or masculine western tower, flanking the Galilee, or Great Western Porch; thus unmistakably hinting its meaning. Over the corresponding left hand, or female tower, are placed the crescent horns of the moon, and some other indi CROSSES AND MINARETS. 221 In all Christian churches-particularly in Protestant churches, where they figure most conspicuously-the two Fig. 100. Ancient Cross, Margam, South Wales. Fig. 101. Ancient Cross, St. Patrick, County of Louth. tables of stone of the Mosaic Dispensation are placed over the altar, side by side, as a united stone, the tops of which Group of Minarets or Towers, selected from Examples in Oriental Towns. are rounded.* The ten commandments are inscribed in two groups of five each, in columnar form. The five to the * 66 Fig. 118, on p. 225, represents the separated original Lithoi," when united. They then form the "Double Tables" (or "Table") of Stone. In the "Latter,' or "Christian (+) Dispensation," the "Ten Commandments are over the Altar," composed of the "Law" (Five Commandments to the Right), and the " Gospel" (Five Commandments to the Left). right (looking from the altar) mean the "Law;" the five to the left mean the "Prophets." The right stone is masculine, the left stone is feminine. They correspond to the two Fig. 104. Column (Campanile) of San Marco, at Venice. disjoined pillars of stone (or towers) in the front of every cathedral, and of every temple in the heathen times. The pomegranate is a badge of the Plantagenets; in its form it resembles the crescent moon; it is a symbol of the Fig. 106. Top of the "Phallus," Mosque of Ibu Tooloon, Cairo. female influence in nature. There is here an unexpected concurrence with the crescent moon and star of the Orientals; for above the pomegranate-which is figured sometimes as the crescent moon in the heraldic insignia of the Plantagenets-the six-pointed star appears in the hollow of the crescent, with its points in the curvilinear or serpentine form. The crescent moon of Egypt and that of Persia is MOORISH AND ROMAN ARCHITECTURE. 223 the thin sickle of the new moon reclining on her back, and seemingly with the star issuant from between her horns; which is evidently an Egyptian hint coming from the old hieroglyphic times. This mysterious crescent and star is the badge of the sect of Ali among the Mohammedans, and it plays a most important part in augurial or religious Russian architecture is strongly infused with the eastern picturesque spirit. The curves of its domes and the forms of its steeples are all oriental. heraldry. The standards of Egypt, Persia, and Arabia are gules, or Mars, or the fiery colour. It is the ardent, or masculine, or red colour of Ali. The colours of Turkey, on the other hand, are strictly those of Mohammed, and uncon sciously honour the female element in displaying the green, or the vert, or the woman's colour, or Friday colour,—that of the Mohammedan Sabbath. This green is the vert, or "Venus," of Mecca (see page 138). The Turkish standard divides party-per-pale the masculine red of the sect of Ali with the green of the Hadgi; allotting to the former the place of honour, or the dexter side of the emblazonment. Fig. 111. The Phallus and Discus, as seen in fig. 110A, united. Fig. 115A. Scale Enrichment. The Christian altar is divided, as a hieroglyphic, into two halves or sides, before which the representative priest extends his hands, standing before it with his right hand (meaning the "Law") to the right, and his left hand (mean ing the "Prophets ") to the left; the first of which signifies the masculine (Jewish), and the second the feminine (Christian-because the Saviour was "born of a woman"), mystic celestial power. Some monograms or hieroglyphic expressions, meaning the "Salvator Mundi," show the Roman letter "I" (Jesus) |