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EARLY CHRISTIAN ART Norman Sculpture The ecclesiastical sculptured stonework of the twelfth century may be considered to consist of three classes, namely, (i) symbolical, (2) decorative, and (3) architectural ; although it is not always easy to draw a distinct line of demarcation between each. Symbolical sculpture is confined to figure- subjects, crosses, and other emblematical devices ; decorative sculpture includes anthropomorphs, zoomorphs, foliage, and geometrical ornament, whilst archi- tectural sculpture does not go beyond mouldings and alterations in the form of the detail to be ornamented. Examples of symbolical sculpture of the twelfth century exist at the following localities in Norfolk : — Fonts. — Burnham Deepdale, Fincham, Sculthorpe. Tympana. — Mintlyn, Tottenhill. Miscellaneous. — Haddiscoe. Examples of decorative sculpture of the twelfth century exist at the following localities in Norfolk : — Fonts.' — Burnham Norton, Castle Rising, Hautbois, Hunstanton, Ingelthorpe, Plumstead (part of a. leaden font), Shernborne, Little Snoring, Toftrees, South Wooton. DooRWAYS.^-Aldeby, -Barton St. Mary, Britlingham, Burlingham (South), Castle Acre, Castle Rising, Chedgrave, Cranworth, Croxton, Framlingham (East), Gissing, Haddiscoe, Hales, Heckinghara, Kir.by Cane, Limpenhoe, Mundham, Ovington, Runcton (South), Sheringham, Shouldham Thorpe, Snoring (Little), Thurlton, Thwaite, Wimbotsham, Wroxham. The font at Burnham Deepdale has a square bowl supported on five short octagonal pillars, with cushion capitals, resting on a square base built of ashlar stones. The bowl only of the font is ancient, the stem and base being modern. All four faces of the bowl are sculptured, and the design is divided into two parts, namely, (i) a projecting frieze or horizontal band round the top, and (2) an arcade of four round-headed arches on each face occupying the lower part of the bowl. The subjects represented on the four faces of the Burnham Deepdale font are as follows : — South Face. — On the frieze at the top, a pair of lions (?) placed symmetrically facing in opposite ■directions with their tails twisted together and the ends floriated. On the arcade below, beginning at the right and going towards the left. 1. A man seated on a chair with a drinking horn raised to his mouth, inscribed (ia)nvarivs. 2. A man with a hood over his head, seated on a chair, warming his feet at the fire ; inscribed '(f)ebrvarivs. 3. A man digging with a spade ; inscribed martivs.' 4. A man with a bill-hook pruning trees ; uninscribed. fFest Face. — On the frieze at the top, to the right a lion (?) with a floriated tail, and to the left foliage issuing from the mouth of a grotesque head at the corner. On the arcade below, going from right to left — 1. A woman with long hair hanging down her back, standing, holding a banner in her right hand and having a tree in front of her ; uninscribed. 2. A man standing ; inscribed ivNivs. 3. A man standing, hoeing the ground ; inscribed ivlivs. 4. A man bending down, binding a sheaf of corn ; inscribed avgvs(tvs). ' Several of these are engraved in J. S. Cotman's Specimens of Norman and Gothic Jrchitecture in the County ■ofNorfolk. 2 The letters read from the top dovi^nwards in the opposite direction to the other two names of the months. 559