
	Pillar of Carantania


	Karantanski steber

Dr. Jožko Šavli

October 5, 2010

Above we have a reproduction of a 12th-century Romanesque capital, which was characteristic for Carantania at this time. The pillar with this particular capital can be seen in the former Benedictine Abbey of Millstatt (Carinthia).

Several pillars with very different capitals came up during my search for the characteristic Carantanian shrine. These capitals are found all over ancient Carantania (in modern Austria, Slovenia and Friuli) and most of them date back to the Romanesque period. I asked myself, if some of them display distinctive Carantanian characteristics? Anyway, I could not find a clear answer.

First, I tried to individuate a characteristic Carantanian column, respectively capital, in the basilica of Aquileia, erected by Patriarch Poppo in 1031. He was issue of the Counts of Treffen, a Carantanian noble family. However, not one capital possessed particularities, as we often encounter them in Carantanian churches of that period. The shape of each capital was created in a very artistic form and they express through their symbols various spiritual minds. Not all of them have been preserved till today.

The earliest medieval capitals - in contrast to the capitals of the late Antiquity – have strictly geometrical forms, which are based on the abstract geometric shapes-cubes, truncated cone and pyramid. In the area of modern Austria, this is, in ancient Carantanian territory, the most common form is the cushion capital that rises from the intersection of a cube with a sphere, so that the lower corners of the cube are cut off and unite the form with the circular shaft of the column.

Pillar, circle and square

Geometric shapes and other drawings, found on Sarcophagi and various places in early Christianity, i.e. in the late Antiquity, are certainly not decorations and fashion of that period. They are religious symbols, which demonstrate to man God’s creation, the universe.

The column was in ancient times normally the support of a building and the guarantor of its stability. God makes the pillars on which rests the world, the strong force of life, to shake free from pagan type of morality, and tear down and will do so in the Judgment. - He shakes the earth from its place and makes its pillars tremble (Job 9, 6). The pillar with base and capital symbolizes also the tree of life and the world axis mundi. (Heinz – Mohr, 250).

In the Greco - Roman period, votive and triumphal columns were established without architectural tasks. At the same time they symbolized the connection between heaven and earth. In the Jewish and Christian tradition, this cosmic - spiritual symbolism brought also, comparatively, the pillar of fire and the pillar of cloud to the people of Israel, accompanied by the Desert (2 Mose 13, 21…). Therefore, special attention was given to the description of the columns in the temple and palace of Solomon: So much magnificent cedar wood from Lebanon was used to build Solomon's palace that they called it the "House of the Forest of Lebanon." Walking in the richly paneled walls of the palace was like walking in a forest. The forty-five pillars set in the House of the Forest of Lebanon also gave the impression of being in a majestic forest (1 Kings 7; 2).

This form of capital, which appears in the 12th century in Carantania, is typical of the Romanesque period. I would not describe it explicitly as "Carantanian”. However, when certain characteristic symbols appear in the semicircle of the capital, we are approaching here an area where the ancient name is at its most powerful, it is the typical chapter or pillar of Carinthia (now Austria). Anyway, originally the four semicircles did not depict particular symbols.


	•	The Crypt of St. Hemma – Cathedral of Gurk – Krka (Carinthia), where the grave of the Saint is venerated.


	•	It shows the very “House of the Forest of Lebanon”.

A typical example of the “forest” of pillars is the crypt of the Cathedral of Gurk - Krka (Carinthia), in which St. Ema is buried. It is the greatest building of all crypts in Middle Europe. The crypt under the choir and transept was completed in 1174 as the first part of the cathedral, where the worship of St. Hemma has been preserved until this very day. In the beginning it was probably paid for by the worshipers of St. Hemma.

The 100-columnar crypt is exactly taken from 96 slender columns and two double pillars in front of the apse. There are six rectangular pillars. Above the columns rises a steep, high groin vault. The column bases are decorated with leaves, figural corner nodules and corner adornments, the capitals are simple, unadorned square capitals. The age-old idea of the sacred grave is here clearly visible.

The simplified Romanesque capitals, which associate circle (ball) and square, expressed His spiritual message very clear. In this way the column shows the connection between earth and sky, the cosmos. This is represented in the capital, in which two geometric images, square and circular, collide. However, art and spirituality in the Romanesque period was tailored mainly to the abbey and their monks.

The Carantanian people, however, rather celebrated Sundays and holidays with special events and festivals, with flowers and greenery, with bonfire and especially with singing. In this context, I assume that the deep biblical symbolism of Romanesque art in the former Carantania first and foremost was reserved for monks, priests and the nobility.

Carantania:


	•	examples of Romanesque capitals from Dietmannsdorf (Styria) and Friesach (Carinthia) 12th century

The capital of the Carantanian pillar shows on four sides semicircles and forms a square on top. These geometric shapes are certainly not decorations, or a fashion of that period. They carry a particular message. The semicircle could only represent, for technical reasons, a reduced form of the circle. It is without beginning or end, an image of eternity (Forstner, 62). The circle was not only regarded as a symbol of God's eternity but it was also related to the cycle of the cosmos: As the circular line returns to its starting point, so returns life of creation. Thus, it is the representation of immortality which originates from the ever-repeated rejuvenation of nature.

The four sides could only represent the four directions of the sky, this is, the cosmos. The square on top of the capital symbolizes earth, respectively, the earthly life. - The combination of circular and square as a symbolic expression of the wholeness of the universe forms the basic structure of the mandala meditation mentioned figures with macro-microcosmic significance. In Mandala (circle, in Sanscrit) and other figures, based on circle, coincide the cosmic center of the outer world and the personal center of the inner world. (Lurker, 395). The circle became a symbol of the Self.

Millstatt: the cloister in the ancient abbey,

•

ball (circle) and square appear separated, each one on its column.

Both symbols, ball (cosmos) and square (earth) are sometimes separated and each one rests on its proper pillar, respectively, capital. An example of this we find in the cloister of the one-time abbey in Millstatt: side by side appear two pillars, on one of them we see the ball and on the other one the square adorned with a plant motif. Indeed, on earth (square) are found plants, which create life.

Other biblical and spiritual symbols

But in 12th century Carantania several other columns, respectively, capitals of purely geometrical shape were found, which did not express a specific message. Once again, we find beautiful examples in the ancient abbey of Millstatt. The spiritual message is inspired by the plant motif, which is chiseled on the capital. On the following capitals we see two symbolic trees, one is the tree of life and the other one is the tree of paradise, recognized by grapes, the symbol of paradise.

Millstatt:

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capitals which depict the tree of life and the tree of paradise (with grapes), ca. 1100.

Among the various symbols found in Millstatt, I would like to draw attention to the painted symbols. They are designed in conjunction with the well-known book of Physiologus, the manuscript of which was written in the monastery in early Middle High German (12th century). The original book was written in Alexandria in 2nd century AD by a Greek writer, who became known by the name of Physiologus.

The book contains many animal legends, which the writer adopted as allegories to Christ. In this way, the book was translated into all Antique languages. On the capitals, which I present here as examples, we see on one of them the panther, symbol of Christ’s Resurrection. The panther became the coat of arms of Carantania. On the capital of the other column we see the lion, which was the symbol of Christ, too.

Millstatt:

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capital with panther and the knot of love


	•	beside : capital with lion

Gurk – Krka, cathedral of St. Emma:


	•	capital with plant motif and panther, ca. 1250

In the semicircle of the capital appears very often a plant motif. Usually it is a tracery or a flower that is to be understood also as a sun symbol. We find this subject on the chapters of the monastery churches of St. Paul (Carinthia), Admont (Styria) Seckau (Styria) and others.

In Carantania, the motifs on capitals represent biblical symbolism. They are an expression of spirituality, which at that time was maintained in the monasteries of Central Europe and Europe, and in Carantania it was no less than in other Romance and Germanic countries of that period. However, it seems that this spirituality introduced many local trends. In this context, I think it is allowed to speak of the Carantanian spirituality, which, among other things, finds its expression in the symbolic pillar with its capital.

Capitals with plant motifs:


	•	St. Paul (Carinthia) ca. 1190, Seckau (Styria) ca. 1150

Regretfully, if we visit todays monasteries and churches with all their pillars, there are none that capture a biblical or spiritual message. I am puzzled about a particular pillar in Millstatt on which appears the figure of the panther, reading: “Katzenmotiv” (cat motif). The panther, it is true, pertains to the cat family. Anyway, it cannot be denoted as “cat” only, neither in a natural nor symbolic and biblical sense.

Finally, the question arises, if one can speak of a characteristic Carantanian pillar? The answer, in my opinion, is yes. The special feature of the Carinthian pillar or its capital is expressed in its symbolic intersection of circle, respectively, semicircle (heaven) and square (earth). Such symbolic intersection is also found on other pillars. Anyway, in Carantania it is particularly stressed.

In my opinion, the Carantanian capital or pillar in sense of its artistic and spiritual message must be associated to other well-known columns, like the Egyptian, Greek, Roman Byzantine… later it must be classified at the same level as other Romanesque and Gothic columns in different European countries. It is an expression of the Carantanian (now Austrian) historical, artistical and spiritual peculiarity.