Report·PU-Mu 1050, Box 3, folder 17·c. 1955

Kourion Complex Palace (Mosaics) Fales, c. 1955 (1 of 2)De C. Fales (probably)

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Typed and handwritten in English. Every line is transcribed, and the text sits beside the scan.

Scan 89 of report PU-Mu 1050, Box 3, folder 17 (Kourion Complex Palace (Mosaics) Fales, c. 1955 (1 of 2)), typed and handwritten in English. The transcription follows.

Scan: Penn Museum Archives, Philadelphia, PU-Mu 1050, Box 3, folder 17, Courtesy of the Penn Museum.

Unnumbered pageScan 89 of 97

88

are drinking or about to drink from brooks. These are the stags of the baptistery at Salona[handwritten: y] accompanied by the words of the psalmist, Sicut cervus desiderat ad fontes aquarum, ita desiderat anima mea ad Te Deum. These stags are not some rare anomaly, for the lambs in the baptistery at [handwritten: Ravenna] are shown on either side of a mound with a cross Ravenna are shown on either side of a mound with a cross and the two pairs of sheep in the baptistery at Naples are on either side of two shepherds, one of whom carries a lamb on his shoulder, the symbol of the 'good shepherd' and the other of whom appears to call to the sheep. There can be little doubt that in each case, the sheep are iconographically portrayed. That the birds in the baptistery of San Giovanni in Naples are symbolic is indicated by the phoenix which accompanies those in the circular border around the dome of the sky or heaven. The phoenix is a symbol of eternal life. The birds which since they are born out of the water are connected with baptism symbolize the life here on earth and eternal life in heaven or the sky. They are, also, probably symbolic of the Church who nourishes her members. Jacob of Edessa says of birds, quod sibi unumquodque eorum id facit, et vescitur eo quod sibi datum est a creatore suo. In support of this concept, he quotes the 103rd psalm, "Omnia, ait, te expectant ut des illis escam in tempore suo; et das illis, ait, et nutriuntur et saturantur bonis" … continues

65 figures hard to readstruck struck outadded written in above” jug ditto, and what it repeatsword reading not certain

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