labours of the months
This carving shows two of the 'labours of the months', i.e. the tasks which needed to be undertaken in mediaeval times during each month of the year. The upper scene appears to depict harvesting acorns for grazing pigs or wild boar, while in the lower scene those same pigs appear to have been 'harvested' themselves.
This carving is part of the decorative scheme on the south portal of the west front of the Basilica of St Denis, and appears on the door jamb to the left side of the door.
St Denis is a mediaeval abbey church about 10km north of Paris, and has been the burial place of almost every French monarch since the 10th century.
The original mausoleum for St Denis (martyred in about AD 250) was built on this site in the early 4th century. A larger abbey church was then built over the mausoleum in the mid 8th century. However the current basilica was begun in the early 12th century under Abbot Suger.
While the west front dates back to the 1130s, it has since undergone considerable alteration and restoration.
labours of the months
This carving shows two of the 'labours of the months', i.e. the tasks which needed to be undertaken in mediaeval times during each month of the year. The upper scene appears to depict harvesting acorns for grazing pigs or wild boar, while in the lower scene those same pigs appear to have been 'harvested' themselves.
This carving is part of the decorative scheme on the south portal of the west front of the Basilica of St Denis, and appears on the door jamb to the left side of the door.
St Denis is a mediaeval abbey church about 10km north of Paris, and has been the burial place of almost every French monarch since the 10th century.
The original mausoleum for St Denis (martyred in about AD 250) was built on this site in the early 4th century. A larger abbey church was then built over the mausoleum in the mid 8th century. However the current basilica was begun in the early 12th century under Abbot Suger.
While the west front dates back to the 1130s, it has since undergone considerable alteration and restoration.