سنگ‌نوشته صلیبی عصر وایکینگ‌ها ‘Kirk Andreas MM 128’ و نمادشناسی آن

Thorvald's Cross. The Viking Age Cross-Slab 'Kirk Andreas MM 128' and its Iconography provides an in-depth analysis of one of the Isle of Man's most important and intriguing monuments. The Manx Crosses are a unique collection of Scandinavian-style grave stones unequalled in the medieval Viking World. Their carvings and inscriptions offer a window into Viking Age society and spirituality at a time when the Celtic Manx and Scandinavian settlers in the Island came to terms with each other. Among these stones, the iconic 'Thorvald's Cross' (MM 128) in St Andrew's church in the village of Andreas demands particular attention, as it features figural scenes with humans and animals deriving from both pagan Norse mythology and Christian religious imagery. According to the prevailing view, the triumph of Christianity over paganism is shown in the two preserved reliefs, but differing opinions have been put forward. This book brings together all available information about Thorvald's Cross and discusses and analyses former and current hypotheses regarding the stone's iconography, weighing their respective merits and shortcomings. Based on in-depth research and an 'autopsy' of the stone on-site, it considers the images in their spiritual, cultural, and chronological context and presents a new interpretation of this remarkable monument, arguing that the depiction of religious confrontation was not its original purpose, but that both scenes convey a common, much more subtle and comforting Christian message. T horvald’s Cross. The Viking Age Cross-Slab ‘Kirk Andreas MM 128’ and its Iconography provides an in-depth analysis of one of the Isle of Man’s most important and intriguing monuments. The Manx Crosses are a unique collection of Scandinavian-style grave stones unequalled in the medieval Viking World. Their carvings and inscriptions offer a window into Viking-Age society and spirituality at a time when the Celtic Manx and Scandinavian settlers in the Island came to terms with each other. Among these stones, the iconic ‘Thorvald’s Cross’ (MM 128) in St Andrew’s church in the village of Andreas demands particular attention, as it features figural scenes with humans and animals deriving from both pagan Norse mythology and Christian religious imagery. According to the prevailing view, the triumph of Christianity over paganism is shown in the two surviving reliefs, but differing opinions have been put forward. This book brings together all available information about 'Thorvald’s Cross' and discusses and analyses former and current hypotheses regarding the stone’s iconography, weighing their respective merits and shortcomings. Based on in-depth research and an ‘autopsy’ of the stone on-site, it considers the images in their spiritual, cultural, and chronological context and presents a new interpretation of this remarkable monument, arguing that the depiction of religious confrontation was not its original purpose, but that both scenes convey a common, much more subtle and comforting Christian message. Dirk H. Steinforth is a medieval archaeologist. He gained his MA and PhD from the Georg-August-University of Gottingen, Germany, and specialises in the early Viking Age in the Isle of Man and Irish Sea area. He has published two books as well as a number of articles on the subject. His interests include history and chronology, religion and burial-customs, art-history and iconography, ethnogenesis, and settlement archaeology. His current research as an independent scholar focuses especially on the early Vikings in north-west England, and medieval stone monuments and their imagery. He also works as a translator, proofreader, and editor. Cover 1 Title Page 3 Copyright Information 4 Dedication 4 Dedication 5 Contents 6 Introduction 9 Background 11 The Manx Crosses 13 ‘Thorvald’s cross’: The fragment Kirk Andreas MM 128 21 Description 23 The stone’s date 23 The figural elements of Face 1 27 The figural elements of Face 2 29 The iconography of the two faces of Thorvald’s cross 34 Interpretation of Face 2 34 Interpretation 1: God fishing for the Leviathan/Christ fishing for humankind’s souls 34 Interpretation 2: Þórr fishing for the Midgard-Serpent 37 Interpretation 3: Christ trampling the beasts 42 Summing up Face 2 of MM 128 50 Interpretation of Face 1 50 Interpretation 1: The corpse of a slain warrior being savaged by scavengers 51 Interpretation 2: Óðinn being killed by the Fenris-Wolf 52 Interpretation 3: Christ trampling the beasts 54 Interpretation 4: Christ overcomes the hound of Hell 56 Interpretation 5: Víðarr killing the Fenris-Wolf 60 Summing up Face 1 of MM 128 62 The juxtaposition and the message 63 Combination 1: Óðinn’s fall and Christ’s triumph 63 Combination 2: Víðarr’s victory and Christ’s triumph 67 Combination 3: Óðinn’s fall and Víðarr’s victory and Christ’s triumph 71 Summary and conclusion 73 Acknowledgements 77 Bibliography 78 Places to Visit 83 Back cover 86 "Thorvald's Cross. The Viking Age Cross-Slab 'Kirk Andreas MM 128' and its Iconography' provides an in-depth analysis of one of the Isle of Man's most important and intriguing monuments. The Manx Crosses are a unique collection of Scandinavian-style grave stones unequalled in the medieval Viking World. Their carvings and inscriptions offer a window into Viking Age society and spirituality at a time when the Celtic Manx and Scandinavian settlers in the Island came to terms with each other. Among these stones, the iconic 'Thorvald's Cross' (MM 128) in St Andrew's church in the village of Andreas demands particular attention, as it features figural scenes with humans and animals deriving from both pagan Norse mythology and Christian religious imagery. According to the prevailing view, the triumph of Christianity over paganism is shown in the two preserved reliefs, but differing opinions have been put forward. This book brings together all available information about Thorvald's Cross and discusses and analyses former and current hypotheses regarding the stone's iconography, weighing their respective merits and shortcomings. Based on in-depth research and an 'autopsy' of the stone on-site, it considers the images in their spiritual, cultural, and chronological context and presents a new interpretation of this remarkable monument, arguing that the depiction of religious confrontation was not its original purpose, but that both scenes convey a common, much more subtle and comforting Christian message"--Page 4 of cover. The 'Manx Crosses', Scandinavian-style gravestones from the Isle of Man, are a unique collection of stone monuments unequalled in the medieval Viking World. Focussing on one particular example, 'Thorvald's cross', this book collates all the available information and presents a new interpretation as to how to understand this remarkable monument.