Chambon-sur-Lac cemetery chapel
The cemetery chapel on the northeastern edge of the French community of Chambon-sur-Lac is a central building , the origins of which are believed to date from the 10th century.
The village is located in the Puy-de-Dôme department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region and about 35 km southwest of the city of Clermont-Ferrand on the eastern edge of the Monts Dore . Their cemetery is on the northeastern outskirts of the village, on the slope across the through road, about 200 meters from the village church . At its highest point, the rotunda of the cemetery chapel rises up , which according to the local signs could also have been the baptistery. There are only a few sources that treat this small, art-historical but demanding structure, especially its historical data.
history
Antiquity and Migration Period
Before the Romans , the Gallic (= Celtic ) tribe of the Arverni settled in this region . In addition to the Celtic settlement "Nemossos", in the old town area of today's Clermont-Ferrand , the Gallic settlement on the plateau mountain near Clermont, which later bore the name gergovia (French gergovie ), is known.
After the year 52 BC The Romans also occupied the land of the "averna civitas" and the now Gallo-Roman city was named Nemetum , later Augustonemetum , and became one of the numerous well-developed centers in the Gallic province . On the Puy de Dôme , a Celtic sanctuary became a Roman Temple of Mercury . From the 3rd to the 9th century the city was called Arvernis , in memory of its Celtic ancestors. This later became the name of the Auvergne region.
In the 4th century the entire region became Christian . The seclusion of Chambons and Le Mont-Dore prevented the area from being invaded by the West Goths , Franks , Saracens and Vikings during the Migration Period (4th to 6th centuries) .
middle Ages
The few sources speak of different uses of the building, as a cemetery chapel, cemetery rotunda ( Rotonde du cimetière ), burial chapel of the Lords of Murol ( funéraire des cires de Murol ), or of a baptisteriun ( baptistère = baptistery) or even of a Templar chapel ( chapelle templière ). In front of the rotonde there is a sign with the inscription: Rotonde du cimetière, ou batistère X ème siécle (cemetery rotunda or baptistery, 10th century)
The location alone in the cemetery outside the town limits suggests that the building could not have been built as a cemetery chapel. The move out of the cemetery, which was arranged around the village church throughout the Middle Ages and beyond, on the opposite southern slope is more recent. The altitude provides absolute protection from flooding by the meandering mountain stream.
It can therefore be assumed that the building was built and used in or before the 10th century, initially as an oratory , perhaps one of the Templars , or as a baptistery , and that without the cemetery that surrounds it today. In the Carolingian period in the 8th century, however, adult baptism declined in favor of infant or child baptism . This also made the use of a baptistery with a baptismal font set into the floor increasingly superfluous. The infants were then baptized in church.
The glamorous exterior architectural equipment does not date from the 10th century. Characteristic stylistic elements of the regional Auvergne building school of the Romanesque can be found here, as can be found in almost all of the main churches of Basse-Auvergne or Limagne .
Examples include: roller frieze , black and white incrustations (Gallo-Roman or early Christian origin), planed chipboard bricks , wide paw crosses , rectangular niches with set columns, capital scene with two four-legged griffins drinking together from a goblet (see section Building, External Appearance ).
The collegiate church Notre-Dame du Port in Clermont-Ferrand and the very close priory church of Saint-Nectaire have almost all of these details and were built and completed in the 12th century. Accordingly, the chapel must have been renovated and rebuilt around the same time. This affects the insertion of the architectural details mentioned above, and probably also the addition of the small narthex . The date most of the sources mentioned in the 12th century, or in one of the High Romanesque, must probably refer to this renovation.
The interior decoration with blind arcades and carved column capitals , however, suggests an earlier version (10th century or earlier). One could imagine the older building in the form of a purely cylindrical structure, without decorative external structures, covered with a simple conical roof, and with a few slot-like window openings, a simple portal and instead of a choir apse a rectangular wall template.
The financial expenditure for the high-quality renovation of the chapel, perhaps by the builders of the neighboring churches, could certainly not be borne by the congregation of the simple local church. It is quite possible that the same gentlemen or the Casadéennes , as the monks of the Abbey of La Chaise-Dieu were called, were responsible for the financing and implementation of the renovation work . Perhaps it was a branch of Saint-Nectaire, about 10 kilometers away, or the Lords of Murol , a neighboring high fortress.
Modern times
Cemetery chapel was probably not built until the 19th or the beginning of the 20th century, when the village's cemetery had to give way to the inner-city road construction.
Building
Outward appearance
The main structure consists of the somewhat squat circular cylinder of the rotunda made of natural stone masonry and large-format smooth stones that are walled up in regular layers. Their colors range from almost white, through various shades of beige to dark gray. Because of the slope, the adjoining terrain rises significantly from the valley side around the building to the mountain side.
The circular outer walls are closed all round on the top by a massive, expansive cornice with a beveled visible edge. The cornice slabs rest on closely placed chipboard bricks, above which they are each divided. The particularly high corbels show hardly any deviations in shape from one another. The twenty degree inclined conical roof with natural gray slate covered, the bottom row is cantilevered still well above the cornice. The tip of the cone has a carved stone pommel with a disc-shaped cover.
Slightly above the middle wall height (valley side), two parallel cantilevered cornices enclose the rotunda at a distance of just under one meter. The upper one is rectangular in cross section, its vertical visible side is profiled several times. The lower one has a beveled underside.
Between the two cantilevered cornices on the north and south sides of the rotunda wall, two niches in the form of lying rectangles are embedded, which are as high as the distance between the cornice. The niches are laterally bounded by vertical profiles that resemble the upper cornice. In each of the niches there are three smooth columns, mostly in gray to dark gray stone, equipped with differently carved capitals (see separate section) and profiled bases . This motif is borrowed from Roman antiquity . There is also a niche with just one column. Between the cantilevered cornices there are also three slit-like, arched window openings that are not quite as high as the distance between the cornices.
- Gallery niches with pillars
Niche with column, southwest side
Niche with column, south side
Niche with a column, north side
Niche with column, north side
A larger wall template was arranged on the east side of the rotunda, which made it possible to install a deeper wall niche inside that could accommodate a small altar. This template has a flat surface on the outside and is covered on the top by a roof-like bevel, which closes off a piece under the eaves. In the middle of the wall template, a slender arched window is cut out, which is covered by wedge stones flush with the surface. The above two cantilever cornices butt against the side surfaces of the template. On the template itself, a horizontal cantilever cornice with a bevel on the underside runs just below the height of the upper cornice and is led around on the side surfaces of the wall template. This cornice encloses the wedge stones of the window in a semicircle.
On the west side of the rotunda, slightly shifted from the central axis, a small narthex was added, probably in connection with the renovation of the chapel in the 12th century , which also has the stylistic elements of the renovation. Its floor plan is essentially rectangular, the side walls are of different lengths due to the off-center connection to the rotunda. The extension is covered by a 20 degree pitched gable roof , with a covering like the main roof. The eaves formation roughly corresponds to that of the rotunda. The gable wall of the narthex extends well beyond its roof surfaces. Its verge ends with the same inclination as that of the roof behind it. It is covered on the top by slightly cantilevered stone slabs, the lower visible edges of which are equipped with a roller frieze . The lower ends of the cover plates are equipped with roller friezes of the same type, which then extend horizontally a short distance to the surface of the gable wall.
Just below the height of the lateral eaves cornice of the narthex, a cornice made of horizontal slabs of planed chipboard is arranged on the gable wall, as with the eaves, which ends a bit in front of the side edges of the gable wall. Above this cornice, elaborate incrustations of black and gray mosaic panels decorate the gable field.
These are structured by strong cantilever profiles that are triangular in cross-section and the center of which is marked by a groove. In the middle of the gable field, directly on the cantilevered cornice, there is a large square placed on the corner. The square is filled with a gray circle with a black diamond rosette of the same size . There are two polygonal rectangles on both sides of the square , the inner sides of which are formed from the lower oblique sides of the square. The areas are filled by four lines of alternating black and gray triangles.
- Gallery narthex
Narthex gable wall
Incrustations and scroll frieze
Narthex door
bronze grip ring on Narthex door
The ridge of the gable field is crowned by a square "paw cross", the arms of which are fanned out and backed by a large circular ring. In the center there is a smaller, slightly protruding circular ring, which is filled with a smaller, simple paw cross. The wide fans of the arms of the large cross made of fanned leaf ornaments each carry a fruit in their middle that resembles a pine cone flanked by two small leaf tendrils. This cross corresponds to a true-to-original copy of the “paw crosses” on the choir head of the nearby Saint-Nectaire priory church .
In the lower area of the narthex gable, a rectangular portal opening is cut out, which is closed with a single-wing door that is hung with wrought iron bands. A bronze grip ring hangs on a circular plate that is decorated with a motif of intertwined rings. The portal opening is covered by a mighty monolithic lintel, with roof-like upper sides sloping flat on both sides. Above it stands a semicircular arch made of wedge stones flush with the surface with a clear width like that of the doorway. The area between the lintel and the arch is filled with an incrustation made of a grid of gray mosaic panels with square black “holes”.
Interior
The walls of the circular rotunda are divided by seven blind arcades, plus a slightly distorted arch of the narthex barrel vault. The arcade arches are made of wedge stone arches with right-angled edges, which stand on columns, which are equipped with carved capitals, profiled transom plates with beveled, partly grooved lower edges, double-profiled bases and angular plinths with beveled upper edges. The plinths stand on cube-shaped consoles at the level of a layer of wall, which in turn stand on a base that is not completely circumferential . The background of the blind arcades run through behind the circular column shafts. The gussets between the tops of the wedge stones up to the height of the wedge stone apex are filled with masonry flush with the surface.
So that the circular support for the hemispheric arose dome calotte originally plastered smooth. This plaster is only preserved in small white remains today. In the parts of the dome that are now almost completely exposed, the stones of the vault should actually be recognizable. Instead, you see a gray mortar surface interspersed with mixed-grain gravel, reminiscent of concrete. No plausible explanation is known for this.
Round-arched window openings are recessed in three of the blind arcade niches, the walls and window sills of which converge towards the outside except for a narrow slit. A wall niche with a rectangular floor plan is embedded in the central arcade. It is as wide as the clear distance between the column consoles and is covered on the top by an additional wedge arch. In the rear wall of the niche there is a round arched window opening with outwardly tapering walls. The outer window opening is not quite as narrow as the other windows.
In the niche is a walled altar block, closed on all sides, with a slightly protruding cover plate made of basalt lava .
In front of the altar is a platform at the level of the wall plinth, to which three steps lead up, which jointly push against the plinth.
The walls and wedge arches consist of smooth, predominantly gray stone, which are walled up in regular layers of stone of equal height. The columns and capitals are also mostly of the same color. In the eastern area of the rotunda, the stones are partly darker, almost even black.
The cause of the off-center offset of the narthexane cultivation is not known. It consists of a right-angled floor plan, which is cut off at an angle from the inner rounding of the rotunda. It is covered by a plastered barrel vault. Round-arched niches are set into the side walls, the semicircular arches of which are made of wedge-shaped stones. A wall plinth is inserted in the niche background. The outside rectangular door opening is raised on the inside and is covered by an arch that corresponds to the outer arch. The monolithic lintel with the bevels on the top can also be seen on the inside.
- Gallery inner blind arcades
Blind arcades, altar in wall niche
Blind arcades to the left of the altar
Blind arcades to the right of the altar
Blind arcades to the left of the narthex
Capital sculpture
Outer capitals
In the middle of the first niche, which faces southwest, there is a capital depicting Adam and Eve on both sides of the tree of knowledge. The tree has a spiral-shaped trunk that both grasp under the tree canopy. (See first photo of the niches with columns.)
Another capital shows a scene that is very similar to a capital in a choir chapel of the Notre-Dame du Port collegiate church in Clermont-Ferrand. A goblet is depicted with two four-legged winged griffins ( dragons ) facing it, who drink from the goblet with their crooked beaks at the same time. With their inner claws they grip the base of the chalice.
Another capital presents four birds of prey , recognizable by their crooked beaks, standing upright in front of the viewer with outstretched wings. Their heads are pointed downward and the tips of their bills touch their pectoral plumage. The outer birds are cut from the niche wall. It could mean eagles or phoenixes , but also pelicans , whose misrepresented figure is due to the ignorance of medieval stonemasons about the appearance of oriental animals.
The bird motifs come from the Physiologus , an early Christian compendium of animal symbolism from the second century. For the eagle, phoenix and pelican it says:
Aquila: As the eagle grows old, its wings become heavy and its eyes darken. Then he looks for a clear source and flies up from here to the sun, where he burns out his wings and eyes. He then descends into the spring, dips into it three times and is thus rejuvenated. Thus, when the eyes of his heart are dark, man should rise to Christ, the sun of righteousness, and rejuvenate himself in the source of eternal life in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. [GkS 1633 f.31v-32]
Phoenix: The phoenix lives in India (or Arabia). Every 500 years he goes to Lebanon, fills his wings with fragrant herbs and then takes them to Heliopolis, where he burns himself on the altar in the temple of the sun. From the ashes, however, a worm emerges the next day, which on the second day develops into a young bird, until on the third the phoenix itself emerges from it in its previous form and then returns to its old place of residence. The phoenix is a symbol of Christ who rose from death on the third day. The two wings, filled with fragrances, mean the Old and New Testaments, full of divine teachings. [GkS 1633 f.37-38]
Pelicanus: The pelican is characterized by a great love for its young. But when these grow up, they hit their parents in the face, and they hit them again and thereby kill them. But then they have mercy, and on the third day the mother comes (according to other texts the father), opens her page and lets her blood drip onto the dead boys, whereby they come to life again. So after the Fall, God rejected humanity and handed it over to death; but he had pity on us like a mother, since by his death on the cross he awakened us to eternal life with his blood. [GkS 1633 f.39v-40]
The figure on another capital is a siren who holds up her two splayed fish tails with her hands sideways. Her right tail is coiled like a corkscrew. In the Physiologus it says:
Sirena et onocentaurus: The sirens and onocentaurs in their half-human, half-animal form resemble the heretics who, under the appearance of faith and piety (the human upper body), sneak into the church and deceive the simple-minded. [GkS 1633 f.40v]
The next capital is in a corner of the niche and therefore has only two visible sides. On the free edge of the capital, a bearded human figure crouches in front of the viewer, legs wide apart, and sticks out its tongue. His wide robe reaches almost to his feet.
The remaining capitals show sculptures of plants, some with figurative representations.
- Gallery of outer capitals
Capital, 2 griffins drink from a chalice
Capital, eagles or pelicans
Capital, crouching man sticks out tongue
Capital, man crouches in the plant
Inner capitals
Inside the rotunda there is only a single figuratively carved capital, to the left of the altar. It depicts a total of nine male, mostly bearded or mustache-bearded people in a standing position, in the clothes of sophisticated personalities.
On the left-hand side of the capital, an apparently unclothed man (with a visible belly button) lies with his left side on a decorative pillow and supports his head on it with his left arm, recognizable as a person of prestige. Another man is busy with a puzzling affair in his hip area. In the sources, the interpretations of this scene range from the circumcision of Abraham, the torture of a saint, a pagan castration to medical treatment at that time.
On the central side of the capital stands an obviously younger man with a smaller head than his neighbors and without a beard. He is wearing a foot-length coat and keeps his arms crossed on his chest with his hands clenched together. A larger face appears to his left. The associated body disappears behind that of the lying Abraham and the person standing in the center.
On the corner of the capital at the front right, a standing man is pressing a round object, such as a loaf of bread, under his chin against his chest with both hands. He is dressed in knee-length trousers. On the right-hand side of the capital, behind his back, stands a person with a full beard and turns all the way back. In his right hand he is holding a cup into which something is being filled from a larger container in the form of a barrel (?). The barrel is raised on a one-legged stool. Above him, a barely recognizable round face looks forward. This person reaches into the jar with his right hand or the lid.
The interpretation of the left-hand side of the capital as the "circumcision of Abraham" seems to be largely documented. This scene symbolizes the “old covenant”.
Here are the Bible sources for this thesis: Romans 4.11-12 EU . In Genesis 17: 10-11 EU circumcision is introduced, but it does not say that Abraham was circumcised. The following, 18th chapter of Genesis, tells of the visit of the three men (angels) who confirm chapter 17: Abraham and Sarah are said to have an offspring who is to be circumcised as a sign of the covenant. Since (in the Orthodox churches ) the visit of the three is equated with the triune God, the interpretation of this side of the capital is actually certain.
No plausible interpretation is known for the two persons on the front of the capital, especially the younger one in the center.
The right-hand side of the capital, starting with the person on the corner of the capital, deals with bread and wine, which symbolize the “New Kingdom”. What is striking, however, is that the person eating the bread and the person trying to pour the wine stand back to back, and thus the scenes are supposed to be separated. There is only one reason for this: Matthew 26.29 EU (Jesus only drinks the chalice in the New Kingdom, i.e. when he comes again). But that would also mean that the practice of only serving bread and not the chalice at mass was common.
The remaining nine capitals are carved from plants.
- Capitals
9 men, right corner
9 men, detail right corner
Vegetable sculpture
Vegetable sculpture
Web links
literature
- Noel Graveline: The Romanesque Treasures in Auvergne . Zodiaque, La Pierre-qui-Vire 2002.
- Jacques Baudoin: Auvergne Terre novels . Cournon d'Auvergne 1993.
- Matthias Untermann: The central building in the Middle Ages . Scientific Book Society, Darmstadt 1989, ISBN 3-534-10267-3 .
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d Jacques Baudoin: Auvergne Terre Romane. 120 p., Cournon d´Auvergne 1993.
- ↑ Local information sign
- ^ A b Matthias Untermann: The central building in the Middle Ages
- ↑ a b c d Noel Graveline: The Romanesque Treasures in Auvergne. 144 pp., Zodiaque 2002
Coordinates: 45 ° 34 ′ 18 ″ N , 2 ° 54 ′ 1 ″ E