Glencairn Museum No. 5

Former capital hollowed out to be used as holy-water stoup. Identified in the Glencairn Museum collection with no. 09.SP.22 as: "Sculpture, limestone -- Northern Spain -- Capital with Daniel in the lion's den -- XII century, first quarter -- Provenance: Unknown -- Description: Large capital with human figure (Daniel) on one side, an angel on the opposite side, and on the two remaining sides, lions each, superimposed, with their heads directed toward Daniel. Treatment of drapery, hair, and faces of figures is rough and simplified; some stylized foliage. -- Condition: Fair, surfaces abraded. Left arm of angel broken off; head and upper torso of prophet above angel missing." Described and illustrated in Cahn (1977-1999, vol. II: 93-94) who identifies the scene on the back as the angel with prophet Habakkuk, "whom he must, in the prescribed fashion, have grasped by the hair (Dan. 14:35)", a scene related to to Daniel's salvation, "very popular in Romanesque sculpture of northern Spain, with an inclination toward the version of the story in the noncannonical addenda to the book of Daniel, which notes Habakkuk's mission of mercy, rather than the account found in the body of the text (Dan. 6:16-23), which was preferred in early Christian art". [We are grateful to The Glencairn Museum, Academy of the New Church, Brynn Athyn, Pennsylvania, and to Nathan Cole, for the information on, and images of this object]