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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[SEPTEMBER, 1885
passes through the binges and holds them together, but sticks out above.
II. Those who are familiar with the symbolism of the Eastern and Roman Catholic Churches, will easily understand what the small head of the old bearded man represents and the dove beneath it, flanked by two angels with their heads down and feet upwards. The body on the crucifix appears to be dressed in a coat, but the arms and legs are left bare. Near it are the spear and the reed, as seen also on the outside view of No. I. Of the inscrip- tion round the cross I was able to make out with certainty only the word Ramiyatié, which means “Crucifixion." On the back of this piece vestiges of several lines of writing occur, which, not having been engraved deep enough, forbishing has nearly effaced.
"St. Nicholas." Having been a bishop he is represented with the two forefingers of the right hand prominent, which are thus separated from the others, and gently striking the cheek of a person receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation; and in the left he holds a short Byzantine cross. His robe of gold brocade is richly adorned with flowery devices, and over it he wears two stoles, with crosses embroidered upon them. Above the heads of the two small figures, supported by clouds, at the sides the monograms 10 XO and MP which stand for Yio Christos and Maria, may be observed. A small hole is broken out of this icon on the right side above.
On the top of this piece, which is a little damaged, a person in a standing position with covered head appears to be reading from a book on the pulpit in front; both the lower compartments however contain Christ as the central figure. In the upper one he is represented as taking a person by the hand in the same way as in the position of No. I, superscribed Resurrection; this person, as well as the one on the right side, is a female. Christ stands under an arch surmounted by a small ring. In the lower compartment he is represented in the act of addressing the surrounding people with both his hands stretched out, and above his head is a small oval containing the bust of a man with an angel on each side. The few words occurring over each of these two scenes I was unable to make out satisfac. torily.
IV. The small quadrangle above, contains a head with rich locks, probably intended to represent hair on both sides of the beard ; the two usual monograms and XC occur on the frame above, and also a halo of sanctity around the head. On the back there is a small ring-not seen in the drawing-for suspending this icon from the neck. The big figure below bears on the frame the superscription Svyati Nikolas meaning
This icon, the smallest of the set, likewise represents St. Nicholas, flanked by two little busts resting on clonds. To judge from the two hinges, this may have been the door of a book-like piece similar to No. I, but inferior in size and execution. The ring above indicates that it may also have been worn as an amulet suspended from the neck.
This is the only piece the reverse of which is ornamented ; accordingly two views of it are given, namely the front and the rear, the ornaments of which also display but poor workmanship.
VI. This figure is apparently the oldest, and seems neither to be of Russian design nor of sacred import, unless we indulge by a stretch of imagination in the supposition that this young lady with almond eyes had attained sanctity by subduing the two besetting sins of her sex, loquacity and vanity, keeping them firmly under control as she grasps in her fists their symbols, the parrot and the peacock. Her only unintelligible ornament is on the centre of her bust; the necklace and bracelets are distinct enoagh. The head-dress appears not to be a cap, but the Arab kerchief, over which & fillet of camel hair is thrown, according to the fashion of the country. Just over the fillet there is a ring in the centre. It would be natural to expect an inscription under this bust, but even & magnifying glass could reveal nothing more than the few paltry curves of foliage or of serpents shown in the drawing.
