 Pagan
images right at the gate to the inner city |
LUCCA
"A SURPRISE PACKAGE" |
 The Goat, symbol of Vegetation Gods, later typically
demonized as a "Devil" which couldn't stop Lucca to proudly portrey him |
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 Two
Green Men |
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 The
Shell, worldwide symbol of the Cosmic Womb |
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 The Duomo |
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One of the portals decorated with two Green Men, apparently
two citizens who like to be identified with the "Pagan" God |
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Initially, I was quite disappointed, for there weren't too
many Green Men. Fortunately, I found these ones (right, below). The sun was extremely hot,
so photographing impaired. The images are very powerful, thus Green Men - just like in
Pavia I thought, must originally have been present here |
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I had already walked several times along the southern nave
of the church, almost instinctively knowing that there should be a treasure hidden there.
Only after the fourth time.....I saw VERY tiny figures, very high put on bricks, almost as
if they had just put there, consisting of heads with small Green Men below them. Totally
intriguing! |
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 Could
he be a Cathar? Even if not so, this picture I won't forget. This man is "my
hero".... |
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It took a long time before I realized what they could be.
Comparing them with a couple of other churches in Europe (e.g. Chartres, with which it
indeed had a link!), it is most likely, that these faces are of "heretical"
people. Probably of Cathars, of whom there were many at that time. To display them as
"unbelievers" Green Men were added. The idea of a pillory, like it was custom in
those times |
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Salomo di Lucca was an inquisitor who "operated"
mainly in Florance. In Lucca death penalties were forbidden! Was this another way to
denounce opponents? |
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 Renewal
through "riding" the Primordial Beast (Great Mother) |
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 Two Green Man participate in this primordial scene |
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Lucca, you are unique. You are on the list of my favourites |