Lyones
Originally posted by Sophie-David
There is another one from the same site here with slightly different information and a different picture: http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article...order=0&thold=0
I have not been able to find any information on who St. Ambrew, alias St. Ambrusca, was.
In spite of the H for hermit sign, it looks like a contemporary Lancelot would be out of luck - the well door is locked.
I would think that the door could not be very old, perhaps no more than 200 years, since it is made of wood - correct me if I am wrong.
Thanks David I couldn't find anything else at all, so this is great.
As for the door's age ... rationally I would place it as being fairly recent, as you say 200 years is probable ... however, I'm constantly amazed at how things of antiquity can seem to last forever. You're a spiritually inclined person, do you believe in spiritual protection? I do, and perhaps our "face" is the spirit that has been set to guard this site, the keeper of the door *lol*. The design of the carving seems to date it somewhat though in my opinion, and one would also think that there might be some form of history recorded if it was only a couple of hundred years old? Especially considering the importance of history in that area for economic reasons?
I was thinking also that the face is like a shield-shape, a herald as well as heraldry - the message itself is unclear, but the well "belongs" to something or someone. The cap-like shape on the head seems to be either a crown or helment - perhaps denoting the importance of the being. Although we can't see the carved chain on the card, I'm inclined to think of it as a caution (not a threat), to consider carefully what we take from this place and what we leave behind. Wells and springs were thought to have magical properties because of the spirits associated with them, so perhaps it is also symbolic of warding off evil or contamination from the outside world. Wells are also generally fairly deep, with slippery sides - walking through that door alone and accidentally slipping could be detrimental ... taking time out to be alone and contemplate is fine in it's time and place, but we must not withdraw totally from the world - the universe was created for us to enjoy, to live life to the full, and sometimes we can go overboard in withdrawing from it (because of guilt, because we don't know how to get out of what we've gotten ourselves into, because we do not trust ourselves) and miss out on so much. We can get lost in the depth of phylosophies and trying to understand rather than accepting things as they are and moving on.
Originally posted by WalesWoman
My more serious thoughts were about frailalty as well, that we make some monumental mistakes and misjudgements all the time when passion and physical desire rule our actions.
Been there - done that ... so I'm also more inclined to forgive him, especially considering that he seems so vulnerable at this time, I can identify with him here.
Originally posted by Mooncat2
When I look at it I'm reminded of a mirror, for some reason.
Yes! it's like facing yourself ... your image of yourself and questioning it ... it's something that you have to deal with on your own because no one else can help you become what you want to be. Confronting that image in desparation and saying "what must I do?", "what can I do?"