Arcade of the ciborium depicting a beast (possibly a manticore), Rab cathedral, The Master of the Zadar Ambos, first decade of the 9 th c. (photo by Z. Alajbeg).

Contexts in source publication

Context 1

... from the nude warriors, the only other secular element on the analyzed sculptures are erected phallus symbols on the horse (Fig. 6,e) and a probable lion (Fig. 6,c) in Pridraga and a hybrid animal on the ciborium from Rab (Fig. 8). At this stage, they can hardly be interpreted, but we will return to that motif later. To summarize at this point, The Master of the Zadar Ambos has depicted in two out of four churches, in St. Martin in Pridraga and the cathedral in Zadar, the members of the new elites, the probable investors. In the the usual peacocks drinking from ...

Context 2

... On the three preserved arches from the beginning of the 9 th c. two quadrupeds, alongside traditionally early Christian birds appear, and they both still wait for identification, but one of them, the one that has a very large tail resembling an axe and very unusual horns on its head, also has, albeit much smaller and undistinguished, phallus (Fig. ...

Context 3

... last one of those composite animals has been identified in different ways. We ought to say here that in general the ciborium from Rab has long not been cleaned which contributes to the difficulty of identification of the figures. The one that we have already mentioned having a phallus is especially complex to identify (Fig. 8). It is a quadruped that seems to have hoofs, with notable detail of fur on its back, has a very strange head, almost human-like, on top of which are either horns or two peacock feathers 8 . However, its most unusual feature is its large tail, which in its form resembles a weapon similar to an axe. Flanking this animal are a pentagram ...