Sibyll. vi. 26.
N the year 1850 chance led me to the discovery of a Gallo-Roman palace at Pont d’Oli (Pons Aulæ), near Pau, in the south of France. I was able to exhume the whole of the ruins, and to bring to light one of the most extensive series of mosaic pavements extant.
The remains consisted of a mansion two hundred
feet long, paved throughout with mosaic: it was
divided into summer and winter apartments; the
latter heated by means of hypocausts, and of small
size; the former very large, and opening on to a
corridor above the river, once adorned with white
marble pillars, having capitals of the Corinthian
order. One of the first portions of the palace to
be examined was the atrium, out of which, on the
west, opened the tablinum, a. semi-circular chamber
panelled with alabaster and painted.
The atrium contained a large quadrangular tank
or impluvium, the dwarf walls of which were encased
in variegated Pyrenean marbles. On the west side
of the impluvium, below the step of the tablinum, the pavement represented five rows of squares. The squares in the first, third, and fifth rows were filled with a graceful pattern composed of curves. In the second and fourth rows, however, every fourth square contained a distinctly characterized red cross on white ground, with a delicate white spine down the middle (Fig. 2). Some few of these crosses had a black floriation in the angles, much resembling that met with in Gothic crosses (Fig. 4). Immediately in front of the tablinum, on the dwarf wall of the impluvium, stood the altar to the Penates, which was found. The corresponding pavement on the east of the impluvium was similar in design to the other, but the S. George’s crosses were replaced by those of S. Andrew, each limb terminating either in a heart-shaped leaf or a trefoil (Figs., 1, 5). The design on the north and south was different, and contained no crosses. The excavations to the north led to the summer apartment. The most northerly chamber measured 26 feet by 22 feet; it was not only the largest, but evidently the principal room of the mansion, for the pavement was the most elaborate and beautiful. It was bordered by an exquisite running pattern of vines and grape bunches, springing from four drinking vessels in the centres of the north, south, east, and west sides. The pattern within this border was of circles, containing conventional roses alternately folded and expanded. This design was, however, rudely interrupted by a monstrous cross,
measuring 19 feet 8 inches by 13 feet, with its head
towards the south, and its foot at the head of a
flight of marble steps descending into what we were
unable to decide whether it was a bath or a vestibule. The ground of the cross was white; the limbs were filled with cuttle, lobsters, eels, oysters, and fish, swimming as though in their natural element; but the centre, where the arms intersected, was occupied by a gigantic bust of Neptune with his trident. The flesh was represented red; the hair, and beard, and trident were a blue-black. The arms of the figure did not show: a line joining the lower edge of the transverse limbs of the cross cut the figure at the breast, leaving the head and shoulders above. The resemblance to a crucifix was sufficiently remarkable to make the labourers exclaim, as they uncovered it, “C’est le bon Dieu, c’est Jésus!” and they regarded the trident as the centurion’s spear. A neighbouring curé satisfied himself that the pavement was laid down in conscious prophecy of Christianity, and he pointed to the chalices and grapes as symbolizing the holy Eucharist, and the great cross, at the head of what we believed to be a circular bath, as typical of Christian baptism. With regard to the cross, the following laws seem to have governed its representation in the Gallo-Roman villa:—
The S. George’s cross occupied the place of
honour in the chief room, and at the head of this
room, not in the middle, but near the bath or
porch. Again, in the atrium this cross was repeated
twenty times in the principal place before
the tablinum and altar of the household divinities, and again in connexion with water. Its colour was always red or white.
Six varieties of crosses occurred in the villa
(Figs. 1—5): the S. George’s cross plain; the
same with foliations in the angles; the same
inhabited by fish, and bust of Neptune: the
Maltese cross: the S. Andrew’s cross with
trefoiled ends; the same with heart-shaped
ends.